Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F defies critics, dominates viewership charts

One might seriously question whether the comedy-action series with Eddie Murphy deserves its fame. Without a doubt, the first part of the film was excellent, but it only got considerably worse afterward. In 1984, "Beverly Hills Cop" topped the American box office. With a budget of just CAD 34 million, it grossed about CAD 413 million worldwide. It was a huge and unexpected success for a film made under unusual circumstances.

The screenplay for "Beverly Hills Cop" was written with Sylvester Stallone in mind, and it was not a comedy then. It was supposed to be a spectacular action film but was too expensive for its producers. The action hero parted ways with the project, and Eddie Murphy, who was much cheaper then, took his place. Most of the spectacular scenes were removed from the script, and comedic elements and dialogues were introduced during filming. This is how one of the most profitable films in cinema history was created.

Unfortunately, even though the next two parts of "Beverly Hills Cop" were made under normal conditions and had a bigger budget, they look like their scripts were "written on the fly." "Beverly Hills Cop 2" received poor reviews, but it still became a hit on the wave of the original's success. The third part was a complete failure. "Beverly Hills Cop 3" was made in 1994 and received two Golden Raspberry nominations – for worst director and worst sequel.

The fourth part of "Beverly Hills Cop," made with Netflix viewers in mind, thus became an opportunity for redemption. Not many believed it was possible, but the film turned out to be a decent production, certainly better than the second and third parts of the series. On Rotten Tomatoes, "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" garnered 66% positive reviews from critics and as much as 80% positive ratings from viewers.

In the latest installment of "Beverly Hills Cop," Axel Foley returns to the streets of Los Angeles to wreak havoc again and deliver catchy one-liners. With a budget of as much as CAD 206 million (one of Netflix's most expensive projects), the film features some spectacular scenes, but above all, a good dose of humour and Hollywood Easter eggs. For example, in a hilarious scene, Foley goes to a parking office and pretends to be the producer of a new thriller starring Liam Neeson.

Finally, let's add that "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" achieved the best opening result among feature films this season. Below is the Top 5 of 2024:

1. "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" - 41 million views.

2. "Sharks in the Seine" – 40.9 million views.

3. "Lady" – 35.2 million views.

4. "Skyfall" – 32.8 million views.

5. "Atlas" – 28.2 million views.