Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach

A film by Alan Myerson

"Police Academy 5" is a disappointment. Sure, it is a Police Academy movie, so we know it is light slapstick humor, but this one is not nearly as good as any of the previous Police Academy movies. This fifth film is subtitled "Assignment Miami Beach" and this means that some of our favorite officers will be returning and heading south to Florida.

I'll try to sum this up as succinctly as possible, as the plot to this movie isn't terribly important (or well done, for that matter). Plot point 1: Captain Harris (G.W. Bailey) is after the job of Commandant Lassard (George Gaynes). Lassard has reached the mandatory retirement age, and Harris is going to make sure that Lassard retires. Meanwhile, Lassard is headed down to Florida to receive the award of "Police Officer of the Decade", and he wants his favorite recruits (now officers) to come with him. This brings Hightower (Bubba Smith), Tackleberry (David Graf), Jones (Michael Winslow), Callahan (Leslie Easterbrook) and the soft-voiced Hooks (Marion Ramsey) to Florida. Meanwhile, there is a robbery of a stash of diamonds from a museum (it seems), and due to a mix up at the airport, Lassard unknowingly switches bags with the thief. The thief will stop at nothing to get the diamonds back. Hilarity is supposed to ensue.

Unfortunately, hilarity does not ensue. For a fan of the Police Academy movies, the fifth installment is somewhat cute and friendly and easy going (perfect for kids, really), but it is lacking some of the heart and humor of the earlier films in the series. This one only has a PG rating, compared to the R of the first film, so it is plain that this has turned into a family friendly series. Part of the problem with this movie is the lack of Officer Carey Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg), who left the series after the fourth movie. While these have always been ensemble movies, Mahoney has been something of the heart and the closest thing to a "main character" that the Police Academy movies had. He is replaced by Lassard's nephew, Nick Lassard (Matt McCoy). Nick Lassard is a police officer in Miami and, like Mahoney, is a friendly, smart-aleck, womanizer. He just isn't as likeable as Mahoney was (as hard as McCoy tries), and feels like a poor replacement for Mahoney (who isn't even mentioned in the movie). Nick has a love interest, also a cop, in Kate (Janet Jones, better known as Wayne Gretzky's wife).

Overall, "Police Academy 5" feels flat, and much less funny than the earlier (though still silly) Police Academy movies. It may be cheap entertainment, but it's just not well made cheap entertainment.

-Joe Sherry

The Metropolitan Police Academy comes to Florida in this film. There's a new prankster there,Commandant Eric Lassard's nephew Nick,who's a Miami Beach cop. I believe Steve Guttenberg chose to film "Three Men And A Baby" instead of doing this sequel. This film has a new star character,Sgt. Moses Hightower(Bubba Smith). Captain Harris(G.W. Bailey) and Lt. Proctor(Lance Kinsey) discover overlooked files late one evening regarding Eric's tenure with the MPA. Eric was slightly over the mandatory retirement age,saddening his colleagues. Eric himself is half-happy because he's been nominated for a Police Officer Of The Decade award at a ceremony in Miami Beach. Eric's retirement is announced following graduation of the MPA's Class of 1988. So Harris does all he can to succeed Eric. Eric takes his "band of misfits",as Harris would call them,to Miami Beach,including new graduate Thomas "House" Conklin,who was a member of the short-lived Citizens On Patrol team in the previous sequel. Harris and Proctor fly to MB as well,separate from Eric ad his gang. Harris and Proctor take a private plane. At the airport upon arriving,the first thing Eric sees is his nephew apprehending a wallet thief. One of Nick's first pranks is,on the beach,he borrows a friend's sunblock and writes the word 'dork' on a sunbathing Harris' bare chest. Harris arises,only to be met with hysterical laughter and comments from other beach patrons. Harris tells the mayor,"I don't mean to insult your city,but the people here are very rude and hostile.". The mayor replies,"I'm sorry to hear that,Captain Dork!". Now for the crime:a trio of thieves break into a museum and remove rare diamonds from a showcase. The thieves kidnap Eric,and later Harris,taking them both on a boat that the thieves are about to sink with Eric and Harris in it. Eric would later knock out one of the thieves himself,recovering the stones. Also,in the very same water,a crocodile on the loose is about to kill Harris,loose in the water. Hightower wrestles with the creature and rescues Harris. The thieves have been apprehended,the MPA members are back home with Nick in tow,and each officer is awarded a medal of satisfactory work from the city of Miami. Hightower receives another medal,this one for his bravery,saving Harris' life and is also promoted to lieutenant. Then,after Eric delivers his nearly farewell speech,Commissioner Henry Hurst announces by popular demand that Eric stay at the MPA.

This is a great family film. It was good, but would have got 5 stars instead of 4 if Steve Guttenberg was in it. But it was still funny. Also, Bobcat Goldwaith stopped at this point too, but the rest of the goofy cast is still here. Larvell Jones, Eugine Tackleberry, Moses Hightower, Hooks (I forget her last name), Debbie Callahan, Thaddues Harris, Procter, Tommy Cronklin/House, Nick Lassard, Kate (I forget her last name
too) and who could forget jolly Eric Lassard. In this fourth sequel in the funny series, the academy goes to Miami Beach to celebrate Lassard's retirment. But criminals, kidnap Lassard, his force tried to save him. While, so it seems, that Nick Lassard took over the place of Mahoney. Alot of people like Nick better than Mahoney, but I would have to disagree, Mahoney was better. The criminals in this film are goofy and hopeless. And finally, after all the wait, the whole series is finally available on dvd. They will be seprate and in a box set. You should get the box set. It will be coming out on April 6. The first film will have a great commentary, but the rest of the films will just have a trailer and a making of reel. So, a great film, a great series. Mark your calender for April 6 because, Police Academy is coming to dvd. Oh ya, I have a dvd review of the Police Academy box set, and I think you will find it useful.