Beverly Hills Cop III 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review

The 4K UHD Blu-ray release of "Beverly Hills Cop III" is a visual triumph, effortlessly breathing new life into the least adored installment of the series. Paramount's 1.78:1 HEVC 4K transfer offers a stunningly sharp and filmic appearance, proving faithful to the original material. Grain is consistent and natural, presenting across all scenes without noticeable digital processing artifacts. It results in razor-sharp textures, making every detail pop, from the rugged chop shop edges in the opening shootout to the bustling carnival scenes. Minor smoothing in a few isolated shots does not detract significantly from an overall highly satisfying viewing experience.

Dolby Vision provides impeccable color accuracy, delivering a neutral palette with vivid, lifelike hues. Improved greatly from the previous Blu-ray rendition, colors such as reds, greens, and blues are robust, with superb saturation and depth. The white balance is bright and clean, and black levels are deep and rich, maintaining solid consistency whether in low-light scenes or brightly lit areas. Skin tones exhibit a high degree of realism, though slight pastiness appears briefly in shots where grain diminishes. Notably, the disc shows no print blemishes or encoding issues, ensuring purity and fidelity in visual presentation.

Paramount's remaster of "Beverly Hills Cop III" achieves outstanding clarity and depth, accentuated by excellent contrast and dynamic range. Backgrounds and foregrounds in theme park scenes are rendered with outstanding dimensionality. Wonderworld's vibrant scenery and the dingy interiors of various locations look lifelike and well-composed. Paramount’s careful handling of the source material guarantees that edge enhancement is minimal to non-existent. Color reproduction remains stellar throughout—whether in characters' attire or environmental elements—ensuring that even Eddie Murphy's dramatic scenes are rendered with precise accuracy. Clean of noise or artifacts, this 4K release is nothing short of a visual masterpiece for discerning fans and collectors alike.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray release of "Beverly Hills Cop III" features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, consistent with the 2020 Blu-ray version. This audio mix delivers clear, crisp dialogue throughout, maintaining a professional level of fidelity that ensures speech is never missed. While it lacks a Dolby Atmos track, which is now more typical for Paramount's catalogue releases, the audio quality still impresses through its various sound effects and ambient details, particularly evident in action scenes.

However, the presentation has some limitations. The low-end frequencies underperform at times, such as during the train scene where engine sounds appear murky and unfocused. On the other hand, bass response improves significantly with gunfire, providing satisfying jolts with each shot. Surround sound utilisation is present but uneven, offering immersive experiences during crowd scenes at the Wonder World theme park or ambient moments at award ceremonies but falling somewhat flat during quieter sequences.

Dynamics within the audio mix have distinct high points, notably during music sequences and the Alien Attack scene, which provide a more balanced and engaging auditory experience. Some sound effects, like machine guns, come off as dated and less impactful. Surround sound aids in creating an atmospheric presence with cues of theme park rides and children's laughter effectively panning across the soundstage. Nonetheless, outside of action-driven sequences, the track can feel confined to the front channels.

Overall, this DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track presents "Beverly Hills Cop III" in a robust manner suitable for the film's energetic style, albeit with the occasional flaw in low-frequency performance and ambient consistency.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray release of "Beverly Hills Cop III" is utterly devoid of supplemental content. This version provides only the most basic features: Play, Settings, and Scenes—mirrored from its 2020 Blu-ray counterpart. It's particularly disappointing given the rich history of past releases that included insightful documentaries. No Blu-ray or additional physical content accompanies this release, except for a digital copy voucher. For collectors interested in packaging, note that the standalone release includes a slipcover, a feature missing from the trilogy box set. Fans who appreciate extras will find this release severely lacking, as there isn't even a trailer included.

Extras included in this disc:

• None

Paramount has released the final installment in the original Beverly Hills Cop trilogy, 'Beverly Hills Cop III,' in stunning 4K UHD with 2160p/Dolby Vision video. Despite the film's poor reception upon its initial release in 1994, Eddie Murphy reprises his role as Axel Foley, joined by Judge Reinhold and Hector Elizondo. This UHD release maintains the same DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack from the previous Blu-ray version. However, it should be noted that this film does not include any supplementary content, which may deter collectors. Available both as a standalone disc and part of a new three-film UHD collection, this release maintains technical consistency but unfortunately doesn't offer the redeeming qualities needed to elevate its status among fans.

Axel Foley is back in action, seeking to avenge his boss's murder which leads him to the Wonder World amusement park in Beverly Hills. Despite an intriguing premise and a promising opening sequence featuring a dynamic shootout and a quirky dance number, the film quickly derails. Murphy's once vibrant portrayal of Foley feels restrained, likely due to his reported lack of rapport with director John Landis. The film features out-of-place comedic bits, a weak script, and poorly edited action sequences full of visible stunt doubles and lackluster visual effects. Notably, Murphy's effort to bring Foley back to life is visibly diminished, contributing to a largely forgettable performance.

Despite attempts at humor and nostalgia through returning characters like Serge (Bronson Pinchot) and a slew of John Landis cameos, the film fails to regain the charm of its predecessors. Essential characters like Hector Elizondo's Billy Rosewood, replacing John Ashton's Detective Taggart, are overshadowed and underused. Adding to the underwhelming experience is Nile Rodgers’ attempt to modernize Harold Faltermeyer's classic score, which falls flat. Both long-time fans and newcomers to the franchise might find this third installment a disappointment, validating its notorious reputation among other lackluster sequels.

"Beverly Hills Cop III" makes its debut on 4K UHD Blu-ray, bringing significant improvements to the visual quality that only 2160p/Dolby Vision can offer. While the film itself may not be the highlight of the series, the upgraded texture and vibrant color enhancements are undeniable. The image presentation is sharp and pristine, with noticeable gains over the already solid 2020 Blu-ray release. Despite its cinematic shortcomings, fans and collectors particularly interested in Eddie Murphy's filmography will find value in these technical upgrades.

Nevertheless, it's worth acknowledging that "Beverly Hills Cop III" did not fare well both critically and commercially when it first released, especially under the shadow of powerhouse summer blockbusters like "Forrest Gump" and "True Lies." Over the past three decades, it has neither experienced a renaissance nor become a cult classic. The narrative and execution fall short when compared to its predecessors, making it a less compelling entry in the franchise. This 4K release could reignite fond memories or serve as a curiosity for those who haven’t seen it but be prepared for a film that is largely considered the weakest link in the trilogy.

While the only change here over the 2020 Blu-ray is the addition of 2160p/Dolby Vision video, it's enough to warrant a repurchase. The boost in texture and the gains in color, even over what was (and still is!) an excellent Blu-ray, make this an easy purchase for fans of the film, the series, and for Eddie Murphy film collectors. Recommended. Enjoy!