Crass, crude, and archaic “humor” is on full display with the 1984 flick “Police Academy.” It would launch a six-pack of sequels I found hysterical when I was ten, though watching three decades later, have no idea why.
The jokes are slapstick, goofy, and immature to anyone past single digits in age. The story topples the boundaries of reality. The mayor of an unnamed metropolis opens up the policy academy to any and all who wish to join. The result is a motley crew of miscreants acting stupid and behaving implausibly at every turn.
Iconic ’80s stars Steve Guttenberg and Kim Cattrall front the film. We also meet Michael Winslow, David Graf, and G. W. Bailey to name a few. What I liked about the assortment of talent is that each possesses a specific attribute that allows them to stand out from the rest. The problem is that there are far too many characters. Because of this, there’s no time to get a real investment in any one of them with a film that’s (thankfully) only 96 minutes long.
Steve Guttenberg and Kim Cattrall in “Police Academy.” Photo: Warner Bros., 1984.
While full of yucks, the story itself is poorly written. The dialogue is cliché, and the film lacks development or motivation for why the cadets want to become police officers. Cheap humor, bumbling tomfoolery, and a theme song that gets stuck in your heard are what this movie ultimately offers.
I don’t think “Police Academy” would work outside the toilet humor that is early 1980s cinema. It’s an era where obtuse titles like “Porky’s,” “Bachelor Party,” and “Revenge of the Nerds” vied for the coveted trophy of most raunchy movie. “Police Academy” isn’t quite as lowbrow, but nevertheless is a relic of a bygone era. I won’t fail it; there are a scarce few moments where you will smile, and many consider it to to be a classic in comedy movie lore. However, I must admit it hasn’t aged well at all.
