Laying Down The Law

It is hard to believe that Beverly Hills Cop is literally as old as I am, and yet I just watched it for the first time.  To say that I was excited to finally watch this film would be a glorious understatement.  I thoroughly enjoyed the movie from the beginning right up to the last shot.

Beverly Hills Cop is the story of a Detroit cop who pursues a murder investigation.  This movie is not just good.  It is great.  Even though Beverly Hills Cop is an action/comedy, there are really only two major action sequences in the movie.  This movie is paced very well, and leaves you on the edge of your seat as Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) edges closer and closer to solving the case.  There are a few minor issues that I have with the film.  As a first time viewer, I was a little confused when it was revealed that Axel Foley was undercover at the beginning of the film.  I would have liked to see more explanation behind that.  Also, during the truck chase at the beginning of the film, we see a bus randomly spin around out of nowhere and we also see more cops join the chase even though we never see a police officer call for backup.  At the end of the day, though, I have to say that I was thoroughly entertained by this movie.

Martin Brest is the director of Beverly Hills Cop.  As I mentioned before, there are two major action sequences in the film.  Both are filmed well, and are fast-paced.  The truck chase at the beginning of the film is the standout for me, personally.  The cities of Detroit and Beverly Hills serve as characters in their own right, and the entire film utilizes authentic locations from both cities.  I have always said that, in my opinion, the first job of a director is to get good performances out of the actors, and that is exactly what Brest did with this movie.  Eddie Murphy's performance in the film is one that will stand the test of time, and that is partly due to Brest's direction.

It is always great to back and watch a movie that solidified an actor's career.  This movie is incredibly fun to watch, and is another one of those films that will last quite a while..  If you have the chance to watch this film, for the love of Odin, do not wait 32 years like I did.  I highly recommend watching it.