Beverly Hills Cop

Martin Brest has only made five feature films (Going in style, BHC, Midnight run, Scent of a woman, and Meet Joe Black), films strikingly different from one another, but that all share certain traits. They are finely crafted, energetic, and extraordinarily human. The warmth and friendship shine through, even through the gun- and fist-play which are obligatory in a cops-and-robbers movie. This is one of the first and best prototypes of the buddy movie.

Brest's casting is superb, and he elicits performances which are often the best of even young actors' careers. Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, and Ronnie Cox are outstanding, and the ensemble clicks like a well-oiled infield. To me, this movie is still far and away Eddie Murphy's best performance. He is remarkably talented, a comic genius. As an actor, his expressions are sometimes outlandish, but always completely in character, and appropriate to the dramatic situation. Villain Victor Maitland (played by Steven Berkoff, the husband of Alberta Watson, Madeline in La Femme Nikita) is chillingly underplayed; the cold-blooded evil shines through the civilized facade.

BHC is one of the few movies which I can watch with my loved ones again and again and never tire. Even as a comedy, it has a solidness and integrity which make it extremely durable. I look forward eagerly to Martin Brest's next film. Meanwhile, I always have Beverly Hills Cop.

Axel Foley (Murphy) is a foul-mouthed, street-smart and freewheeling Detroit police agent, when a friend is murdered ,he heads to L. A. to investigate. He arrives in Beverly Hills where finds an old friend (Lisa Eilbacher). The clues lead a mobster (Steven Berkoff)and henchman (Jonathan Banks) suspects of killing, drugs and customs bonds. He's helped by a pair of sympathetics L. A. detectives (John Ashton, Judge Reinhold) causing wreak havoc on the way.

The picture mingles action packed, thriller, fast pace, and humor with tongue-in cheek . It's an Eddie Murphy recital accompanied by two likable pals: Ashton and Reinhold creating a fun buddy movie, besides a grouch chief (Ronny Cox). The picture contains spectacular scenes, stopped action as usual in the Don Simpson-Jerry Bruckheimer productions. Hilarious relief at charge of Eddie Murphy, his fast-talking and jokes with the buddies cause most big laughs and gags subordinated to action. This vehicle for Eddie Murphy as freelance police is terrific, it's his greatest success and became him in a world star confirming his position as number one in the box-office.

Catching musical score with international hit smash by composer Harol Faltermeyer. Glimmer and atmospheric cinematography by Bruce Surtees (classic cameraman Robert Surtees's son). The motion picture was well directed by Martin Brest. It's followed by two inferior sequels with similar actors and producers, the second installment directed by Tony Scott and the third part directed by John Landis.

Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is a brash young Detroit cop. His childhood friend Mikey returns from LA having crossed the wrong people. Mikey is executed while out with Axel. Axel doesn't get the murder case. So instead he takes his vacation time in Beverly Hills to investigate. There he runs into cops who do things a little differently.

It's a simple formula of action and Eddie Murphy hijinx. Eddie Murphy makes jokes, do the action thing, and create havoc. Young Judge Reinhold, grisly John Ashton, and by-the-books Ronny Cox play the Beverly Hills cops. There is the clash of culture, and Murphy's hilarious laugh. This is a star vehicle for Eddie Murphy, and he drives it with style.

BEVERLY HILLS COP (1984) ***1/2 Eddie Murphy, Lisa Eilbacher, Ronny Cox, John Ashton, Judge Reinhold, Paul Reiser, Bronson Pinchot. Murphy, hot off his debut in `48 HRS' wisely continued to ride his rising star in this his first starring vehicle, tailor-made for his fast-talking, fun-loving, street-smart persona as Detroit undercover cop Axel Foley in this blockbuster hit who heads to posh Beverly Hills to investigate the murder of a good friend mixed up in a drug smuggler's art dealer front headed by equally good friend Eilbacher, and faster than you can say fish-out-of-water he's rousted by Beverly Hills finest, Ashton and Reihold – a modern day Laurel and Hardy if you will, only to continue to fluster as he tries to unearth the muck in the richest city in America. Pinchot steals the show as the effete, espresso hawiking art shop clerk Serge. Lots of laughs and a good blend of action (this was once earmarked for Sylvester Stallone!) and sprinkled with pop tunes that led to an even bigger soundtrack goldmine. Waycool instrumental theme music via Harold Faltemeyer.

Cocky rule dodging Detroit Cop Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) heads to Beverly Hills in search of those responsible for murdering his friend. Upon getting there he falls foul of everyone he meets due to his tough Detroit approach work. Undaunted, Foley, aided by old friend Jenny Summers (Lisa Eilbacher) and two intrigued local detectives, starts to unravel the mystery.

Hey Axel you got a cigarette?

There was a time when Eddie Murphy ruled the world. After Trading Places had introduced us to his sharp comedic tongue, and 48 Hours had shown him to be a more than capable action character actor, Beverly Hills Cop fused the two together and propelled Murphy to super stardom. Directed by Martin Brest and produced by Messers Simpson & Bruckheimer, it's really no surprise that "Hills Cop" is shallow, simple (a fish out of water comedy standard) and utterly commercial. Yet with its gusto, humorous script (Daniel Petrie Jr) and neat plotting, it becomes a hugely entertaining film - led superbly by Murphy due to infectious comedy energy and superb knack for timing.

You're not going to fall for the banana in the tailpipe routine!

It's hard to believe that the likes of Sly Stallone and Al Pacino were first mooted for the role, so not as a comedy one imagines, but as it being a standard police action movie, but enter Murphy and it ended up as a fine blend of action and comedy. There's little digs at Beverly Hills and its smugness, a way of life that Foley, with his down on the streets toughness, can't comprehend, while opposing police methods also get a wry once over - wonderfully threaded in the relationship between Foley, Taggart (John Ashton) and Rosewood (Judge Reinhold).

Small gripes reside, such as Steven Berkoff's by the numbers villain being something of a let down and Ronny Cox is sadly playing filler time with an underwritten character. But this is about Murphy, the fabulous stunt work and the successful union of action and comedy. And hey! even Harold Faltermeyer's bobbing synth score, "Axel F," has a nippiness that remains quintessentially 1980s. 8/10