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Steve Guttenberg, Bubba Smith, David Graf, Michael Winslow, Bruce Mahler ... see more see more... , Leslie Easterbrook , Marion Ramsey , Art Metrano , Tim Kazurinsky , Bobcat Goldthwait , George Gaynes , Shawn Weatherly , Scott Thomson , Lance Kinsey , Brian Tochi , Debra Scott , Ed Nelson , Arthur Batanides , Colleen Camp , Jack Creley , Pam Hyatt , Chas Lawther , Gladys O'Connor , Andrew Paris , George R. Robertson , Georgina Spelvin , Anton Tyukodi , Brant Van Hoffman , David James Elliott , Doug Lennox , Teddy Abner , Pierre Berube , Mary Ann Coles , Peter Colvey , Grant Cowan , Susan Denyck , Gary Flanagan , Fran Gebhard , Jack Greley , David Huband , Lyn Jackson , Fred Livingstone , Les Nirenberg , Alex Pauljak , Bruce Pirie , Sam Stone , Gloria Summers , Christopher R. Thomas , Rita Tuckett , Marcia Watkins , Elias Zarod

In this third installment of the slapstick comedy series about novice police officers with less than dubious abilities, two police academies have to compete with each other in order to stay in busines... read more read more...s. The state's skinflint governor claims he has less money to spread around, so one of the police training academies is going to be axed. Commandant Lassard (George Gaynes) calls back some of his former recruits to train the new batch of students, hoping to get the edge on the rival academy. Among the newcomers are brassy Cadet Zed (Bobcat Goldthwait), who is a former gang leader, and his roommate Cadet Sweetchuck (Tim Kazurinsky). Sweetchuck is a wimpy noodle whose Clint Eastwood impersonation is one of the film's most honestly funny moments. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Flixster Users

48% liked it

55,316 ratings

Critics

40% liked it

10 critics

PG, 1 hr. 24 min.

Directed by: Jerry Paris

Release Date: March 21, 1986

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DVD Release Date: April 6, 2004

Stats: 1,028 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,028)


  • January 24, 2011
    The third Police Academy movie, and I'm still liking it! Why? It's still funny, has all the same actors, and the story's not bad. If you liked the first two, see this one too.
  • July 6, 2010
    Part three brings back some of the old and also promotes incidental characters to bigger parts. Zed, Sweetchuck, Fackler's Wife, Tackelberry's brother in law etc. are all now becoming police officer. It doesn't add as much intrigue as you would think, as most of the humor still r... read moreelies on the characters we know and love. Mauser is the villain again, but is joined by the 2 ass-kissing cadets from the first film. The two academies going head-to-head is never really given enough room to develop, because we only see things from one side. We are just told how well the other academy is doing. It should be enjoyable enough for fans.
  • December 1, 2009
    Police Academy! Dümmer als die Polize erlaubt
  • September 28, 2009
    The franchise started to go downhill quite a lot from here onwards
  • June 21, 2009
    On my defense, i was sick on bed these days. Two stars just for Leslie Easterbrook's boobs.
  • June 15, 2008
    A fairly solid sequel that goes back to training, but doesn't become a rehash of the first film. Another thing...Goodbye, Mauser! It was nice knowing you.
  • July 26, 2007
    I watched this on a triple showing with parts 4 & 5, so it's a blur. It couldn't be too bad if Steve Guttenberg and Bobcat Goldthwait were in it.
  • June 10, 2007
    One of the better entries as all walks of life are allowed to become cops with some funny results.
  • March 12, 2007
    Former gang Bobcat Goldthwaite and nerd Tim Kazurinsky are so hilarious in the Police Academy.
  • February 26, 2007
    Steve and co rehash the same old jokes yet again in an utterly inane and pointless sequel to an inane and pointless original.

Critic Reviews


Vincent Canby
October 26, 2003
Vincent Canby, New York Times

It's perfectly serviceable. Full Review

Steve Crum
March 8, 2008
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

More of same slap-shtick w/familiar cast of goofballs.

October 3, 2006
TV Guide's Movie Guide

You can argue quality, you can argue taste, but you can't argue the phenomenal success of these cheaply made joke-fests. Full Review

Martin Scribbs
July 16, 2004
Martin Scribbs, Low IQ Canadian

Deadly-dull pacing and overuse of old gags ruin Police Academy 3, the first of the franchise to come anywhere near 'enjoyable.'

Greg Muskewitz
February 21, 2004
Greg Muskewitz, eFilmCritic.com

The franchise hasn't changed, but that means the humor is still amiably the same, too.

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
September 15, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Chuck O'Leary
September 1, 2005
Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily

No review available.

Philip Martin
February 4, 2005
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

No review available.

Linda Cook
August 4, 2004
Linda Cook, Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Police Academy 3 ... : Watch Free on TV


Police Academy 3 - Back in Training Trivia

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