Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol is not horrible, but it is not great either. To be honest with you, I was not a huge fan of Police Academy 3 either, but that is better than this one. Having watched all the Police Academy movies again recently, I have to say that these are not as good as I remembered them being and I do not actually remember them being all that great to begin with, do not get me wrong, they are jot without their charm, but this one here is a step too far in the wrong direction.
How to Download Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol
Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol was released on April 3, 1987. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
The Movie Review
Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol was released in 1987, making it four years in a row for the franchise. To be fair to the people involved, it is impressive they were able to make this an annual franchise for most of the 80s. After watching the movie, I went on a bit of a deep dive and I found the little bits of trivia about the movie to be more interesting than the movie itself.
The most notable thing about this fourth instalment is that this would be the last time Steve Guttenberg would play Mahoney. He was the face of the franchise, but I think after four runs as Mahoney, he had really done all that he could with the role, plus the plot this time around feels like another retread of people who would not normally become police officers doing so.
Fun Facts About Police Academy 4
The most fun bit of trivia about the movie is in regard to David Spade. I knew that David Spade was in the movie, but I was not aware this was his first theatrical role, that is kind of cool, especially with what a big deal he would go on to become. Also, there is a skateboarding scene and it is Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk who is the stunt double for David Spade.
The Plot and Characters
So who is becoming the new set of police trainees this time around? Well, our core group of characters that we know and love, led by Mahoney are in charge of the new Citizens on Patrol initiative. This is basically allowing everyday joes from the public the chance to be police officers. One thing that is fun is that Captain Harris from the first movie is back as the antagonist who wants to put a stop to this Citizens on Patrol program.
Final Thoughts on Police Academy 4
This is about as by the numbers and predictable as you can get when it comes to Police Academy. The wacky slapstick humor is here as are some of the characters we have come to like. However, there is just something a bit tired and old about this installment, I would not say that anything is downright bad, but nothing is all that great either. It was not a chore to sit through this in 2024, but it was not far off being one, I am thankful that it clocks in at around 90 minutes as it was in real danger of overstaying its welcome.
