“You know, in America funerals are in English.” —Commandant Lassard
Today’s quick review: Police Academy: Mission to Moscow. When a video game released by Russian crime boss Konstantine Konali (Ron Perlman) takes the world by storm, Commandant Rakov (Christopher Lee) of the Moscow police calls in his American counterpart, Eric Lassard (George Gaynes), to help with the investigation. Captain Harris (G.W. Bailey) and Lassard’s other officers must outwit Konali to gather the evidence they need to make an arrest.
Police Academy: Mission to Moscow is a police comedy and the seventh and final movie in the Police Academy series. As the title implies, Mission to Moscow takes the graduates of the Academy to Russia, where new mishaps await. The movie shakes up the series formula somewhat, with a few new faces, a pared-down cast, and a plot with a clear purpose in mind. However, shaky fundamentals when it comes to pacing and comedy hamper the movie badly.
Mission to Moscow takes a few steps in the right direction. Ron Perlman and Christopher Lee gives the series not only some fresh blood but some welcome acting talent. The reduced cast, less antagonistic role for Captain Harris, and new setting help break the series out of its old patterns. And while the plot is flimsy, it does take the movie from start to finish, giving it a cohesion that some of the other Police Academy films lack.
But Mission to Moscow is still riddled with problems. Newcomer Kyle Connors (Charlie Schlatter) is another swing and a miss, with a bland personality and an arc that doesn’t go anywhere. Like the rest of the series, Mission to Moscow gets sidetracked easily, veering off into loosely connected comedy skits rather than trying to keep up its momentum. The humor is also dicey, with an over-reliance on gags about Russia that quickly wear thin.
Police Academy: Mission to Moscow is a flawed comedy that may appeal to fans of the series but is outclassed by other films in the genre. Mission to Moscow has a few redeeming qualities that could have carried the film under other circumstances, but as it stands, neither its humor nor its story is enough to make it a memorable watch. Viewers who enjoy the characters might appreciate it as one last outing, but most viewers should steer clear.
For a raunchier police comedy with an emphasis on cultural humor, try Super Troopers 2.
3.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.0 for a couple of decent ideas with poor follow-through.