Beverly Hills Cop II was met with mixed to negative reviews upon first release, with many critics taking aim at the movie's willingness to be... well, exactly the same movie as the original, really. Whilst this particular approach to sequel creation proved more successful than it did on say, Ghostbusters II, Beverly Hills Cop II still feels like well-worn material. But considering that these movies are all about Eddie Murphy's performances and nothing else, who cares? That's to say, Beverly Hills Cop II succeeds on the back of Murphy's cop character Axel Foley, a funky soundtrack, and a breezy, entertaining tone that sticks throughout. And whilst elements of Beverly Hills Cop II are ripped straight out of the first flick - his teaming with the likes of Billy Rosewood and John Aston, for example - it's still an entertaining comedy romp that will leave you feeling (for the most part) satisfied.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
