Snapshot: January 17-20, 1997
By Joel West
February 20, 2009
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Oh how the movie-going public loves a comeback story.
From John Travolta to Robert Downey Jr., one specific film has allowed us to fully embrace a movie star's return to commercial and critical prowess. However, it's their next film that truly illustrates whether it was a one-time fluke or an extended invitation to the A-list. Mr. Travolta wisely followed Pulp Fiction ($107 million) with Get Shorty ($72 million), while Mr. Downey Jr. followed Iron Man ($318 million) with Tropic Thunder ($110 million). These subsequent films solidified their comebacks and allowed their respective agents to receive scripts that weren't being sent to them during their Shout and in Dreams phases. Travolta was able to continue his streak up until 2000's Battlefield Earth ($21 million), but since rebounded in 2006's Wild Hogs ($168 million) and Hairspray ($118 million). With Downey, it is still too soon to tell, but with the Iron Man franchise and Sherlock Holmes in the future, his prognosis his good.
Unfortunately, Eddie Murphy's agent wasn't as wise (or as fortunate) with the opportunities that Murphy's comeback film, The Nutty Professor, allowed.
The 1980s at the Cineplex were to an extent defined by Murphy. 48 Hours ($78 million), Trading Places ($90 million), Beverly Hills Cop ($234 million), The Golden Child ($79 million), Eddie Murphy Raw ($50 million for a standup routine!!!), Beverly Hills Cop II ($153 million), and Coming to America ($128 million) all made Murphy one of the biggest stars on the planet. Better yet, he was doing all this for the most part without the comfort of a family-friendly rating. You could argue that a few of those films were borderline lazy (I am looking at you Beverly Hills Cop II), relying only on Murphy doing his shtick and little else. Nonetheless, moviegoers loved them some Murphy and he knew it, as there was very little in the way of artistic stretching involved in his work. As would later prove in Murphy's resume, when something works, don't change a thing.
But when the '90s rolled around, something broke - Eddie Murphy's dominance at the box office. It didn't happen with just one film like it would eventually do to Kevin Costner (1993's A Perfect World). No, Murphy's pull was slowly deteriorating. 1990's Another 48 Hours was the long awaited sequel to Murphy's launch pad film. All the significant parts from the original were there: same cast, same director, and disappointedly the same box office gross. Certainly $80 million was nothing to frown about, but with Murphy's dominance in "R-rated action", at least a $100 million was expected. His subsequent films continued the downward spiral: Boomerang ($70 million), The Distinguished Gentleman ($46 million), Beverly Hills Cop III ($42 million), and Vampire in Brooklyn ($19 million). Anyone who witnessed any of the aforementioned bores knew that problem wasn't Murphy's charm; it was that he didn't seem to even try or care. The once vibrant and controversial talent (have you seen Raw lately?) had been muted by lame "high concepts." Look, Murphy goes to Congress; here is Murphy as a vampire; or screw it, Murphy is now a Beverly Hills Cop at an amusement park. There was nothing underneath the surface and audiences knew that; and after his failed foray into horror, Murphy knew a change would have to be made.
He might have to actually...try.
Before 1996's The Nutty Professor was even released, it was already dubbed as Murphy's comeback vehicle. And rightfully so, as the ads showed Murphy successfully embodying several eccentric (not to mention obese) characters that gave the impression he cared about his work again. Audiences responded by showing up in droves to propel The Nutty Professor to a very healthy $128.8 million, his biggest hit in nine years. It wasn't just Murphy pulling a fast one on moviegoers, either, as critics responded warmly and there was even talk of an Oscar nomination. Murphy had rediscovered his groove and was fully embraced for it. The only question now was whether he would ride the wave of goodwill and prove yet again why he once dominated the box office.
His next film would be Metro; his return to the "R rated action-comedy" genre he helped establish. However, this time it wouldn't be a sequel to any of his old franchises and he would be taking on the police officer mentor role Nick Nolte had played in 48 Hours. Murphy played a hostage negotiator, who, while mentoring an up and comer (Michael Rapaport), must face off against a deadly adversary (the criminally underused Michael Wincott). Not necessarily original, but if Murphy's character could be a long lost brother of Reggie Hammond (of 48 Hours, not its sequel) and Axel Foley (again, only the first) no one would complain.
Metro would open on the extended Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend in 1997. The only real competition would come from Academy Award hopefuls (Jerry Maguire and Evita) and a ninja, not a cop, from Beverly Hills. While the late, great Chris Farley was not Murphy's heir apparent (former SNL star turned box office champ), his films still did reliably well (the $30 million range). What Farley did bring to the fight was the fact that he never sleepwalked through a role. The man quite literally threw himself into his characters and his core demographic (high school and college kids) loved him for it. Despite never having that one film that appealed to everyone the way Murphy did, his fans were still guaranteed to show up opening weekend. Could Murphy's rejuvenated box office power be enough to propel him to the top of the box office and beat Farley?
The battlefield was now set between a ninja and a former cop from Beverly Hills.
Predictably, a ninja always beats the law, as Farley opened Beverly Hills Ninja ($12.2 million) over Metro ($11.4 million). In all seriousness, how did Murphy's return to the action comedy genre open so poorly? Easy, audiences and critics alike felt the movie sucked and Murphy was dull in it. Farley's ninja opus certainly wasn't Citizen Kane, but Farley was anything but boring. Many argued that Metro could have easily been Beverly Hills Cop III and no one would have noticed, as Murphy obviously did nothing more than show up. There was none of the rawness and originality that made his character(s) in The Nutty Professor so endearing. When Murphy is on, you walk away knowing his character and spout the film's one-liners weeks after. Outside of Wincott kicking ass, can anyone remember a thing about Metro?
In the end, Murphy's Metro ($32 million) just edged Farley's ninja ($31 million) in total box office receipts, but what could have sustained Murphy's newfound star power was clearly squandered. Murphy wisely returned to the drawing board and pinpointed the reason for Metro's failure.
He was boring in it? He added nothing new? He wasn't funny? He didn't care?
Nope, he discovered it wasn't a family film.
Metro regrettably was Murphy's last "R-rated action" film (although a Brett Ratner helmed Beverly Hills Cop IV unfortunately looms), as he has ironically since become our generation's go-to family film lead. And he has made some serious bank doing so, with the results as follows: Doctor Dolittle ($144 million), The Nutty Professor II ($123 million), Dr. Dolittle 2 ($112 million), Daddy Day Care ($104 million), and The Haunted Mansion ($75 million) - not to mention the billions he has pulled in providing his voice talents to the Shrek franchise.
Sure, kids love him, but his fans patiently wait for a Murphy film with teeth. Occasionally Murphy will remind fans that his talent and passion to perform hasn't diminished (Bowfinger, Dreamgirls), yet those instances are few and far between.
The Verdict: Every year we patiently wait for the comeback story of the year, yet the subsequent film should be the one we pay attention to. Did said movie star learn that moviegoers wouldn't pay money to see them do anything? Murphy wisely chose a film in The Nutty Professor as his reclamation to box office power, but his follow-up, Metro, lazily fell back into the tiresome clunkers that put him into his rut to begin with.