Beverly Hills Cop: Netflix fans spot subtle dig at Eddie Murphy’s 'worst' movie

Virgin Radio

7 Jul 2024, 12:12

Fans have been in hysterics after noticing a subtle dig at one of Eddie Murphy’s films in the Netflix sequel, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. 

The new film sees Murphy reprise his role as police detective Axel Foley, who returns to Beverly Hills after discovering a threat has been made to the life of his former partner, Judge Reinhold’s Billy Rosewood. 

Fans have already praised the film for its laugh-out-loud moments, but one joke has only been noticed by a few. 

The joke in question references one of Murphy’s least-liked films - a film that Murphy has also critiqued himself. 

Towards the beginning of the latest Beverly Hills Cop movie, Axel is arrested by the Beverly Hills PD, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character Bobby Abbott goes over his rap sheet with him. 

“This is a lot,” Abbott says. “Disturbing the peace, various shootouts, evading the police. This is from ‘84, then there’s one from ‘87… and then ‘94. Not your finest hour.”

The line references the years in which the original Beverly Hills Cop films were released, most notably Beverly Hills Cop III in 1994, which has been agreed to be one of the worst in the franchise and was the reason no more Beverly Hills Cop films were made for 30 years. 

Murphy has famously been quite outspoken about his dislike for the film, calling it “garbage” in 2015 and suggesting there were problems with the script from day one. The director, John Landis, also claimed the movie didn’t work because of Murphy’s acting choices. 

The current director, Mark Molloy, was even advised not to watch it in case it put him off working on the franchise. 

He told the Hollywood Reporter: “There’s been so much history with this franchise, but I never actually saw Beverly Hills Cop III.

“I’ve never seen it, and Jerry hasn’t either. When I came in, I said to Jerry, ‘I haven’t seen Beverly Hills Cop III.’ And he was like, ‘I didn’t do it, so you don’t need to see it.’ And I was like, ‘OK, cool, Jerry. I’m going to let it go then’.”

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is streaming on Netflix.