Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol

Review #86
Warner Bros., 1987
Mov No. 28552
Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Jerry Paris
Staring: G.W. Bailey, Leslie Easterbrook, George Gaynes, Bobcat Goldthwait, David Graf, Steve Guttenberg, Lance Kinsey, Marion Ramsey, Bubba Smith, Michael Winslow
Oscars: 0 nominations
AFI 100 years, 100 _____ tributes: None
Runtime: 1h 28min
Best Quote: "You want to become one with the gun. Feel the gun, caress the gun until it's a living, breathing, vibrating extension of yourself." "You know, I look for the same in a woman..."

 - Eugene Tackleberry & Carey Mahoney

Crime is once again rampant in the Metropolitan city. Commedant Lessard (George Gaynes) has started a unique "Citizens on Patrole" neighbourhood watch program in the hopes of curbing this problem before it get way too far out of hand.

To help him train the citizens, Commendant Lessard calls on his favourite academy graduates: goof off Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg); fire-arms aficionado Tackleberry (the late David Graf); squeaky-voice Hooks (Marion Ramsey); the monster Hightower (Bubba Smith); busty Callahan (Leslie Easterbrook) and motor-mouth Jones (Michael Winslow). Together, the loveable, wacky gang will help to train the citizens of the city to better themselves at stopping crime in their own neighbourhoods.

... That is, unless Lt. Harris (G.W. Bailey) and his slap-stick lackey Proctor (Lance Kinsey), who want to see Lessard fail so they can take over the academy, don't foil all of our favourite gang's plans.

Personal Comments

Much better than Police Academy 3, Police Academy 4 has some very funny moments involving Protor and mostly Harris, who is the comic foil of most of the Police Academy films (Police Academy's 1, 4, 5, 6 & 7 anyway).

The Balloon scenes at the end of the film are really well filmed, which is really sad because they are the best scenes in a film that is way too short. The film had many funny scenes deleted out of it for some reason or another, but that is the director's decision.

Plot:
Another some-what recycled plot without a twist. Nothing special, but better than Police Academy 3.

Visual Effects:
What special effects? Seriously, this catagories rating gets a major boost from the ballon scenes at the end, which were well filmed.

Sound:
There is no score, and the music is lame, especially the song "Let's Go to Heaven in My Car" written by Beach Boy Brian Wilson. COME ON BRIAN, you have better songs to write than this!

HOWEVER, the score rating gets it bump up because of that ever popular, now classic theme song to the Police Academy series of movies. Yopu know which one I mean. And yah, it's pretty damn catchy!

Character Development:
Character development? Where? I think there is even less character development in this one than in any other Police Academy movie, save Mission to Moscow.

Atmosphere:
Atmosphere is almost always the same throughout the series.

Realism:
It's a totally hollywoodized movie. It's funny, yes, but that's all.

Warren's Rating:

FINAL RATING

Is the movie worth your time to watch?

14-05-04