Metro Details

Following the goofy slapstick of The Nutty Professor, Eddie Murphy returned to the genre that made him a star with this misfiring action vehicle. It has a harder centre than usual as hostage negotiator Murphy uses his motormouth talents to haggle with hostage takers. However, his persuasive charms are sorely tested when he comes up against psychotic jewel thief Michael Wincott, who remains unconvinced that it is good to talk. The highlight set piece is a car chase involving a runaway tram, but otherwise director Thomas Carter, who cut his teeth on TV series such as Remington Steele and Midnight Caller, displays little flair in the action department. Beverly Hills Cop was more fun.

Murphy returns to familiar ground, as a smart, wise-cracking cop, but the style has worn thin through overuse; cast and director go through their predictable motions in an efficient but uninspired manner.