Eddie Murphy Has Bigger Fish To Fry Than Junky `Metro'

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XX "Metro," with Eddie Murphy, Michael Rapaport, Michael Wincott. Directed by Thomas Carter from a script by Randy Feldman. Alderwood, Aurora, Bella Bottega 7, Cinema 17, Crossroads, Everett 9, Factoria, Kent 6, Lewis & Clark, Meridian 16, Metro, Puyallup 6, Renton Village, SeaTac North. "R" - Restricted for violence, language.

Have you heard about this? Eddie Murphy is an award-winning actor. The '80s superstar who had been a '90s bomb won critical praise and box-office success for last summer's "The Nutty Professor."

Earlier this month the National Society of Film Critics chose Murphy as best actor. He's a dark horse candidate for next month's Oscar nominations and is up for a Golden Globe award on Sunday night.

Why is this important? With the new prestige attached, Murphy probably wouldn't make a junky movie like "Metro" now. He has bigger fish to fry.

When the part was offered to him by director Thomas Carter ("Swing Kids"), Murphy was on the set of "Nutty Professor" and no one knew what lay ahead. Perhaps Murphy saw a chance to create a new version of his best-known character, Axel Foley in "Beverly Hills Cop."

"Metro" could easily have been subtitled "Beverly Hills Cop 4." Much like Foley, San Francisco police negotiating specialist Scott Roper runs around town with his gun drawn, finds himself in numerous car chases and mouths off to his by-the-book boss (Denis Arndt).

While watching Roper enter a hot zone, a SWAT member asks his partner, "What makes a guy do that?" We'll never know. "Metro" is not about making someone tick; the movie never pretends to be a character drama. It's a cliche-ridden affair of a rogue cop who goes toe-to-toe with a villain who is making his attacks very personal. It's a basic setup from writer Randy Feldman, who penned the similar "Tango and Cash." He even saddles Roper with a new partner (Michael Rapaport) for no apparent reason.

Perennial heavy Michael Wincott ("The Crow," "Robin Hood") is Korda, a nasty gem thief who kills Roper's only friend on the force (Art Evans). Roper goes on the war path, which is only compounded when Korda tries to kill the cop's on-again, off-again girlfriend (Carmen Ejogo).

With all the action, Murphy is certainly in familiar territory, but he's far more entertaining in the opening hostage scene, simply talking to a fazed robber (Donal Logue). Murphy's gift is his quick-witted tongue. Any hunk can chase villains in parking garages.

The supporting cast is a bit more appealing. Making a fine career out of lovable idiots ("Mighty Aphrodite," "Beautiful Girls"), Michael Rapaport changes gears as the green but very keen officer. British actress Carmen Ejogo has an appealing presence, but she'll have to prove her talent in a more challenging role.

Like another San Francisco thriller, "The Rock," "Metro" is full of jumbling, tight camerawork that is ineffective and downright annoying. The look is surprising considering the background of cinematographer Fred Murphy ("The Dead," "Hoosiers"). The perfunctory cable car sequence is an elaborate setup that's more inventive than thrilling.

Even more startling is a misogynist angle. Murphy's films have been accused of this before ("Boomerang," "Beverly Hills Cop II") but you would think director Thomas Carter would stay away from such predicaments. His background includes directing realistic crime dramas ("Hill Street Blues" and "Equal Justice," for which he won Emmys). Most of the time female characters are in dire straits: Attractive hostages cry and scream with a gun to their head. Worse off is Ejogo.

Not only does she have to go through a "Halloween" type stalking sequence, but by movie's end she is tied to a big construction wheel a la James Bond, about to have her head tortuously cut off.