Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
it's time to let this series rest, November 19, 2004
A film by Jim Drake
The misfit police officers are back at it again. This time the officers are being asked to help with the new "Citizens on Patrol" program. This program allows regular citizens to help clean up the streets of the city and just like the first "Police Academy" movie, the new program attracts an assorted band of misfits which is characterized by a little old grandma (Billie Bird) who, like Tackleberry (David Graf) is obsessed with guns and weaponry. Hilarity is supposed to ensue as these new C.O.P.s (clever, huh?) try to bust real criminals and make citizens arrest while they bungle their way into real police work.
Hilarity does not really ensue, though it is better than "Police Academy 5: Project Miami Beach", but then the series is getting progressively worse. The style of comedy is much the same as the other "Police Academy" movies. It is slapstick, silly, bungling humor, and it works to an extent the first time you see the movie. It works especially well if the viewer is younger, around 10 years old or so. Any truly offensive scenes have been scrubbed out of this series (though the first movie was rated "R").
This fourth movie is notable for being the last of the "Police Academy" movies to feature Steve Guttenberg as Officer Carey Mahoney. Note the drop in quality when Guttenberg leaves only to replaced by the similar character Nick Lassard in P.A. 5. This movie also has a younger Sharon Stone and David Spade is supporting roles and a cameo appearance by a very young Tony Hawk. None of the "Police Academy" movies are all that good, except perhaps the first one, but by the time the fourth movie rolled around it was clearly time to stop. That's my recommendation: stop. If you have seen the first three, you have seen all the good parts and you are now just washing a less funny rehash of the earlier movies. It is nice to see Captain Harris (G.W. Bailey) back, but let's just let this series rest now.
-Joe Sherry
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The title says it all!, May 21, 2004
The Metropolitan Police Academy's commandant Eric Lassard(George Gaynes) has initiated a community relations program called Citizens On Patrol. That's where ordinary citizens witness criminal behavior and bring the criminals to justice. Much of the original gang is still here,so are Zed(Bobcat Goldthwait) and Swechiuk(Tim Kazurinsky). G.W. Bailey returns in this sequel as Captain Thaddeus Harris(he was a lieutenant in the first film). Lt. Proctor(Lance Kinsey) is now a member of Harris' precinct. Bailey returned because Art Metrano was written out for good after the previous sequel. Chad Copeland(Scott Thomson) is part of Harris' team also. Sgt. Moses Hightower(Bubba Smith) says in one of the first scenes,"I believe Brother Swechiuk is suggesting we recruit in our old neighborhood." Lassard strongly agrees. Some of the COP team members are Lois Feldman(Billie Bird) & Thomas "House" Conklin(Tab Thacker),an overweight black guy who resembles one of The Fat Boys members. Two other young male members(Brian Backer and David Spade)are assigned to the program after they're tried for disorderly conduct via their skateboards in a shopping mall. Carey Mahoney(Steve Guttenberg) who was present at the trial,suggested the idea to the presiding judge. Again,it's another gang making a large illegal mess. This film features Sharon Stone who was in 1986,when this film was made,not-so-famous. Spade would also become a major celebrity several years later,becoming a member of NBC's Saturday Night Live. Stone is Claire Mattson,who joins COP also. She and Carey went partners in whatever either did. In the last scene,Zed tells Swechiuk,"You look a little like Tom Cruise in 'Top Gun'(one of 86's biggest films)." Also Carey and Claire toast the MPA with champagne("To the academy") while ascending to the friendly skies in a hot air balloon. Remember Metrano losing his hair in PA2,and his eyebrows in PA3? Well,one funny scene is where Harris,after showering is about to apply his deodorant,and it's stolen and replaced with mace! The stinging was so painful that he couldn't bring his arms down. They were braced. He angrily warns that those caught with mace from that point on would be reprimanded and fined. Also Harris' lips are glued to the mouthpiece of a bullhorn after Carey applies the strong,powerful adhesive. This sequel would be Guttenberg's last. Goldthwait and Kazurinsky were written out. Guttenberg bowed out of the three yet-to-come sequels in favor of "Three Men And A Baby". Well,that's my assumption. Well,the next three sequels would feature a new prankster.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tim Kazurinsky tries to become a C.O.P. Billie Bird too., February 23, 2005
Original cast members returning: Steve Guttenberg, Bubba Smith, Michael Winslow, David Graf, Leslie Easterbrook, Marion Ramsey, G.W. Bailey, George Gaynes, Scott Thompson, George R. Robertson.
Also returning are: Tim Kazurinsky, Lance Kinsey, Bobcat Goldthwait, Brian Tochi, Colleen Camp, Andrew Paris, Arthur Batanides and Jackie Joseph.
New people are recruited as part of a Citizen On Patrol program: David Spade (three years before his debut on Saturday Night Live), Billie Bird, Brian Backer, Corinne Bohrer and Tab Thacker.
You will also get a look at Sharon Stone, Randall "Tex" Curtis and Derek McGrath.
Leslie Easterbrook does a wet t-shirt scene. Billie Bird is a laugh riot.
In this DVD, Special Features includes additional scenes not shown in theatres. Some of the cut scenes included Sharon Stone.
Easter Egg: Click down until you underline "Theatrical Trailer". Then press the "right" button. You should see red keys appear on the clipboard paper. Press "Enter" for a three-minute clip about the skateboarders.
Movie runs: 87 min.
The next film in the series: Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach.
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