Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- irreverent
- witty
- breezy
- lazy weekend
- 1980s nostalgia night
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded the film as a crude, sophomoric, uneven comedy whose appeal depends heavily on tolerance for vulgar slapstick.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Carey Mahoney leads a group of unconventional cadets including Moses Hightower and Leslie Barbara after recruitment standards are lowered.
The critical consensus specifically characterizes the film as rude, crude, and proudly sophomoric, while reception references T&A and slobbish humor.
Lieutenant Harris actively wants the unconventional cadets to quit, creating the central institutional antagonism.
The inexperienced cadets must use their academy training when a full-scale riot erupts.
Films like Police Academy, and why
Animal House
shares irreverent ensemble comedy, rebellious misfits, and broad slapstick set pieces
An Officer and a Gentleman
shares workplace training comedy, institutional authority figures, and an underdog ensemble
Stripes
shares rude physical humor, outsider camaraderie, and escalating comic disorder
The Naked Gun
shares character-driven farce, police-caper energy, and rapid-fire comic chaos
Movie Details
- Director
- Hugh Wilson
- Release Date
- 1984-03-22
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (3107)
Cast
- Steve Guttenberg
- Kim Cattrall
- G.W. Bailey
- Bubba Smith
- Donovan Scott
- George Gaynes
- Andrew Rubin
- David Graf
- Leslie Easterbrook
- Michael Winslow
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Police Academy about?
- A rebellious troublemaker and a colorful group of unlikely recruits turn police training into a riotous test of whether misfits can become officers.
- What is Police Academy like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Police Academy as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Police Academy violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Police Academy as mild.
- What did critics think of Police Academy?
- Critics broadly regarded the film as a crude, sophomoric, uneven comedy whose appeal depends heavily on tolerance for vulgar slapstick.
- Which films are like Police Academy?
- Films with a similar feel include Animal House, An Officer and a Gentleman, Stripes, and The Naked Gun.
- How long is Police Academy?
- Police Academy runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch Police Academy?
- In United States, Police Academy is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
Browse Ember's collections
Movies like Police Academy
- Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars1985
- The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear1991
- Major Payne1995
- Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol1987
- Police Academy 6: City Under Siege1989
- Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach1988
- Carry On Constable1960
- The Gendarme and the Gendarmettes1982
- Super Troopers2001
- Police Academy: Mission to Moscow1994
