The Naked Gun review: a film firing laughs on all cylinders

Digital Trends

5 days ago

The Naked Gun
Score Details 'The Naked Gun is a machine gun unloading barrels of laughs every second thanks to impeccable writing and comedic performances.'
Pros Great comedic performances from Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson
Clever, laugh-out-loud moments
It follows the Naked Gun formula
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Justice has found a funny new face in Liam Neeson's comedy film, The Naked Gun. Directed by the Lonely Island's Akiva Schaffer and produced by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, this reboot puts Neeson in the role of Frank Drebin Jr., a Police Squad lieutenant and the son of Leslie Nielsen's iconic character from the original Naked Gun movies.
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The Naked Gun has some huge shoes to fill after the revolutionary first film from Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker. Even with two prestigious comedy names behind the film, this Naked Gun reboot could've been a hit or miss. Fortunately, Schaffer and MacFarlane's film honors the franchise's significant legacy while confidently establishing its own identity through its hilarious humor and strong performances.
A familiar but unique story
Just as the film brought the Naked Gun franchise back from the dead, this meta-comedy reboot sees Frank Drebin Jr. try to solve a murder that threatens to put an end to Police Squad once and for all. Frank uncovers the world-ending plot orchestrated by tech mogul billionaire Richard Cane (Danny Huston), who frames him for a murder.
To catch up with the times, this reboot modernizes the Naked Gun narrative with references to self-driving electric cars, online pop-up ads, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Sex and the City. However, the movie still features several familiar quirks and characters of the Naked Gun franchise that should satisfy long-time fans. These include the hard-boiled detective doing comedic voice-overs, the attractive and ditzy femme fatale, and the evil, wealthy genius trying to turn innocent people into murderers.
While the movie features several franchise tropes, The Naked Gun doesn't try to be a carbon copy of the original. In fact, this reboot instantly shows its self-awareness as Frank expresses his desire to be like his dad but different. The villain's goal for recreating the human race can even be interpreted as a metaphor for wanting to go back to the good old days with men like Frank and his father at the forefront.
Comedy's next big stars are here
Frank Drebin Jr. truly is his father's son. Neeson has already shown potential as a comedic actor many times with his appearances in Family Guy, Ted 2, and A Million Ways to Die in the West. However, The Naked Gun proved that he was the only one worthy of inheriting the name of Frank Drebin from Leslie Nielsen.
As Drebin Jr., Neeson brings out plenty of laughs with his buffoonish antics, deadpan joke delivery, and impeccable comedic timing. Neeson's performance is on par with Nielsen's work. Neeson adds a unique layer to his character by satirizing his own angry action hero persona with ultraviolent fight scenes and a revenge-fueled monologue. It's a breath of fresh air for his acting career that may even pave the way for more comedic roles.
At the same time, Pamela Anderson invokes the spirit of her predecessor, Priscilla Presley, with her new character, Beth Davenport. Her chemistry with Neeson is electric, and her straight-faced delivery makes her an equally hilarious presence, especially with her ridiculous jazz performance.
An onslaught of creative comedy
Like the original film, The Naked Gun is a machine gun firing barrels of laughs every second. Given how MacFarlane has paid brilliant homage to The Naked Gun franchise numerous times on Family Guy, it's no surprise that he was able to get its brand of humor right for the new film.
As a modern reboot, The Naked Gun adds some social commentary with its jokes about Police Squad's problematic actions — Frank not wanting to use body cams and him having shot at very few white criminals. However, the film never gets heavy-handed with pushing a progressive narrative. Its clear priority is to be as silly and hilarious as possible, and it succeeds.
2025's The Naked Gun features all the wacky ridiculousness that one can expect from the franchise. One can see Schaffer drawing from his experiences with the Lonely Island with these cartoonish, over-the-top moments. Most notably, Schaffer's film shows Frank disguising himself as a little schoolgirl to take down a gang of bank robbers and him and Beth having a threesome with a Satanic snowman.
Also, in MacFarlane's own fashion, The Naked Gun takes everyday chats and foibles and turns them into comedy gold, from Frank declaring his love for the Black Eyed Peas to him mourning the loss of his Buffy episodes on TiVo. There are even some traces of Austin Powers in the film's comedic DNA, specifically with that supposedly sexual thermal vision scene. The movie even executes a hysterical parody of another classic spy movie, Mission: Impossible — Fallout, with its layered, fake hospital scene.
Is The Naked Gun worth a watch?
To be frank, yes. This Naked Gun movie may not be as good as the original, but it is still pretty damn good. The movie revives Naked Gun's distinctive brand of humor with its blend of clever wordplay and slapstick gags, bringing plenty of wit and wackiness to the story. While there are several different comedic styles at play, The Naked Gun blends them together to create an outrageous comedy extravaganza.
Not only does this movie revive the Naked Gun franchise, but it also reignites hope for parody films and shows as a whole. Spoofs like The Naked Gun prove the genre can still succeed today and deliver great laughs when done right. And with it joining the ranks of History of the World: Part II and the upcoming Spaceballs sequel, The Naked Gun seems part of a much-welcome parody genre revival.
The Naked Gun is now playing in theaters.