Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach
Performance & Direction: Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach Review
Last updated: January 31, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach (1988) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 5.2/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Comedy.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Comedy is often anchored by its ensemble, and Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach features a noteworthy lineup led by Bubba Smith . Supported by the likes of David Graf and Michael Winslow , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
Story & Plot Summary: Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach
Quick Plot Summary: Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach is a Comedy, Crime film that brings laughter through sharp writing and comedic timing, providing amusement while touching on deeper societal themes. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict and narrative structure.
Story Breakdown
The comedic structure relies on both situational humor and character-based comedy. The Police Academy misfits travel to Miami Beach for Commandant Lassard to be honored with a prestigious lifetime award pending his retirement. Things take a turn when Lassard unknowingly ends up in possession of stolen diamonds from a jewel heist. The film finds humor in relatable situations while maintaining narrative momentum. The jokes serve the story, with callbacks and running gags that reward attentive viewers.
Narrative Structure
- Opening Hook: The opening establishes the comedic tone and introduces the central conflict through humor and character quirks.
- Character Arc: Character development is present but somewhat formulaic, following familiar patterns without adding fresh perspectives to the genre.
- Climax & Resolution: The comedic climax ties together recurring jokes and character arcs, delivering both laughs and emotional satisfaction.
Ending Explained: Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach
Ending Breakdown: Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach attempts to tie together its various plot elements. The finale presents its approach to comedy resolution.
The conclusion addresses the core thematic questions, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the comedy themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach Real vs. Reel: Is it Based on a True Story?
Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach incorporates elements from real criminal cases. As a comedy, crime film, it navigates the space between factual accuracy and narrative engagement.
Historical Context
The film takes creative liberties to enhance dramatic impact. Core events maintain connection to source material while adapting for theatrical presentation.
Creative interpretation shapes the final narrative, focusing on emotional truth over strict chronology.
Accuracy Assessment: Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach adapts its source material for dramatic purposes. The film prioritizes thematic resonance over documentary precision.
Who Should Watch Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach?
Consider Watching If:
- You're a completist for Comedy films
- You're curious despite mixed reviews
- You have low expectations and want casual entertainment
Box Office Collection: Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $14.0M |
| Worldwide Gross | $19.5M |
| Trade Verdict | FINANCIAL DISAPPOINTMENT |
Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach Budget
The estimated production budget for Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach is $14.0M. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach
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Where to Watch Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach Online?
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Apple TV StorePolice Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach Parents Guide & Age Rating
1988 AdvisoryWondering about Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach is 90 minutes (1h 30m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 5.2/10, and global performance metrics, Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach is classified as a AVERAGE. It remains an essential part of the 1988 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach worth watching?
Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Comedy movies. It has a verified rating of 5.2/10 and stands as a AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach identifies it as PG. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach?
The total duration of Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach is 90 minutes, which is approximately 1h 30m long.
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How Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach Compares & Where it Ranks
Critic Reviews for Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach
**Those Academy imbeciles are back!** ...and this time there are plenty of _golf balls to slip on._ Never before have I laughed so long and so hard at a man slipping on a golf ball. Captain Harris lost his trouser because the silly man who makes the sounds made an _amusing beeping noise._ This deeply complex and inventive script hits all the right targets and the viewer will often find themselves gasping for air and choking on their own tonsil due to incessant laughing. A fat man eats a donut and the jam squirts out. I cracked my kidney laughing. I've never been so amused ever - the donut had jam in it and the pressure of the bite caused the jam to break free of its _outer casing._
**A shot in the feet: this film marks, for me, the decline of the franchise.** In the fifth film in the “Police Academy” franchise, we follow the characters that everyone already knows on a trip to Miami for a national police convention where veteran Commander Lassard, about to retire and leave the command of the academy, will be rewarded. The script is decent enough, but we can't ignore that, after four films, the comic material is worn out and doesn't make us laugh like it used to. The production's solution was to change location, which was not as effective as one might think: in other films we had already had lots of beach jokes. The film retains many familiar faces from everyone who has seen the previous films. However, it was unable to bring together the entire cast, not counting Steve Guttenberg, Tim Kazurinsky and Bob Goldthwait, actors who chose not to be part of this project and who had their relevance (especially Guttenberg) in the previous films. As a direct consequence, the film pays more attention to actors who had remained in the shadows, such as Bubba Smith, who performs well here. Michael Winslow, Leslie Easterbrook, George Graf and Marion Ramsey are also present in this film, but they limit themselves to doing more than they had before, and their collaboration is nothing new. George Gaynes also has more protagonism here, and the actor exploited it very well, but it is the duo formed by Lance Kinsey and G. W. Bailey that makes us laugh and steals all the attention thanks to their mischief. Matt McCoy was particularly weak and doesn't deserve to continue in the franchise. Technically, the film retains many aspects of the previous films in the franchise, such as the costumes, cinematography and effects. It takes advantage of the aerial scenes and landscapes of Miami, with its hotels and wetlands, but I got the feeling that the location was chosen to allow as many girls in bikinis as possible. The settings are decent, although sometimes there are problems (that plane door that is easily ripped off and proves to be light is, of course, fake). The film is not long, wastes no time and was well edited, but the final scene in the swamp is disappointing: I think it was the third time that a “Police Academy” film ended with a random chase, and what was done here it is virtually a copy of a similar scene in another film in the franchise.
I don't know. As an adult, yeah, this is a HORRIBLE installment. But as a kid, I actually thought it was still pretty good, still pretty funny, still slap stick and stupid, and everything I wanted from a Police Academy film. But... as an adult, it's not as funny as I thought it was as a kid. So I am kind of torn, there are certainly FAR better Police Academy films (and I'm going to give them 10 of 10 because fun movies deserve it) but this one... this one a lot of the humor that still holds true in the others fell flat.
'Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach' is much like its predecessor - uninspiring. Again, like in 'Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol', it does conclude with a visual that's worthy of watching (even if it falls flat otherwise). In fairness, this fifth entry does feel a bit different in terms of the plot; which I can respect, although it is still underwhelming stuff. Steve Guttenberg's absence doesn't help, I don't think he would've improved this one but his presence amongst his regular co-stars is missed. The new cast members are not good, but at this point if you aren't a hallmark of this franchise then you probably aren't going to leave a lasting impression - unless the filmmakers improve upon their work, of course. I did, though, like the change of location on paper, but in reality it doesn't do much. Just two more to go...
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This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
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