‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ Sequel Explained—Does Axel Survive And Crack The Case?

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F on Netflix.

Eddie Murphy and the Beverly Hills Cop crew is back. The actor reprised his iconic role as Axel Foley for Netflix’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. As you watch the film, you might have questions about what happens, including the action-packed ending that threatens the detective’s life.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F marks the fourth installment in the beloved franchise and the first movie in 30 years after Beverly Hills Cop (1984), Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), and Beverly Hills Cop III (1994). The story follows the detective as he teams up with his daughter and her ex-boyfriend to uncover a conspiracy at the BHPD.

“After his daughter’s life is threatened, wisecracking Detective Axel Foley teams up with a new partner and some old pals to turn up the heat on a conspiracy,” the official synopsis reads. Newcomers to the franchise include Taylour Paige as Axel’s daughter Jane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Detective Bobby Abbott, Jane’s ex-boyfriend, and Kevin Bacon as the corrupt BHPD Captain.

What Happens In Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F?

Like the previous films in the franchise, Axel F opens up with Axel driving down the streets of Detroit. He attends the Detroit Red Wings game with his colleague Mike Woody (Kyle S. More). They are there to track down thieves involved in a string of burglaries.

Axel and Woody confront the robbers, who manage to get away with the help of corrupt security guards. Soon, they’re chasing the criminals down the streets of Motown in a snowplow that’s destroying everything in its path. Although they manage to stop the robbers, Alex is called to his boss’ office — which happens to be his former friend and partner Jeffrey Friedman (Paul Reiser).

Friedman tells Axel that he turned in his papers to protect Axel’s job and to spend more time with his family. When Axel questions the latter, Jeffrey asks Axel when was the last time he spoke to his estranged daughter, Jane.

Why Does Axel Go To Beverly Hills?

Alex goes to Beverly Hills after his old friend, Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) — now a private investigator — calls him to say that his daughter is in danger. Jane is working as a public defender and is representing an innocent man accused of murdering a police officer. She was inside her car when mask-wearing thugs dangled her vehicle out of a parking garage.

Rosewood tells Axel his daughter’s fine, but these guys are serious and want her off the case. Axel sent his daughter to Beverly Hills as a child to protect her, so the concerned father books the next flight to see her and figure out what was going on.

When Axel arrives, Billy mysteriously isn’t there to pick him up. He goes to Billy’s office to find two men ransacking the place. “Billy has uncovered something that is pretty far-reaching and dangerous for the central characters, as well as a lot of people,” Reinhold told Netflix’s Tudum. “He has to be very careful with the knowledge that he has. He’s really on the hunt this time.”

Axel initially pretends to be one of them, but his identity is uncovered. He runs away and escapes in a parking enforcement vehicle (not before being sprayed with a massive amount of pepper spray by the officer). The bad guys chase him, and because he can’t see very well, this causes mayhem in the streets as he almost hits a few pedestrians.

Axel is arrested and questioned by Detective Bobby Abbott (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Bobby asks Axel why he was in Billy’s office, but Axel only wants to speak with his old buddy John Taggart (John Ashton). Axel repeatedly calls his daughter, who finally agrees to help him get out of jail after he mentions Bobby’s name.

It turns out that Taggart is now the chief of the Beverly Hills Police Department. In Taggart’s office, Axel is introduced to Cade Grant, the interdepartmental narcotics task force leader. Taggart and the BHPD are prosecuting Jane’s client Enrique, who allegedly killed an uncovered cop named Copeland. They tell Axel that Jane claims that Copeland was a dirty cop, but Taggart defends the officer and says he was one of his own.

How Do Axel, Jane And Bobby Solve The Case?

Axel quickly suspects that Grant of the interdepartmental narcotics task force is involved in the scheme. Jane gave up on the case once she had enough evidence to provide reasonable doubt for her client. But Axel keeps going, and her father teams up with her ex-boyfriend, Bobby, to take down Grant, who is secretly running a drug smuggling operation.

Axel and Bobby are arrested by cops and framed for cocaine possession. Thankfully, Axel outsmarts Grant to escape custody, and they bust out by stealing a police helicopter. The two rescue Rosewood shortly afterward, but they discover the worst news of all: Grant kidnapped Jane, and he's holding her hostage at his mansion, which also serves as the headquarters of his illegal operation.

What Happens At The End Of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F?

At the end of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Axel, Bobby, and Billy go to Grand’s headquarters to rescue Jane. There’s a shootout, and even Taggart is there to help defeat the corrupt cops.

Axel confronts Grant and tells him to put his weapon down. When another corrupt cop sneaks up behind them, Jane shoots him, and Axel turns around to see what happened. With Axel off guard, Grant takes the opportunity to shoot Jane. Axel dives in front of her, taking the bullet and ultimately saving her life.

After Axel is shot in his upper body, Jane kneels and tells him that everything is going to be okay. Axel is taken by paramedics and is put into an ambulance. A paramedic tells Jane that she will have to meet them at the hospital. “He’s gonna be alright,” Bobby says while comforting her.

Does Axel Die In Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F?

Thankfully, Axel survives after being shot at the end of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. In the next scene, viewers see Axel alive at the hospital. In true Axel fashion, he manages to escape yet again to eat lunch at a diner nearby with his daughter.

Jane informs him that Billy’s SD cart, with all the evidence from the case, was handed over to authorities, resulting in the District Attorney dropping all charges against her client. Axel apologizes to Jane, and they reconcile. Meanwhile, Axel gets ready to leave California, but before he does that, he orchestrates a heartfelt reunion with his friends.

Billy and John are waiting outside Axel’s hospital (at Jane’s request) to ensure he doesn’t cause any more trouble. Axel decides to surprise them and slides into the back seat. He tells his pals that he wants to get a steak. This nostalgic nighttime stakeout with Axel, Billy, and John is one of the many nods to the original film woven into Axel F. The scene closes out the sequel, leaving the door open for the franchise to continue.

“When we shot the scene where the three of us were in an unmarked car together, it was magical — not just for us, but there was an electricity with the crew, too, everybody,” Reinhold told Netflix. “It was like time travel. The first thing that Eddie said when he got in the back of the car — I hadn’t seen him in at least 10 years — was, ‘Well, we still resemble our characters.’”

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is streaming on Netflix. Watch the official trailer below.