Police Academy 4 : Aux armes citoyens

So I watched Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol last night, the one thing I really noticed here on IMDb is that the ratings just keep going down after each movie. But I still wanted to see them and judge for myself, I loved the first Police Academy, the second and third are cheesy, but they were fun still. Now onto Citizens on Patrol, I honestly liked this film, I know it was cheesy and cliché, but with G.W. Baily back in his game, you can't go wrong. Again, one of the things that surprised me is that they've been able to get the same cast back over and over again, we also have two of my new favorite characters: Zed and Sweetchuck. It was great to have the old gang back together, even if the movie needed a little work, they still made the movie very enjoyable.

The Police Academy is given a new assignment, there is a new program called C.O.P., Citizens on Patrol, taking regular people off the streets and turning them into cops. Mahony has taken a few misfit punks off the street and made them join, there's an old lady, there's the average or less then average people in the program as well. But Captain Harris hates this program and will do anything to shut it down, but when there is a jail outbreak, he may just have to rely on the C.O.P. program to help him out.

Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol has it's good laughs here and there. I always love to watch the jokes the gang plays on someone, my favorite this time was how they super glued the mega phone onto Harris's lips. I would recommend this if you are looking for a couple laughs, I think people are bing a little too harsh on these films. They're the Police Academy sequels, they're light hearted and fun, they're meant to just relax and laugh for a bit at the stupid stuff. But I did feel like this is the weakest I have seen so far out of the sequels, it could have had more laughs, but it is worth the watch.

5/10

Indeed, that is the question many were asking in 1987, as the series soon turned into too much of a not so good thing. Sadly, it was only going to get worse from here. I've tried no less than three times to sit through Mission To Moscow, and it is just impossible. About the only reason to bother with episodes three through six is so you can see the final episode where Cast Member X decided they'd had enough. Or when Event Number X that was referenced in a sequel took place.

Another big problem with PA4 (and boy, there are many) is the change in target audience. Sure, episodes 1 through 3 could be enjoyed by children with two digits in their age, but the primary audience was adults who didn't have very high standards. Unfortunately, someone in the film studio must have decided that the writers have to please everybody, and so they watered down the humour as far as they could without getting a G rating. That, more than anything, is what hurts Police Academy sequels 4 onwards.

Steve Guttenberg must have taken one look at the finished product and wondered why he didn't quit about three films ago. Bob Goldthwait picks up the slack in terms of comedy, but his act is also watered down a tad too far, ditching any vocal expression of his character in favour of shouting and screaming at anyone and everyone. Which might work for a comedy about mental patients who have been neglected by the system for too long, but not when your character is meant to be a police officer. But then again, the whole premise is built on a notoriously shaky ground.

Every Police Academy film has at least one celebrity (other than George Gaynes) who wishes they had never appeared in the film. Sharon Stone gets her turn her, and despite what they say about her appearance in everything after Basic Instinct, at least she looks capable of acting. But amongst this lot, I'm sure a dead goldfish would appear to be emoting effectively.

Overall, PA4 gets a 2 out of ten from me. It stands as a good relic of what happens when you try to appeal to everyone, and it does have some genuinely funny moments, but it just cannot hold a candle to its predecessors, especially the first.

Police Academy were an almost constant feature growing up - the number of sequels watched, and in what order, was something of a badge pride in those days! For my part, my scorecard was completely out of synch - Parts 2 and 6 on VHS, the original on terrestrial, etc. Anyway, I have a bit of affection for Part 4 (for all its shortcomings) as the only chapter I ever saw in a cinema, one summer holiday in 1987, St Andrews, Fife. The story is daft, the acting variable (GW Bailey makes a welcome return, while George Gaynes aces it as usual), the jokes are hit and miss, and the series has quite clearly ran the course....but I'll always associate this one with warm summer evenings and pristine white sands. To be enjoyed as a bit of nonsensical and undemanding fun.

I'll admit, I enjoyed these "Police Academy" movies back in the eighties. Honestly, I really only have seen the first two in the theatre. The third one I saw on cable TV. Now that I've bought the box set on DVD, I can honestly say that it is at this 4th sequel of the "Police Academy" films, that they really should have stopped right here. A lot of the humor is predictable and (most annoyingly) often repeated. For example, Winslow (Larvell Jones), was doing his silly "karate man" humor excessively though many of the "Police Academy" films. If he only did this in one film, the humorous impact would have been cherished more. The first three "Police Academy" films are the best. Taking this predictable slapstick into four more follow-up films (with totally forgettable stories, was just a bit too much.) On a positive note, "Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol" starred Corinne Bohrer as Laura. What a gorgeous blonde babe she is! And also, I'll have to admit that on the documentaries of the making of the "Police Academy" films, Leslie Easterbrook is still quite an attractive looking woman. Marian Ramsey still looks good, too.

Ok, I the first three Police Academy movies were all quite good. I had a vague memory that part 4 is still somehwat good. But when watching it again, I was surprised that most that happens in the movie had been forgotten completely. I mean, the previous films felt very familiar with all the legendary jokes that seem unforgettable. This movie had also some good jokes but...I think it is more forgettable. It starts promising, introducing new interesting characters. But towards the end the plot (if there was much of it in the first place) disappears and the movie becomes quite random.

Pros: Harris from the first film is back. He's a great opposing force, better than Mauser from parts 2-3. This is also the first time Harris and Proctor work together. Harris shouting "Proctor!" is classic. Also nice to see more of Zed. The best new character is Mrs. Feldman, the old lady who has Tackleberry's attitude.

Overall it's not a very solid movie but it does have some good comedy moments. Recommended only for fans of the earlier films.