Police Academy 3 - ...und keiner kann sie bremsen

I saw POLICE ACADEMY 3: BACK IN TRAINING on cable one night and I have to say for a second sequel, POLICE ACADEMY 3: BACK IN TRAINING is pretty funny. It's not quite as funny as the first two POLICE ACADEMY movies, but is pretty close. It's kind of like the first POLICE ACADEMY except with a different set of people being trained to be cops. The characters are hilarious and so is the movie.

Here we go…I don't care what anyone says, this is funny. Yes the series gets worse with each film, but any of the first 4 are better than any American Pie, or any teen comedy ever. The characters have already been established, with the main additions being Bobcat Goldthwaite as Zed, who is endlessly funny, and Mauser as the rival Cmndt. Plot? There are two Police Academies; one must close so a series of competitions are set up to see which is better. Mauser recruits Copeland and Banks from Lassard's school as traitors, but Mahoney and crew eventually prove the better. But these movies are not about plot. Some would say they're not about comedy, or anything else, but as a kid, nothing made me laugh more than these films. And they still do. Jones makes loads of noises, Tackleberry watches his in laws punch each other, Mahoney makes his usual comments, but Zed and Procter are my favourites here. The Blue Oyster Bar is back, and other scenes that keep me laughing are the arrival of Sweetchuck to the Academy, crashing into the car, and Zed singing to make a door fall. I see why people find these completely irritating, but I'm pis*ing myself thinking about them. While I was reading some of the (mostly negative) reviews of this, where people were slagging off the parts they didn't find funny, I was in stitches. May say something about me-but that's something I'm not ashamed of.

8 out of 10

Police Academy films are a weakness of mine, they are stupid, vapid, idiotic and funny as all hell. I do so love these characters and they are in top form as the goofball graduates from the first Academy come back to save their alma mater.

It seems that budget constraints have forced Governor Ed Nelson to close one of the two Police Academies. The first one is run by clueless Commandant Lassard as played by George Gaynes. The second is a discipline factory run by the nemesis of the graduates from the second Police Academy movie, Sergeant Mauser, played with relish by Art Metrano now a commandant of that Academy.

So a contest is to be held to see which one stays open and our regulars, Steve Guttenberg, Bubba Smith, Michael Winslow, Marion Ramsey, David Graf, and Leslie Esterbrook go back to help the captain they made life hell for as cadets.

When you think about it, are the Police Academy movies any different than the classic Keystone Kops? A lot of the same gags are used and a lot more of them that could never have been got away with back in those days. But the idea is the same, an irreverence for law enforcement in the funniest way.

These are not films to write elegant tomes about, they are films to laugh whatever part of your anatomy off you want.

While still suffering from the humor limitations of being rated PG, "Police Academy 3" has sight gags enough to make it worth watching a few times (at least more often than "Part II").

The gang's all here and trying to train a new line of cadets in their own image (poor cadets) while Lassard (Gaynes) tends to his goldfish and tools about in his modified golf cart.

Even Bobcat Goldthwait returns as Zed, this time training to be a force of good. His scenes breathe a lot of life into this affair, as he screams at doors until they fall down, terrorizes his fellow cadets, hot wires police cars with his teeth and sings at the most inopportune times.

Everyone else has at least one good scene, maybe two. And considering how many are in the cast, that leaves room for a lot of good scenes. Even Georgina Spelvin is back from the original and, bless her, she makes good, too (though not as hilarious as in the original).

This is about as good as the sequels get, so look no further for laughs than "Police Academy 3: Back in Training". Definitely Bubba Smith's finest hour.

Seven stars. Good job, officers.

In this sequel, the same slapsticks that have been used in the first two movies are apparent and that's what makes it fun to watch. Michael Winslow, who plays Jones, has once again entertained me with his vocal prowess. Also Hooks' (Marion Ramsey) timidness is easily shrouded by her tough side always saying "Don't move, dirtbag!"

Steve Guttenberg (Mahoney) didn't need to stretch his role for this one. It is still fun to watch after 13 years of it's initial release. One of a perfect movies to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon.