The Naked Gun – Film Review

After more than thirty years since Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994), director Akiva Schaffer (Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping) resurrects one of comedy’s most absurd and beloved film franchises with The Naked Gun (2025). Serving as a legacy sequel rather than a straight reboot, the film cleverly bridges the past and present, introducing audiences to a new lead — Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., played by Liam Neeson — while maintaining the gag-a-minute tone that made the originals work.

Schaffer, working from a script co-written with Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, manages the tricky balance of slapstick, wordplay, and self-aware parody. While not every joke lands, the combination of Neeson’s stone-faced delivery, absurd scenarios, and a surprisingly cohesive plot keeps the laughs coming at a respectable pace. The result is a fun, if uneven, revival that both honors the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker legacy and finds its own comedic rhythm.

The film wastes no time establishing its absurd tone. The premise is pure spoof simplicity: Police Squad is on the brink of being shut down due to incompetence and budget cuts, and only Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. can step up to save the day. Of course, “saving the day” in this world means surviving an avalanche of absurd accidents, mistaken identities, and over-the-top action sequences.

Neeson’s Drebin Jr. is the son of the late, legendary Lt. Frank Drebin (the late Leslie Nielsen), and he inherits not only his father’s badge but also his uncanny ability to bumble his way into — and out of — trouble. The main threat comes in the form of Richard Cane (Danny Huston), a suave but cartoonishly villainous arms dealer plotting to destabilize global peace. Alongside him is henchman Sig Gustafson (Kevin Durand), a towering brute with a strangely sensitive side.

Drebin Jr. teams up with Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson), a glamorous yet surprisingly competent investigative journalist, and Capt. Ed Hocken Jr. (Paul Walter Hauser), the earnest but bumbling son of Drebin Sr.’s original sidekick. Together, they set out to thwart Cane’s plan and, in true Naked Gun fashion, destroy a lot of property along the way.

Casting Liam Neeson as Drebin Jr. is the film’s boldest and best move. Known for his action hero persona in films like Taken, Neeson plays entirely against that image by leaning into deadpan absurdity. His commitment to delivering nonsensical lines with utter seriousness is reminiscent of Leslie Nielsen’s approach, and the result is often hilarious. Whether he’s misinterpreting every instruction given to him, accidentally defusing a bomb by sitting on it, or engaging in a slapstick fistfight with a mime troupe, Neeson’s timing and gravitas turn ridiculous setups into genuine laugh-out-loud moments.

Pamela Anderson is surprisingly well-utilized as Beth Davenport, playing a character who’s more than just eye candy. Her chemistry with Neeson is both awkward and endearing, especially in a running gag where their romantic tension keeps getting interrupted by increasingly absurd accidents. Paul Walter Hauser’s Ed Hocken Jr. is a perfect foil — bumbling, overeager, and constantly one step away from disaster. Kevin Durand chews scenery as the henchman, while Danny Huston’s villainy feels lifted from a Bond spoof, just exaggerated enough to fit this universe.

The Naked Gun series was born from the rapid-fire gag style perfected by the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker trio, and while Schaffer doesn’t always hit that relentless rhythm, the film succeeds more often than not. The jokes range from visual slapstick to groan-worthy puns, with plenty of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it background gags.

Highlights include a high-speed car chase in which Drebin’s Jr.’s car is filled with balloons while he frantically tries to get the self-driving vehicle to stop, and a sequence involving a turkey baster. Trust me, it’s absolutely hysterical. It’s the one scene that had literally the entire theatre laughing out loud.

Not every gag lands, however, and the film occasionally leans too heavily on nostalgia callbacks to the original trilogy. A few jokes feel like rehashes rather than reinventions, and the overuse of meta-humor sometimes undercuts the sincerity that made the earlier films so endearing.

One of Schaffer’s smarter moves is treating the action sequences with just enough seriousness to heighten the comedy. The choreography is deliberately overblown, with Neeson engaging in ridiculous stunts while somehow keeping his tie perfectly straight. The film embraces physical comedy during these moments, often subverting action clichés with unexpected payoffs — such as a dramatic rooftop fight that ends when both combatants slip on pigeon droppings and roll into a wedding cake.

The cinematography by Brandon Trost is sharper and more polished than you might expect for a spoof, giving the film a slick visual style that contrasts hilariously with the chaotic humor.

One of the film’s strengths is its respect for the tone and spirit of the original Naked Gun trilogy. Schaffer avoids going too far into raunchy or mean-spirited territory, keeping the comedy broadly accessible. While the humor has been updated to poke fun at modern culture, the core remains the same: absurd scenarios played completely straight.

There are touching nods to Leslie Nielsen, including a photo cameo and a heartfelt moment where Drebin Jr. visits his father’s old locker at Police Squad HQ. These moments give the film a nostalgic warmth without tipping into sentimentality.

While The Naked Gun is a worthy continuation, it’s not without flaws. The pacing occasionally sags in the second act, with a few set pieces running longer than necessary. The reliance on franchise callbacks, while fun for longtime fans, risks alienating newcomers who may not catch the references.

Additionally, while Neeson’s deadpan delivery is often spot-on, the supporting cast’s comedic timing varies. Anderson and Hauser shine, but some side characters feel underdeveloped, serving only as setups for one-off gags.

The Naked Gun is an entertaining and surprisingly respectful revival of a comedy institution. Liam Neeson proves to be an inspired choice to carry the Drebin legacy, delivering a performance that captures the spirit of Leslie Nielsen without feeling like an imitation. While not every joke lands, and the film occasionally leans too heavily on nostalgia, Akiva Schaffer delivers a fast-paced, goofy, and affectionate tribute that will satisfy fans old and new. It’s a reminder that in the right hands, a well-timed pratfall and a perfectly straight-faced delivery can still get a laugh in 2025.