Police Academy 5 : Débarquement à Miami Beach

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.

Stars the cynical and boastful Captain Harris (G. W. Bailey) and his silly , dim-witted lacky Lt. Proctor (Lance Kinsey). As Harris eventually encounters the goods he needs to push Commandant Eric Lassard (George Gaynes) out at the Police Academy: he is one year late for mandatory retirement. But before he abandons, Lassard is chosen as "Police Officer of the Decade", and brings his favorite graduates : Sgts. Hightower, Jones, Tackleberry and Hooks, Lt. Callahan, to the National Police Chiefs Convention in Miami Beach to celebrate with him. As our police officer friends : Bubba Smith : Hightower , David Graf : Tackleberry, Michael Winslow : Jones , Leslie Easterbrook : Callahan , Marion Ramsey : Hooks, Lance Kinsey : Proctor , along with Janet Jones and Matt McCoy undertake an adventurous journey in the sunny Miami . Captain Harris is about to lose his trousers and his mind in Miami! : Miami Beach. Objective: Laughs. Hold everything! The cadets are dropping in on Miami Beach for an all new adventure !

This funny but inferior entry deals with Police Academy's commandant will be honored at a police convention in Miami Beach , subsequently at the airport he picks a wrong bag with stolen diamonds and some nasty owners want them back. Amusing , fun and cheerful film filled with action-packed , thrills , hilarious set-pieces, tongue-in-cheek and lots of humor . More predictable idiocy from the cop shop and no real story to speak of , just more high jinks in this mindless follow-up. The premise is simple and plain , as the misfit , botcher team from the known police force are called to accompany to Commandant Lassard in Miami and there they get in trouble with some valuable robbed diamonds . Director Myerson delivers a mediocre professional work but with no much interest, with knack enough of getting the most out of characters and situations without ever going over the top making for some laughs . This production pays tribute to previous films , but this time the motley, bumbling group goes Miami and repeating former sketches, taking parts here and there . The jokes and frolics come as thick and fast , hit and miss as usual and it is done in good spirit if not always in good taste . Regular picture with accent on sight gags , and humour that stems from the diverting roles established in other movies . The sympathetic cast formed by the motley band of misfits gives fun interpretation creating confusion , laughs and chaos . Appearing habitual actors in the popular series, such as Seve Guttenberg as Mahoney, Bubba Smith as Hightower , Michael Winslow and adding two newcomers: Matt McCoy and Janet Jones . As our police officer friends (Steve Guttenberg : Mahoney, Bubba Smith : Hightower , Michael Winslow : Jones, Leslie Easterbrook : Callahan, Marion Ramsey : Hooks , Lance Kinsey : Proctor) undertake a sunny adventure through the Miami beaches and Florida marshes including crocodiles attacking them. It contains an attractive and thrilling score by Robert Folk , series' regular , including the classic leitmotif . As well as atmospheric and appropriate cinematography by James Pergola . The motion picture was regular but professionally directed by Alan Myerson.

The series based on the characters written by Neal Israel and Pat Proft is formed by the following ones : Police Academy 1984 by Hugh Wilson . Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment 1985 by Jerry Paris , James Signorelli . Police Academy 3: Back in Training 1987 by Jerry Paris . Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol 1987 by Jim Drake . Police Academy : Assignment Miami Beach 1988 by Alan Myerson. Police Academy 6: City Under Siege 1989 by Peter Bornerz . Police Academy: Mission to Moscow 1994 by Alan Metter . And Police Academy the series 1997/1998 , 26 episodes created by Neal Israel, Paul Maslansky, Pat Proft .

Miami Vice is an obvious influence here ... and it is nice that we do not get another "let's recruit" new cops and train them movie ... even though this is called Police Academy and that is what that would mean now isn't it? Don't mind that ... but as you could already tell from the previous one, spewing those out with such a frantic pace you could tell, new ideas where sparse.

Where to go and what to do? Maybe that was the reason one of the main guys who got famous with the series got out and did not include himself in this part: Steve Guttenberg. He might have been shooting another movie too, not sure what the reasons where. We get people from previous movies though ... many of them. Especially our favorite guys to hate ... who have a tough job as I already said in the previous movies review.

The scenes on the Miami beach are just plain ridiculous and really seem like sketch comedy with no real value ... other than to fill the run time of the movie and add a gag per minute "score". Even in the previous one where they went to a gay bar (again) for example, you may wonder something that is being asked here: why do I keep falling for these? Because it is a comedy would be the right answer I reckon ... anyway, maybe you care, maybe you don't ... but for a completist, I had to watch them ... and I will revisit the other remaining two movies too ... someday soon.

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.

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.