Loucademia de Polícia 5: Missão Miami Beach

"Police Academy V: Assignment: Miami Beach" continues the on-going "Police Academy" "comedies," if you wish. I call them trash.

The first had a few laughs, but was basically a rip-off of "Stripes" with Bill Murray. The second film was decent, and had just enough laughs to watch for. The third was one of those Sunday afternoon flicks. The rest are absolute, slobbering, grimy, putrid trash.

The plot involves Police Chief Lassard heading off to Miami Beach to accept an award. At the airport, he accidentedly switches suitcases with jewel thieves, who want their diamonds back...

This is the excuse for laughs not even half-baked. As always, the things one laughs at are those that the writers did not intend the audience to laugh at, like the end "action" sequence involving alligators, crocodiles, or whatever those fake puppets were.

I don't know how the "Police Academy" series ever got any more productions after the second or third film, but they did. Perhaps, in a sick, demented way, it's for the better. It ruined Steve Guttenberg's career, and gave all aspiring comedy writers something to "not do" when writing a comedy.

1/5 stars--

John Ulmer

There are too many wannabe Siskals, trying to pick every film to death. If you are looking for critical film successes, do not look here. If you are looking for a film that does not take itself seriously, and thereby is fun, then this whole series of films is for you. By the time of this fifth Police Academy film we can view these misfits as old and familiar friends. they each do what they do best. George Gaynes excels as the clueless Eric Lassard, who wanders through life creating chaos in his wake, but always managing to come out on top. He is America's answer to the French Clouseau. Rene Aubejonois is just great as the lead crook in this film. And G.W. Bailey. It takes an actor of rare quality to play the loathed but always accident prone character that he plays. These films are fun, and this one was one of the best.

The first three police academies were very good silly comedy, they had some great moments were great underdog stories and made you laugh quite a bit, at least me, but by the previous one it just ran out of steam, there was nothing left in the whole Police Academy genre. This one finds a bunch more character combined with out old friends to go to Miami Beach for a convention. Was the worst of the original six. I would not recommend seeing it, although the next one wasn't all that bad.

Steve Guttenberg being out of the series definitely made a difference and a lot of the gimmicks that made the original work were not present in this one. Part of the problem is that it went from being raucous adult comedy to a silly kid's comedy. None of the dirty humor is there anymore and that is sad. Stick with the first three those are very funny.

For what it's worth, it's the best of the films without Steve Guttenberg. That's faint praise, but the series was running mostly on his charm and likeability.

All non-Guttenberg factors being equal, in a lot of ways it's a (slight) improvement over the fourth film. The overall plot isn't exceptionally outlandish; befuddled jewel thieves is a more realistic setup than a citizens' police force or the mayor of the city orchestrating a crime wave. The cast are all game, and George Gaynes is clearly having a ball.

I wouldn't actually spend a lot of money on the film, but if it's in TV some lazy Saturday, there are worst ways to kill a few hours.

Fifth Police Academy is about as good as the fourth one, if not a little bit better. It takes a new twist when the main characters go to a trip to Miami. It's a fresh new take, with new jokes on the plane and on a beach etc. Some scenes look like the movie makers just went to holiday to have fun and just shoot whatever; there are some completely random scenes like a limbo dance. It isn't a very solid film but at least it has a fun mood. Towards the end there is a boat chase scene, which is a bit long but it's maybe better than that in the third film.

Overall I'd say this is still a watchable film for fans, but it's as far as you need to go with Police Academy.