Customer Reviews

Recruits [VHS]

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This is a great movie! Yes, it's silly. Yes, it's a knockoff of "Police Academy" -- but they don't try to hide it! And it's just as good. Or at least almost. And that is pretty darn close to it. One thing, though: there are multiple edits available, apparently. I remember seeing a scene when my dad rented it years ago, that was cut from the tape I bought here. There was probably another, because there is one very abrupt scene change that I also don't remember.

This movie combines at least two traditions of 1980's high-genre comedy; a ragtag group of inept people becoming law-enforcement officers, and a sinister, corrupt authority figure who imposes obstacles that can ultimately only be overcome by everyone rallying together to do some good work.

The plot is this: the Governor is coming for a visit and in an effort to convince him to build a new highway, the Mayor of Coxville, California (actually shot in Vancouver, I believe) has a plan to assemble a police force from the town citizenry to protect and impress the Governor. But the Chief of Police, Captain Hardbutt, also has a plan: to hire the most incompetent group possible and stage an assassination attempt so the Governor will fire the Mayor and replace him with Hardbutt! Most of the movie is about the misadventures of the recruits, suffice to say.

I'd say it's a bit like Police Academy meets Hamburger: the Motion Picture, but that statement could be made with any pair of similar movies in place of those two. That is to say it's formulaic. Many of the regular trappings of cheap 1980's cinema are here; some nudity and sex humor, rowdiness, funny music, non-political-correctness, stereotypes, ridiculous characters, ridiculous plot. It isn't the best of its kind, there was nothing so outrageously funny that I felt like rewinding to watch again over and over, but it also isn't so bad it's boring. If you are into this kind of movie, I would recommend adding it to your collection.

As an additional note, the people in the drawing on the cover don't resemble the actors in the movie very much. The actors do for the most part have forgettable faces though, so it's alright.

An interesting show and the best part is Suzy "Sweet Kicks" Sanderson's turns at the very beginning, if you luck into one of the first-cut copies. Don't let the smiley face fool you, though. :)