Beverly Hills Cop
[4K/Blu-Ray combo]
It’s a weird time to be a fan of movies. Or, more of a catch 22, I should say. With the lockdown we have more time than ever to indulge in new TV Shows or movies, but because of the lockdown, the movie-going business is at a stand-still. We have the time to go see movies, but theatres aren’t open. Or at least, they shouldn’t be. So, movies are either going straight to streaming services or being delayed. You catch my drift? It’s weird out there. But, there is obvious way out of this, and that’s to rewatch the classics, and movies that we’ve had on our bucket list for a while.
For me, that movie was definitely Beverly Hills Cop.
I’ve had a tumultuous relationship with Eddie Murphy. I have some perspective of how he came onto the scene, being an SNL fan, but to me, he’s always been “a guy who used to be in movies.” What I didn’t quite understand is that he used to be a mega star, and that’s because I wasn’t watching the right movies. I remember Coming to America which was definitely Eddie Murphy at his height, but I was 8 and couldn’t quite process the greatness of that movie. My Eddie Murphy era was the Nutty Professor, which let’s be honest, was the beginning of the end for that guy. But, now I buckled down and watched Beverly Hills Cop. And now I get it.
Beverly Hills Cop is a star vehicle the way Die Hard is. The plot is cool, but it’s the performances that make it, and Eddie Murphy as Alex Foley is about as fun to watch as they come. It’s not just that the character dominates on screen, it’s that the way Eddie Murphy plays him seems so effortless. He is a guy in extraordinary circumstances who is fully in control. He knows how to manipulate the situation to his advantage and you can’t help but love the guy. You want to go on his journey and laugh along with him. Beverly Hills Cop is gripping, hilarious, sweet, full of action, and is almost entirely carried on Eddie Murphy’s shoulders.
This great movie deserves the 4K treatment and Paramount did it right. The 4K/Blu-ray combo comes loaded with extras, like deleted scenes, an audio commentary by the director, and features focusing on behind the scenes, the music, and casting of the movie. It’s quite the supplement for this great flick.
Beverly Hills Cop is required watching for anyone who’s an action or comedy fan. It lives in that special space where it’s both exciting and hilarious and its rewatchability is undeniable. Go for it!
