Beverly Hills Cop III is a 1994 action-comedy film starring Eddie Murphy. The film was directed by John Landis and written by Steven E. de Souza. It is the third film in the Beverly Hills Cop series.
Beverly Hills Cop III was released on May 25, 1994 and grossed $42 million in the United States, and over $77 million in the foreign box office. The film was not received well by critics, fans, or Murphy himself, as they believed it to be the weakest in the trilogy.
Plot[]
One night in Detroit, Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) plans an invasion at a nearby local chop shop and in turn, cancels the SWAT, enraging his boss Inspector G. Douglas Todd (Gil Hill). Meanwhile at the chop shop, the workers there are killed by a well dressed man after they hijack a cart full of drugs. Just as they are about to leave, Foley arrives with his men and a gunfight ensues. They find themselves outnumbered, until Todd arrives. Todd manages to gun down a gunman defending the entrance, but is then fatally shot by the man, who escapes. Foley pulls Todd into cover, where he tells the Detective to go get his killer, before he dies. Angered, Foley steals an unfinished sports car and chases down the man. He kills the man's henchman, but he gets away when he is intercepted by Agent Steve Fulbright, who informs him that he must not apprehend the killer at this time for their investigation on him.
After Todd's funeral, Axel learns that the killer's vehicle was rented using a credit card reported stolen from a man on vacation at Wonder World, a theme park in Beverly Hills, California. Axel arrives in Beverly Hills and reunites with his friend Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold), who has been promoted to "Deputy Director of Operations for Joint Systems Interdepartmental Operational Command" (DDO-JSIOC). Axel meets Billy's new partner, Jon Flint (Héctor Elizondo), who claims that he has heard stories about him from John Taggart (John Ashton). Billy explains that Taggart is now retired and living in Phoenix. Axel asks Flint to call his friend Ellis DeWald (Timothy Carhart), the head of park security to let him know that he's coming to the park. Axel investigates Wonder World, which is owned by "Uncle" Dave Thorton (Alan Young). Axel meets and befriends Janice Perkins (Theresa Randle) whilst investigating. He is spotted by security and shot at. The guards attack him, but he retreats to the Spider ferris wheel ride. The guards accidentally jam the ride, placing two little kids' lives in danger. Axel makes a very bold attempt to rescue them and is successful. He is captured by the guards and taken to Orrin Sanderson (John Saxon). The surveillance footage is edited to make Sanderson believe that no one attacked Foley and that he did the act by himself. DeWald is called in, whom Axel immediately recognises as Todd's killer. Rosewood and Flint refuse to believe that DeWald is a killer because he works closely with the LAPD and is a close friend of Flint's. DeWald runs a counterfeiting ring that uses Wonder World as a front and was at the chop shop in Detroit to meet with associates to purchase blank printing paper used for American currency.
Uncle Dave is shot by DeWald and Axel is framed for his shooting. With the help of Rosewood and Flint, Axel sets out to prove his innocence by storming the park. The resulting shootout kills DeWald, Sanderson (John Saxon) and their henchmen. Uncle Dave makes a full recovery and he thanks Axel for his assistance by creating a new character for Wonder World in his honor, Axel Fox.
Cast[]
- Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley
- Timothy Carhart as Ellis DeWald
- Judge Reinhold as Detective Sergeant Billy Rosewood
- Héctor Elizondo as Detective Jon Flint
- Theresa Randle as Janice Perkins
- Bronson Pinchot as Serge
- Alan Young as "Uncle" Dave Thornton
- Gil Hill as Inspector G. Douglas Todd
- Jon Tenney as Detective Levine
- Joey Travolta as Giolito
- Lindsey Ginter as Holloway
- Gregory McKinney as Kimbrough
- Forry Smith as Rondy
- Dan Martin as Cooper
- Michael Bowen as Fletch
- David Perry as Taddeo
- John Saxon as Orrin Sanderson
- Stephen McHattie as Steve Fulbright
- Disney composers Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, who wrote the Wonder World song for the film, both filmed cameos. Robert was among the old men discussing the murder at the bar, but Richard's cameo as the grand marshal of the Wonder World parade was cut out.