The film "Police Academy" is 40 years old: all episodes from worst to best (11 photos)

“Police Academy” is not only one of the most successful film franchises in the history of Hollywood, but also one of the most beloved comedy film series (there are 7 episodes in total) in our country.





We'll rank the seven films in the series in order from worst to best based on ratings. One can argue with this ranking, but, for the sake of objectivity, it is quite fair, although predictable to the point of gnashing of teeth.



So, I propose not to waste another minute and go forty (actually a little less in most cases) years back in time, to once again remember what those films were, in which recruits had to not only learn the intricacies of the science of "Serve" and protect”, but also to defend their rights and freedoms in confrontation with the stupid but active authorities. As they say, “by horses, it seems we have a crime” (oh, this is from another legendary masterpiece)...





7. "Police Academy 7: Mission to Moscow" (1994)

The latest film in the franchise today has the lowest rating both on our resources and on Western ones. The seventh film is the only one that came out in the 1990s, and it reeks of desperation a mile away. It seems that everything in it was done for money - Russia provided the Moscow streets with the expectation of Hollywood budgets, a couple of actors from the first films hoped to replenish their bank accounts, Ron Perlman, who played the mafioso, simply served his role in the frame. There is really very little humor in the film, and most importantly, the signature atmosphere of camaraderie is not felt at all. Some go to the forest, some for firewood, and a natural failure at the box office.



6. "Police Academy 6: City Under Siege" (1989)

Another episode that categorically lags behind the rest due to the absence of Steve Guttenberg from the cast. "City Under Siege" brings together almost all the classic characters, but this time the fun is hampered by an extremely weak script and frankly idiotic villains. A gang of thieves robbing rich mansions in a prestigious area is the level of a shabby series; you expect something more lively from “Police Academy”. The internal investigation, conducted by Commandant Lassard's nephew Nick, also does not cause anything but a sour grin. "The Siege" is very far from the classic first pictures.



5. "Police Academy 5: Destination Miami Beach" (1988)

It was no coincidence that the fifth film in the franchise moved to Florida - in the wake of the popularity of Miami Vice, the “academics” also wanted to grab some goodies for themselves. The plot of the film starts with the fact that Lassard, who arrived in Miami to receive a professional award, suddenly opens a smugglers' hiding place. Tacklebury, Hightower and others who came to his aid skillfully combine vacation on the Florida coast with undercover work and quickly find the criminals. The film ends with a memorable, grandiose speedboat chase.



4. "Police Academy 4: Citizens on Watch" (1987)

Steve Guttenberg's last appearance at the Academy as Lieutenant Carey Mahoney occurred in the fourth film. In addition to him, actor George Bailey returned to the role of the main opponent of the cheerful goofballs of the first issue of Captain Harris. One could say that with the golden cast they managed to bring back the magic of the original, but this would not be true - the jokes in the film are forced, the pranks are cruel, and the pranks are stupid. Moreover, the citizens, the very ones who should be on patrol (that is, whom Lassard and his charges should prepare for work on the street) behave worse than ever. One joy is young Sharon Stone in the role of a journalist, but she is not able to save the film.



3. "Police Academy 3: Retraining" (1986)

After a fairly successful second part, director Jerry Paris returned to create the threequel - he couldn’t outdo himself, but he did a decent job of “second shift.” The controversial decision to soften the distribution rating from R (16+) of the first two films to PG (14+) of this and all subsequent films did not allow the authors to swing forward - after all, viewers loved “Police Academy” not only for its stupid jokes, but also for its strong words in complete with Lieutenant Debbie Callahan figure. The plot returns the main characters to their native walls to help save the Academy, which has lost its funding. They manage to stay afloat thanks to the very timely kidnapping of the governor.



2. "Police Academy 2: Their First Mission" (1985)

An extremely successful and logical continuation of the original film is not much inferior to the first part. In "Their First Assignment", recent Academy graduates receive... their first assignment, namely a request from the city leadership to clear the streets of a gang of a strange, twitchy criminal named Zed. It’s not easy for the cadets who are trying out real police service for the first time, but humor and ingenuity (plus dementia and courage, if we talk about Tacklebury) allow them to get away with it. The film lost a lot due to the departure of Lieutenant Thaddeus Harris, who plotted the machinations of Mahoney and company in the first film, but one can live with this.



1. "Police Academy" (1984)

A timeless cult classic that set a formula that has worked for all subsequent films. Several diligent but inept citizens begin training with the goal of serving and protecting, but they encounter, first of all, not with criminals and intruders, but with rejection from particularly zealous police officers who put a spoke in the wheels of the young. Fortunately, a positive attitude and a sense of humor allow the heroes to achieve their goals and become everyone’s favorites and idols of viewers for several generations. A simple, good-mood movie with several memorable, colorful characters.



Well, it didn’t turn out to be very original, but the blame for this is solely on the authors of the franchise. "Police Academy" is an exemplary example of how each new picture turns out to be worse than the previous one. Objectively and without any attempts to pull the owl onto the globe. Somewhere the actors necessary to support disappear, somewhere the level of humor noticeably decreases, somewhere the pleasure ends and simple making money begins. But despite all this, "Academy" remains one of the most visible symbols of the video era in all its manifestations - from rentals to the first cable channels. Without Carey Mahoney, Karen Thompson, Larvell Jones, Moses Hightower, Eugene Tacklebury, Laverne Hooks, Commandant Lassard and Sergeant Callahan, our youth would not have been as exciting.