This is topic Combat Academy (1986) - Review in forum « 80's Movies at iRewind Talk.


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Posted by thenodfather (Member # 8732) on :
 
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A made for T.V. movie about a couple of pranksters who go too far and wind up in a Military School as punishment. Vowing not to be deterred by this they continue with their pranks ways which always landed them in trouble. Starring Keith Gordon, (Back To School and in later times Dexter and he appeared in Homeland) as Max Mandelson who was usually the instigator of the pranks and Wallace Langham, (The Chocolate War and in later times C.S.I.), as Perry Barnet his friend and cohort in crime.
There was some other well known name's in it, Dana Hill who was also known as Audrey Griswold in European Vacation as Sargent Andrea Pritchett as the hinted at love interest for Max, Robert Culp, (known for the short lived Greatest American Hero and before that I, Spy), and General Edward Woods who ran the academy. Also there was Jamie Farr who was probably most famously known for playing Klinger in M*A*S*H and now Hollywood Megastar George Clooney as Major Biff Woods, (who could have been the General's son or just a namesake, but it was never said in the movie).
It was an entertaining and fun movie, quite good for one that was made for T.V. which I was surprised to see as I thought it was better than others that was released in cinema's. At different times it looked like they could have went in and down a lot more in certain scenes such as the fight between Max and Biff, but seeing as it was only PG they held off on that.
The soundtrack had a couple of good songs in it too. Be Chrool To Your Scuel performed by Twisted Sister and Burning Down The House by Talking Heads, (though IMDB just said he was just one of the writers but listening to it it really does sound like the band).
It said it was a commercial failure which I think was unfortunate as it's not bad. Directed by Neal Isreal who also directed the first Police Academy and whether people were expecting this to be another Police Academy and didn't live up to it and didn't give it a chance on it's only merits I don't know, but I went into it not knowing it was the same Director as Police Academy and took it for what it is and it is quite a harmless enjoyable film.
The only problem I had with it was that it was only PG and if it had of been 15's they wouldn't have needed to hold back as much and they could have developed certain area's more.

I'd give it 4/5.

[ 12. February 2015, 09:30: Message edited by: thenodfather ]
 
Posted by thenodfather (Member # 8732) on :
 
Anyone else see this and what do you think?
 


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