I recently reviewed 1982’s 48 Hrs which I saw thanks to an awesome 4K double pack that I managed to pick up on sale. Now it is time to look at the sequel, 1990’s Another 48 Hours. This was a real passion project of Eddie Murphy’s and while he did not write the script, the story is based around his idea of what Cates and Reggie could possibly be up to next.
How to Download Another 48 Hours
Another 48 Hours was released on June 8, 1990. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
The Movie Review
Eddie Murphy’s Passion Project Takes a Darker Turn
Clearly Eddie Murphy loved his role as Reggie Hammond in the first movie. 48 Hrs. was very well received and it made Eddie Murphy a star so it is no wonder he wanted to play the character again. However, Another 48 Hours lacks the heart and soul that the original movie had. Hey, this is not a bad movie at all and it is still a fun buddy cop movie, but in comparison to the first movie, it is inferior in pretty much every way.
Plot Overview: Iceman, Prison Time, and a New Threat
San Francisco cop, Jack Cates has spent the last five years trying to take down a notorious drug dealer called Iceman. Jack thinks he has a lead on Iceman and ends up in a shootout with two guys called Burroughs and Brock and it ends pretty bad with Cates being accused of using excessive force and even being charged with manslaughter!
Reggie Returns: Can the Old Chemistry Spark Again?
Cates finds out that Iceman has put a hit out on his old buddy, Reggie! Reggie is due to be released from prison and Cates goes to him to try and get his help to take down Iceman. Things get complicated by the villain from the first movie Ganz’s brother who is even more crazy showing up.
Action and Laughs: A Decline from the Original
Look, this is just a pretty by the numbers buddy cop action movie. It has fewer laughs than the first movie, the action is not as good and the twist at the end with who Iceman is just fell flat. There are some funny moments and there are sparks of that chemistry between Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy, but there is just something off about this movie.
Is Another 48 Hours a Worthy Sequel?
I watched this and the original 48 Hrs. back to back and when Another 48 Hours ended, I had been entertained, but it felt like a very unnecessary sequel, especially when you consider it came 8 years later. I wonder if you saw the original in the 80s and then this in the 90s if that 8 year wait made this one better than if you were to watch it back to back with the original as I did. Overall, the story this time around just feels like a very generic cop movie and lacks the spark that we had 8 years prior.
Final Thoughts: Fun But Outshined by Its Peers
Again, this is not a bad movie at all, but by the time Another 48 Hours came out, stuff like Lethal Weapon, Red Heat, Tango & Cash, and even Eddie Murphy’s own Beverly Hills Cop had been released. It felt like other movies had taken the formula that 48 Hrs. had done and made it a bit more action packed and badass. Another 48 Hours is still worth watching and it is a fun movie, but it is in no way better or even on the same level as the first movie.
