Police Academy 6: City Under Siege

Police Academy 6:
City Under Siege

Poster by Drew Struzan
Directed by Peter Bonerz
Produced by Paul Maslansky
Donald West
Written by Stephen Curwick
Starring
Music by Robert Folk
Cinematography Charles Rosher Jr.
Edited by Hubert C. de la Bouillerie
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date
  • March 10, 1989 (1989-03-10)
Running time
 84 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office $11 million (US) [1]

Police Academy 6: City Under Siege is a 1989 American comedy crime film starring Bubba Smith, David Graf and Michael Winslow. It was directed by Peter Bonerz and written by Stephen Curwick, based on characters created by Neal Israel and Pat Proft. The film was given a PG rating for violence and language. This was the last Police Academy sequel to be released in the year immediately following the previous installment of the series; it would take five years until the release of the following film, Police Academy: Mission to Moscow. Police Academy 6: City Under Siege was also the last movie in the franchise to feature Bubba Smith, Marion Ramsey, Bruce Mahler, Lance Kinsey and George R. Robertson as Hightower, Hooks, Fackler, Proctor and Chief Hurst respectively.

Plot

The police must investigate a series of robberies along a strip of land in the city. The mayor (Kenneth Mars) assigns Captain Harris (G.W. Bailey) and Lt. Proctor (Lance Kinsey) to the case. While on stakeout the Wilson-Heights gang, composed of Ace (Gerrit Graham), Flash (Brian Seeman), and Ox (Darwyn Swalve), manages to slip through their fingers. The mayor informs Harris and Proctor to work with Commandant Lassard (George Gaynes) to apprehend the gang by the orders from the Governor. Lassard assembles a seven-man team consisting of Hightower (Bubba Smith), Tackleberry (David Graf), Jones (Michael Winslow), Hooks (Marion Ramsey), Callahan (Leslie Easterbrook), Fackler (Bruce Mahler), and Lassard's nephew, Nick (Matt McCoy).

After distributing flyers as to the information of the Wilson gang and getting nowhere, Nick stumbles upon a paper reporting an antique diamond heading to a museum, and gets an idea to use it as bait: however the robbers nab the diamond anyway by cutting a hole in the truck and escaping through the sewer system. Nick then decides to go undercover to get information regarding a possible hideout, but Harris decides to go undercover to get a confession. Despite his fear of heights, Harris goes undercover as a window washer at a tall building and gets a confession of himself on tape after Proctor accidentally knocks him over the balcony.

The robberies are committed by a group of three dimwitted criminals who don't seem to be able to do this on their own, and it's revealed they are being guided by a shadow figure known as the "Mastermind," who speaks to the three behind a wall of glass and uses a voice distortion device. He devises a plan to get the cops out of the way.

Commandant Lassard and his men are later suspended after jewelry from the gang's last robbery is found in Lassard's office, pending an investigation. The gang decides to clear his name by nabbing the gang and the ringleader. Accessing data files from a computer, Nick deduces that the robberies are occurring along a bus route, thus intentionally lowering property values in that part of the city. They also learn that someone must be leaking information to the bad guys, which is why they are always one step ahead of the police.

The police academy force finds and does battle with the Wilson gang, taking down Ace, Flash, and Ox, while Nick chases the leader. A pursuit follows, which leads to Commissioner Hurst's (George Robertson) office. Though the others are fooled by the fact there are two versions of Commissioner Hurst, Nick wasn't fooled and is able to help them point out the real Hurst from the fake with a Pinocchio test. With that, Hightower removes the mask and reveals the "Mastermind" as the mayor. Caught, the mayor admitted that Captain Harris has been unwittingly leaking information during his daily meetings with him and how he could've made billions off the properties if it hadn't been for Lassard and his team. Hurst tells Hightower to take the mayor into custody with his gang. He apologizes and reinstates the force, and a plaque is given to honor the officers' bravery the next day. As the movie closes, Harris is sitting in a chair when a string tying the balloon float is cut, lifting his chair and floating him up into the air as he shouts Proctor's name. As he floats away, it is revealed that it was Commander Lassard who actually cut the string.

Cast

The Police Force

Others

Landmarks

Some of the landmarks and people in the film reference the city of Toronto, the city where most of the first four Police Academy movies were filmed. The police station is called Oakdale Police Station, referencing the Oakdale area of Toronto which a small area between the western intersections of Highway 400 and Finch Avenue, extending to just south of Sheppard Avenue, and east just past Jane Street. This is often referred to as part of the Downsview area of Toronto.[2] Additionally, the criminal organization behind the crime wave in the city is called the Wilson Heights Gang, a reference to Wilson Heights Boulevard, a street in the Downsview area. The specific area itself is called Wilson Heights as well.

Production

Police Academy 6: City Under Siege was filmed entirely in Los Angeles, California.

Reception

Pete Hammond in Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide gave Police Academy 6: City Under Siege a BOMB rating, writing that "This entry is only—repeat only—for those who thought Police Academy 5 was robbed at Oscar time".[3] The DVD/Video Guide by Mick Martin & Marsha Porter gave the first two Police Academy films 2 stars out of 5; and each subsequent film received a Turkey (their lowest score).

The movie performed poorly at the US box office, opening on March 10, 1989 to an opening weekend gross of $4,032,480. It ultimately took in a low total of $11,567,217 and marked the decline of the Police Academy franchise. The film faced strong competition in early 1989 in United States theaters from such high-profile comedy releases as Honey, I Shrunk The Kids, Ghostbusters II, Major League, See No Evil, Hear No Evil, K-9, Three Fugitives, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, The 'Burbs, Fletch Lives, The Dream Team and Cousins. [4][5] It also earned the designation of being the first Police Academy movie not to place first in the US weekend box office.

The film received a mostly negative response.[6][7][8][9][10] The film currently holds a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 7 reviews.[11]

References

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