Tag: Luis Guzman

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F Review

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is frequently an amusing ride of overt nostalgia mining. It works better than the other two sequels to the 1984 original, especially 1994’s embarrassing III set at an amusement park. Is it good? That might hinge on your generosity level any given moment or reverence for what happened four decades ago. Eddie Murphy is certainly trying harder than he did 30 years ago (and in several mediocre titles between now and then). This is also a notch above Coming 2 America, his other recent long gestating legacy follow-up. Having this premiere on Netflix kinda makes sense. You can check out from time to time and it might not disrupt your overall experience. Does it try too hard to capture a 40-year-old vibe? I guess. Was I still watching? Yes and with more attentiveness than when Axel Foley donned an elephant costume in BHC III (never forget).

The role of renegade Detroit cop Axel Foley is the one that turned Murphy from a movie star to iconic superstar. Part one additionally blended action and comedy in ways that many copied and still do. Beverly Hills Cop II, despite some guilty pleasure high gloss moments courtesy of Tony Scott, couldn’t think of much more to do with the concept. III, despite reuniting its star and Trading Places and Coming to America director John Landis… well we’ve covered that already. Seeing him slide on his Detroit Lions jacket again could’ve been yet another big-budget letdown. Yet just as that team has recently shown signs of life, this series does in part IV.

Foley returns to the West Coast for family business after a cool Motor City prologue set at a Red Wings game (this allows for Paul Reiser to reprise his role as our protagonist’s former partner). His estranged daughter Jane (Taylour Paige) is an attorney representing an innocent man for killing a cop. The dirty police captain (Kevin Bacon) responsible for the murder may need to off the Foley offspring to cover his tracks. So Axel’s ole pal Billy (Judge Reinhold) sends up the 90210 signal before he gets kidnapped himself. His old partner Taggart (John Ashton) is now the Chief. Side note – he was nowhere to be found in III because he probably read the screenplay.

Some of the script allows time for Axel to attempt rekindling a strained relationship with Jane. He also acquaints himself with Detective Abbott (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), his main partner in property destruction and Jane’s ex-flame. Both Gordon-Levitt and Paige are serviceable additions to the proceedings.

I can’t say the same for everyone else. Bronson Pinchot is back as the flamboyant Serge. An art gallery employee in Beverly Hills Cop, he stole two hilarious minutes from Murphy 40 years back. By III (I’m sorry to keep returning to that disaster), he was inexplicably a weapons dealer whose cameo was as unfunny as everything else in the runtime. Now he’s a bleach blonde real estate agent whose appearance feels tacked on. Same goes for Luis Guzman’s eccentric gang leader. Their parts could’ve been eliminated and we would’ve been better off without their 80s vibes.

Perhaps the shameless callbacks to the best franchise moments will leave you cold. I must admit the Pointer Sisters and Harold Faltermeyer and Bob Seger and Glenn Frey needle drops provided joy. Additionally the scaled down nature of the action sequences felt retro positive. Director Mark Molloy often succeeds in making this feel like it could’ve been produced in the era it celebrates. Never mind that everyone looks older and sorer with the notable exception of the seemingly ageless Murphy. This is not an action comedy for the ages. Despite Kevin Bacon as the chief baddie, all four Cop‘s share forgettable villains.

The series that made “Shakedown” an Oscar nominated track doesn’t attempt anything close to a shakeup. Thankfully its megawatt star is in his groove enough that it warrants going back to Cali.

*** (out of four)

Keanu Movie Review

It may be called Keanu with an adorable kitten named after the actor who gave us Neo/Johnny Utah/John Wick, but the debut feature starring Comedy Central’s “Key and Peele” could’ve been titled George Michael as well. The iconic 1980s British crooner gets his props throughout this action comedy that may have felt right at home in theaters when “Faith” and “Father Figure” were burning up the charts.

The duo’s basic cable program was a rather groundbreaking show with some truly inspired bits. You won’t really find that here. Instead, Keanu is a breezy if rather forgettable tale of the tail of the cat who captures the hearts of everyone who comes in contact with it. Jordan Peele is Rell, who’s depressed after his girlfriend broke up with him when that darn kitty comes into his possession. His best bud/cousin Clarence (Keegan-Michael Key) is stuck in a dull middle class existence with a bored wife (Nia Long) who’s out of town for the weekend. The pair soon learn that Keanu is actually the property of a drug kingpin whose employees were recently mowed down by assassins known as The Allentown Boys (also played by Key and Peele). Before you know it, Rell and Clarence are posing as them in an effort to get the kidnapped Keanu back.

Their journey brings them to the underground L.A. drug scene and a crew led by Cheddar (Method Man) and Hi-C (Tiffany Haddish), who Rell has the hots for. Of course, they need nifty nicknames, too. Tectonic and Shark Tank suffice. As they try to find that fabulously cute feline, the guys teach some criminals the joys of George Michael in a humorous bit that just keeps going and going.

Maybe that’s part of the problem here. The shark out of water premise of Keanu barely can sustain itself for 100 minutes. There are moments sprinkled throughout that work well. An unexpected cameo from Scary Movie lead Anna Faris is amusing. Key and Peele do succeed in proving that their charisma on the small screen translates to the big one. And, yes, that kitten really is a gem. Yet the concept of these guys having to “get hard” (to borrow a phrase from a far worse Kevin Hart vehicle that uses similar plotting) is a rather familiar one. This is a talented pair at work, though. I wouldn’t hesitate to sign up when they get “One More Try”, as that hit song says from Mr. Michael.

**1/2 (out of four)

Keanu Box Office Prediction

The comedic stylings of Key (Keegan-Michael Key) and Peele (Jordan Peele) come to the big screen with Keanu, out next weekend. The R rated laugher centers around a cat theft and our leads getting caught up with some violent criminals. Method Man, Gabrielle Union, Nia Long, Will Forte, Luis Guzman, and, yes, Keanu Reeves costar.

Keanu’s dynamic duo are known for their hit Comedy Central show, which just ended its run last year. Their first film vehicle premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival to solid buzz and its Rotten Tomatoes score stands at 75%.

Will audiences follow Key and Peele to the multiplex? If this got to over $20 million in its premiere, Warner Bros would be over the moon. I believe a more likely result is in the mid to high teens.

Keanu opening weekend prediction: $17.6 million

For my Mother’s Day prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2016/04/22/mothers-day-box-office-prediction/

For my Ratchet & Clank prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2016/04/23/ratchet-clank-box-office-prediction/