Beverly Hills Cop 3 (1994)

 

Boy, this film gets a lot of flack for apparently 'no longer being loyal to the franchise'. There is some truth in this to be sure and it is quite a different beast than the previous two, but to lambast this one is a bit harsh. You just need to remember that where the two first ones where more edgy action films with some comedy, this is more a comedy with some action thrown in. Is it less edgy than before? Absolutely! Is it horrendous? Of course not. 

Axel Foley is once again back, but while he and a couple of officers attempt to take down an illegal chop shop, things go awry when others get involved and Axel's boss Todd gets killed in the process. Axel of course wants payback and through the thinnest of leads discovers a link to a theme park near Beverly Hills called Wonder World. 

Yes, it is very much like Disney World, only not, because copyright infringements. 

If this has to do with food, would they be called 'infridgements'? 

Sorry, I digress.

The bad guys are supposedly crafty at hiding their evildoings in the park, but when they so obviously target Axel from the moment he enters the park, you know something is amiss. This is also a missed opportunity by the filmmakers to ramp up the tension, but you can't win them all, I guess. Turns out a guy named Ellis DeWald is behind it all, and he happens to be head of the park's security ànd someone who is a prominent member of society, loved by many thanks to his charitable works. So of course, it seems as though no one will believe Axel. In fact, he gets framed for several things in the course of this film, even though the framings are so obviously framings, a blind hamster would be able to spot them. 

In the end, Axel, his friend Rosewood and a new officer named Flint (John Ashton would not reprise his role as Taggart) have a shootout in the park with the bad guys. 

Oh, the reason behind all of this is apparently counterfeiting dollars. 

Oh, and the federal officer who is supposed to be on the trail of DeWald is - of course - a double crosser. But you saw that one coming the second they introduced him. 

So sure, this film has it's problems. Yes, the action is a lot less and way more focused on jokes and gags and a lot less on gritty realism. Yes, Eddie Murphy's portrayal is a lot less foulmouthed than before and yes, most of the plot is so predictable you could see it coming a mile away. And yet, this is still an entertaining entry in the series. Murphy is funny as always, albeit less rough, Judge Reinhold as Billy Rosewood now also amps up the humour and it works and from the entire series, this is the one where - no joke - the villains are the most memorable. I didn't say they are particularly good, but they are memorable. Ellis DeWald is a slimy character, portrayed by an actor who has that smug face you just want to punch the moment you see it. 

Not that I want to do that to the real actor, because he might be a very nice guy. It's just that he fits this particular part very well. 

His partner is played by legendary John Saxon, who is always a hoot to watch. The man doesn't nearly get enough credit for his roles. Sure, he's played in a lot of questionable films (to say the least), but he always brings his all, no matter how hammy it gets. Hector Elizondo is also one of those trustworthy actors that just can't seem to do any wrong and he is a nice replacement for John Ashton's Taggart. It's especially nice that they didn't go for a 'Taggart version 2' but let Elizondo do his own thing. 

Okay, you can argue that it is beyond silly to have most of the action take place in an amusement park, but after the wealthy sites of Beverly Hills, where else would they go? If they wanted grime, they could have stayed in Detroit. (no disrespect to Detroit, by the way) So it's at least amusing they wanted to try something completely different. 

So yes, the story is fairly stock, the action is less hardcore and the jokes are more family-friendly (there's even a lot less swearing in this one). But that does not a bad film make. Consider this the family friendly version of 'Beverly Hills Cop'. You can always stick to the first two if you want it more in-your-face. This is more one for the whole family. It's the least of the trilogy, that is true, but it's still enjoyable.