Review of Beverly Hills Cop (1984) by Calum B — 18 Sep 2012

Rather than having an incompetent Nick Nolte for a partner as in 48 Hours, Eddie Murphy shows he can take control of a movie all by himself. This was in the days when Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer were getting started in their modern appeal to the dollar. It also proves to be the best. Audio is skimped on, as it always is in their movies, but the highlight is the fact that Martin Brest--previously fired off of WarGames--doesn't let Bruckheimer get in the way of the story.

Had a less competent director, say Tony Scott or Michael Bay, been put in charge, the movie would have fallen apart like BHC II did. Fortunately, Brest knows how far to push things and when to back off. He is helped by Arthur Coburn and Billy Weber, two of the best editors short of Michael Kahn. It's too bad that Arthur lost precedence in Hollywood and Billy wound up a slave to Bruckheimer.

The charge in this movie is still strong after nearly 20 years, but there are obvious signs of aging. Thankfully, the dialogue is not Bruckheimer's typical macho-BS, but rather natural and fluid. Eddie delivers again and again. The remainder of the cast, obscure as they are fair, but it is John Ashton who has the least trouble with his lines.

The only major fault I find with BHC is not in the film itself, but rather in how many times the formula has been duplicated, mimicked, plagarized, and copied. Each time less inventive or original than the rest.

Overall, funny and somewhat vulgar (this is not for fans of Dr. Dolittle or The Nutty Professor), but it shows when Eddie was at his pinnacle of ability...before the inferior screenwriters took over. A gem of the 80s.