[Beverly Hills Cop] was at the forefront of this movement. Forty years later, the impact of this franchise is still immeasurable. For those who haven't seen the film in another decade or four, Eddie Murphy leads the franchise as Axel Foley, a Detroit cop who goes to Beverly Hills not for the palm trees but to get justice for the murder of his childhood friend.

The comedic elements of the series helped define the buddy cop dynamic that has become a staple of the action comedy genre; the 1994 sequel, Beverly Hills Cop III, was Netflix's recent hit Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F “ and was the last film in the franchise before “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. So now that Netflix has revived the series, here are five “Beverly Hills Cop”-like films to stream after rewatching the OG.

Of course, watching the first two sequels is a necessary part of a movie marathon. But once that's done, “Axel F.” is next. In some cases, reboot sequels are superior to earlier films, which often lack excitement. But enough time has passed for the cast and fans to crave nostalgia, and most of them will return, adding a fresh spin to a beloved franchise.

Naturally, the passage of decades brings changes to the game for the main characters who have had years of careers and must grapple with the fact that there are new kids in town. Speaking of kids, Taylor Page plays Axel's daughter Jane, whose life is threatened along with his former partner Billy (Judge Reinhold). The father-daughter duo is seen teaming up as Jane's ex-boyfriend Bobby (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) helps with the investigation.

In addition to Reinhold and Murphy, John Aston (John), Bronson Pinchot (Sarge), and Paul Reiser (Jeffrey) also make a return appearance; despite its 2024 release, the sequel still manages to capture the 80s vibe we know and love.

Watch on Netflix

When most people think of Murphy's legacy in action-comedy cop movies, they think of “Beverly Hills Cop,” but “48 Hours” was first made in 1982. In fact, this film was his first big break in the business. Murphy (as Reggie) and Nick Nolte (as Jack) star as partners in this high-octane, vulgar, and always funny buddy cop movie. Unlike many films that employ this formula, this unlikely duo consists of a cop and a criminal.

So who is who? Nolte plays the detective and Murphy plays the prisoner charged with Reggie. In between one-liners and light slapstick comedy, Reggie teaches Jack how to be a little less impulsive, while Reggie encourages Jack to pursue the killer.

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Instead of Beverly Hills, “Bad Boys for Life” moves its investigation to equally sunny Miami, Florida. Nothing brings a mother and son closer together than an old-fashioned drug deal. Will Smith (Lieutenant Mike) and Martin Lawrence (Lieutenant Marcus) play Miami detectives tasked with busting the father-son drug lord duo of Isabel (Kate del Castillo) and Almond (Jacob Scipio). To complicate matters further, Mike and Isabelle have a troubled past.

2020's Bad Boys for Life took the buddy cop genre in a modern direction with a combo of outrageous stunts, humor, crime fighting, and of course, palm trees. The film features a cameo appearance by famed producer Michael Bay (usually responsible for the intense action scenes in his films).

Watch on Hulu

The 80s were truly the peak of action comedy. Along with “Beverly Hills Cop” and “48 Hours,” “Lethal Weapon” is one of the most beloved films in the genre. Mel Gibson (Martin) and Danny Glover (Roger) lead the film as new partners in the LAPD whose approaches to crime fighting clash. As is always the case, their combative personalities complement each other. Needless to say, this dynamic is almost always interesting (and funny) to watch.

Like many cop movies in the action-comedy genre, these sidekicks are on a mission to take down a drug smuggling ring. Given that the franchise consists of four films, the duo clearly works well together. And unlike most Buddy Cop franchises, which have multiple films, the two leads have appeared in all four films.

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Jackie Chan doesn't just do kung fu films; in 1998's Rush Hour, he played Hong Kong's Captain Lee, who works alongside LAPD Detective Carter (Chris Tucker). The film, directed by Brett Ratner, centers on the unlikely duo as they rescue the daughter of a Chinese consul while taking down a crime lord. The stakes are high, given that the consul's daughter is only 11 years old.

Not surprisingly, the partners' approaches are very different--especially Carter's inability to get along with others. If the formula works, it works. Especially because Carter can't get along with others.

Rent/buy on Amazon or Apple

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