Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 8, 2023

Following the lead of 1986’s “Police Academy 3: Back in Training,” 1987’s “Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol” hopes to maintain the slowly dwindling fan base by bringing back old faces. In this case, the film welcomes Lt. Harris back to the series after taking the last two sequels off, rewarding actor G.W. Bailey with an unexpected starring role in the endeavor, with the production using the frequently humiliated character as much as possible. It’s nice to have Bailey back, but “Citizens on Patrol” isn’t creatively reenergized by the change, with director Jim Drake and writer Gene Quintano basically extending the vibe of “Back in Training,” serving up the same old antics and freak-outs as before, only here there’s noticeable fatigue with the shenanigans, which works to make the viewing experience a drag at times. With so many characters and quirks, it’s often bizarre to watch the production put very little effort into dreaming up wild events for the ensemble.

Looking to take some of the workload off the police force, Commandant Lassard (George Gaynes) establishes the Citizens on Patrol program, which invites average people to work with the cops, receiving training at the Police Academy. Put in charge of C.O.P. is Mahoney (Steve Guttenberg), who’s backed by Jones (Michael Winslow), Hooks (Marion Ramsay), Sweetchuck (Tim Kazurinsky), Zed (Bobcat Goldthwait), Lt. Callahan (Leslie Easterbrook), Hightower (Bubba Smith), and Tackleberry (David Graf), setting out to make connections in the neighborhood, recruiting people to join the program. What Mahoney receives is a batch of oddballs, including Feldman (Billie Bird), Laura (Corinne Bohrer), House (Tab Thacker), and skate rats Kyle (David Spade) and Arnie (Brian Backer). Making matters worse is the return of Lt. Harris (G.W. Bailey), who’s put in charge when Lassard heads overseas for a conference, and he’s ready to block C.O.P., working with Lt. Proctor (Lance Kinsey) to get rid of the recruits and secure his place of power at the Academy.

C.O.P. is a community action program, which requires Quintano to create a new batch of characters for the “Police Academy” universe, which is already stuffed with crazy personalities and long-simmering antagonisms. One would think, at this point, there’s only room for the core franchise crew, but “Citizens on Patrol” has other ideas, soon bringing the likes of Feldman into view, with the militaristic woman happy to escape from her senior citizen’s home and play with guns and violence, living her dreams (Bird is a standout in the cast). Kyle and Arnie also eat up a good portion of screen time, with the skateboarders rolling through town, making trouble around the mall and on the streets, with Lt. Harris particularly irritated by these teenagers(?), who are soon arrested and forced into C.O.P. to keep them on the straight and narrow. House’s main contribution is his massive size, eager to follow Hightower into law enforcement. And there’s Claire (Sharon Stone), a reporter covering the C.O.P. adventure, with the part presumably created to keep Mahoney’s tail wagging, but “Citizens on Patrol” does next to nothing with the character. Many characters actually.

“Citizens on Patrol” once again keeps “Police Academy” close to a plot, but the writing never commits to the idea. Instead, there are fragments of storytelling, watching Zed find love with Laura, helping him to get in touch with his softer side (Goldthwait is always fun to watch). And Lt. Harris is out to end C.O.P., working hard to ruin the program. Dramatic interests are quickly abandoned for some wildly random encounters, including Jones facing off against a boat full of ninjas (allowing him to, once again, do his badly dubbed martial arts movie bit), and comedic scenarios are borderline science fiction, watching Arnie launch an exercise bike into a pool, only to keep pedaling while stuck at the bottom. I know, I know, “Citizens on Patrol” is meant to be a “Looney Tunes” experience, but the sequel leaves the realm of the real one too many times, exemplified in a sequence where a porta potty containing Proctor is magically moved via crane from a neighborhood construction site to the middle of a football stadium, revealing him to the masses.

Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from a 2K scan of the interpositive. Colors do well in "Citizens on Patrol," with period hues on the skateboarders delivering pastel brightness, and uniforms register with deep reds and blues. Outdoor adventures carry crystal blue water and distinct greenery. Skin tones are natural. Detail preserves a softer sense of fibrousness on costuming, and skin particulars are mildly appreciable. Academy grounds are decently dimensional, and aerial antics are deep, securing a look at stunt work in the film's finale. Interiors preserve decoration. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is passably resolved. Source is in good condition.

Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA leads with commanding scoring cues, which deliver a clear sense of instrumentation and dramatic support. Dialogue exchanges are sharp, capturing distinct performance choices from a variety of actors, while yelling fits remain comfortable. Sound effects are appreciable.

Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historian Russell Dyball.

• "Remembering a Lofty Investigation" (8:28, SD) is a 2004 look at the making of "Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol," featuring interviews with director Jim Drake, and actors Bubba Smith, Brian Tochi, David Graf, Michael Winslow, Lance Kinsey, G.W. Bailey, Leslie Easterbrook, and Marion Ramsey. Drake compliments the cast and their ability to improvise their way through scenes. Kinsey details his experience sitting on a toilet in the middle of a packed football stadium, with the crowd less than happy to see him. Acting challenges are explored, with Easterbrook struggling to maintain a straight face during on-camera antics, and Kinsey describes his experience in a hot air balloon basket with co-star G.W. Bailey, with the pair dumped into a raging river.

• "Skateboard Stunts" (3:28, SD) is a look at the physical challenges of "Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol," with stunt actor Wink Roberts introducing a BTS look at the shooting of skateboard footage for the film.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:23, SD) is included.

Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Citizens on Patrol" is mostly made up of pranks (Lt. Harris's megaphone is glued to his mouth) and sight gags. And when that fails, the writing settles for a bird pooping on the characters. The whole thing perks up in the finale, which takes the action to an air show, watching the characters deal with planes and hot air balloons as they pursue criminals. It's a grand showcase for stunts and panic, getting the picture active in a major way, making one wish the whole endeavor was invested in screen activity. Sadly, only the ending shows signs of life, with the rest of "Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol" wandering around bizarre pranks and snoozy horse play, resembling a feature that was either written along the way, or loosely stitched together in the editing room to make a quick release date. It rehashes the "Police Academy" formula, but not with any distinct spark of imagination, doing very little with this now-vast world of nutty people hunting for love, authority, and opportunities to make life miserable for others.