Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Hard-edged cop John Kimble gets more than he bargained for when he goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher to get the goods on a brutal drug lord while at the same time protecting the man's young son. Pitted against a class of boisterous moppets whose antics try his patience and test his mettle, Kimble may have met his match … in more ways than one.
Kindergarten Cop is a solid high-concept comedy built around the fish-out-of-water premise of a hard-boiled Schwarzenegger dealing with unruly five-year-olds. The plot is serviceable but thin — the crime storyline is generic and the romantic subplot predictable. Schwarzenegger's charm carries the film more than his acting range, and the supporting cast is functional rather than memorable. Cinematography is workmanlike genre fare with no visual distinction. The novelty comes from the effective blending of action-comedy with genuine warmth, and Schwarzenegger's unlikely chemistry with children gives it a specific flavor that stands out in his filmography. The ending wraps up too neatly and the villain resolution feels rushed and underwhelming.