10 To Midnight Review

MPAA Rating: R
Released: 1987

When Beverly Hills Cop took the world by storm in 1984, bringing in well over 200 million dollars internationally, perhaps it was inevitable that a sequel would be created. What many fans of the original did not know was whether the follow-up could capture the same magic as its predecessor exhibited or suffer the fate many sequels succumb to: mediocrity.

Luckily although the formula was tweaked a bit to keep things fresh, Beverly Hills Cop II managed to capitalize on the same chemistry that made the original so successful. So prepare, good reader, for the continuing adventures of Detroit's tough cop Axel Foley as he again heads out to the posh Beverly Hills and meets up with his old friends, Detectives Billy Rosewood and John Taggart.

It has been a couple years since Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) returned from his adventure in Beverly Hills, and while he immediately returned to active duty in the Detroit police force he has also struck up good friendships with Captain Andrew Bogomil (Ronny Cox), Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton), members of the Beverly Hills P.D. But when he receives word that Bogomil was ruthlessly gunned down by Karla Fry (Brigitte Nielsen), a member of a high-tec weapon-smuggling operation, Foley immediately heads back to California to visit his hospitalized friend and track down those responsible for the assassination attempt.

Billy Rosewood and John Taggart quickly tag along with Axel Foley, but before the threesome can dig too deeply into their investigation they are given a tongue-lashing by Beverly Hills Police Chief Harold Lutz (Allen Garfield) as well as strict instructions that they are not to think about touching the case. In fact, Rosewood and Taggart are assigned to traffic duty.

Of course a movie wouldn't be a movie if the police officers respected their belligerent boss' demands, so the trio ignores the dictations and threats and begins investigating the case anyways. Their investigation quickly leads to an exclusive gun club managed by the cold-blooded Karla Fry and her boss, Maxwell Dent (Jurgen Prochnow), but while it wasn't difficult for them to locate those responsible for the shooting (among other crimes), it will be extremely challenging to dig up proof of their wrongdoing and discover what other criminal plots they may have planned.

Axel Foley didn't undergo any significant change in this sequel, but Billy Rosewood and John Taggart have seen some developments since the original film. Rosewood, while still goofy and amiable, now has a weapon fetish and an arsenal that would make Rambo green with envy. Taggart, on the other hand, is the same personality-wise, but he's having difficulties on the home front with a wife that's threatening to leave him.

The characters aren't the only aspect to undergo some change, for Beverly Hills Cop II had a new director at the helm: Tony Scott (Top Gun, Crimson Tide). Scott admits himself that he was an action director and not terribly comfortable with comedies, but whereas his influence on the sequel amps up the action and lessens the comedy output a bit, ultimately the film will put broad smiles on most viewers' faces.

Eddie Murphy was still on the top of his game with Beverly Hills Cop II, and for our enjoyment he is afforded many opportunities throughout the film to fast talk his way through tricky situations. John Ashton and Judge Reinhold are just as entertaining as they were in the first film, and together the three actors demonstrate a flawless chemistry.

The supporting actors didn't fail to impress either. Ronny Cox has far less screen time in the sequel, so it's tough to critique his performance beyond stating his reflection of Bogomil was consistent to his performance in the original. Jurgen Prochnow also did not take up much screen time, but he put forth a nice subtle villainous presentation. The true surprise for me was Brigitte Nielsen, for although I am definitely not one of her fans she did benefit the movie greatly with her ice-cold, sexy display.

Like most sequels, Beverly Hills Cop II did not manage to reach the same heights as the original, but it struck pretty darn close… close enough that fans of the first film will likely want to greedily feast upon the delights this action-packed sequel has to offer.

Movie rating: 8 stars

If you enjoyed Beverly Hills Cop II you may also find the following films to be of interest: