Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach

PLOT (spoiler alert!!!):

Captain Harris finally finds the goods he needs to push Commandant Eric Lassard out at the Police Academy: he is one year late for mandatory retirement. But before he retires, Lassard is chosen as “Police Officer of the Decade”, and brings his favorite graduates—Sgts. Hightower, Jones, Tackleberry and Hooks, Lt. Callahan, and new graduate Officer Thomas “House” Conklin—to the National Police Chiefs Convention in Miami Beach to celebrate with him. While there, they meet his nephew, Sgt. Nick Lassard of the Miami Police Department. The fun is complicated when he unwittingly takes a bag belonging to jewel thieves containing stolen merchandise.

As the jewel thieves try to get the bag back, and Captain Harris tries to prove to Commissioner Hurst that he’s the right man to replace Commandant Lassard, the usual hijinks ensue, including Lassard trying to guess the annual procedural demonstration. When the jewel thieves kidnap Commandant Lassard, he goes willingly, thinking it is indeed the procedural demonstration. It launches a negotiation, which Captain Harris botches, getting himself captured as well. A chase across the Everglades ensues to rescue the oblivious Commandant. At a ceremony at the end of the film, Commisioner Hurst announces that Commadant Lassard will be allowed to continue his duites as Commadant until he sees fit to retire himself, much to Harris’ chagrin.

REVIEW:

You know that old saying “jumping the shark”? Well, this would be that moment for the Police Academy franchise, as well as the true downturn for it, as well.

So, this is the fifth film in the series, and I swear they are getting more formulaic and worse.

This one involves Cmdt. Lassard being honored for his work at the Police Academy by receiving an award down in Miami. Of course, Cpt. Harris has his own scheme and brings the matter of Lassard’s age to the attention of the Commissioner.

Once arriving in Miami, Lassard manages to switch bags with some criminals who had just stolen some rare jewels from the museum and were going to sell them to a foreign party.

From here, you can pretty much guess the plot. Hijinks and pranks involving Harris and Proctor, touching moment somewhere in there, and of course, they all go after the crooks. Nothing has changed.

Well, I say that, bt Steve Guttenberg is nowhere to be seen thanks to his scheduling conflicts with Three Men and a Baby. It is debatable as to whether this hurt this picture or helped the other. I think it was a matter of both. I mean, think about it…Mahoney on Miami Beach? Can you just imagine the possibilities?!?

As far his “replacement”, Matt McCoy just doesn’t stack up. The guy appears to be trying, but comes off as wooden, especially in comparison.

The rest of the cast does pretty much the same thing they’ve been doing for 5 films now. The only exception is that Callahan, played by Leslie Easterbrook, has a little bit of an expanded role here. Of course, with that body and the setting of Miami, are you surprised?

The bumbling villains, led by Renee Aberjonois, are the perfect foils for these bumbling officers, but make you wonder what would happen if they came across an actual serious villain.

In the end, Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach is walking that fine line of subpar-ness that many upper-numbered sequels tend to do. Some new blood is definitely needed for this franchise, otherwise they will all be like this one or worse. I only recommend this for two things: a) Callahan in Miami, as well as many other bikini clad beauties and b) if you’re watching the entire series, then you can’t very well skip over this one. Otherwise, there really is no point in wasting your time.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars