The Return of Naked Gun

The new Naked Gun film arrives in theaters with a daunting legacy to uphold. The original 1988 classic, starring the late, great Leslie Nielsen as the clueless Lt. Frank Drebin, is still regarded as one of the high-water marks of cinematic spoof comedy. Fast-forward to 2025, and Paramount has handed the reins to Lonely Island alum Akiva Schaffer, with Liam Neeson cast as Frank Drebin Jr. The result? A delightfully chaotic, unapologetically silly comedy that doesn’t always hit its target but fires off enough hits to keep audiences laughing.

From the opening credits, The Naked Gun announces its intention to stay faithful to the absurdist style of its predecessors. There’s a car chase, a flaming tuba, and a chicken costume—all within the first two minutes. The film throws gags at the audience at a rapid pace, many of them visual or absurdist in nature, and never gives you too much time to process before moving on to the next bit.

Casting Liam Neeson as the lead raised eyebrows when it was first announced. Known for stoic action heroes, he seemed an odd choice to play a bumbling detective in a slapstick comedy. But, as with Leslie Nielsen before him, Neeson’s straight-faced delivery proves to be the film’s comedic backbone. His performance is entirely deadpan, even when walking through a revolving door that never stops spinning or interrogating a statue he believes to be a suspect. The contrast between Neeson’s seriousness and the lunacy around him gives the film much of its humor.

Frank Drebin Jr. is positioned as the slightly more competent (but still hopelessly inept) son of the original Frank Drebin. The story loosely follows him trying to thwart an elaborate cyber-heist that somehow involves exploding e-scooters, AI-generated Elvis impersonators, and a corrupt mayor played with scenery-chewing glee by Kevin Hart. The plot is mostly an excuse for a barrage of jokes, and that’s as it should be. If you're here for story coherence, you’re in the wrong theater.

As Beth Davenport, a jazz singer and Drebin’s reluctant partner/love interest, Pamela Anderson brings surprising comedic timing and charisma. There’s an unexpected warmth to her role that balances the film’s manic pace. Anderson and Neeson have a quirky chemistry, and their scenes together—particularly one involving a tango competition gone wrong—are among the film’s strongest. She’s more than a nostalgic cameo; she holds her own.

Much like the original Naked Gun, this reboot lives or dies by its jokes—and there are a lot of them. Every background sign, newscast, or prop has some kind of punchline. The film gleefully mocks modern trends: QR codes that explode, self-driving patrol cars that abandon their drivers mid-chase, and a streaming crime documentary called Drebin: Beyond Reason. Some of the gags are throwbacks to older fans—like the return of the infamous “Nice Beaver” line (updated, but still ridiculous)—while others play off newer cultural references.

The film doesn’t reinvent the spoof genre so much as double down on what made the original work: density of jokes, commitment to absurdity, and a total lack of ego. You’re either onboard with its style or you’re not. It occasionally reaches for satire but usually stays in its own cartoonish lane.

Akiva Schaffer brings experience from Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping and Hot Rod, both cult comedies with their own brand of absurdity. Here, he adapts his sensibilities well to the Naked Gun formula. The pacing is brisk—sometimes too brisk—and the film clocks in at under 90 minutes. That’s a smart decision: any longer, and the weight of so many gags might’ve worn thin. Still, the second act does sag slightly, with a subplot involving Frank’s father’s ghost (voiced by a digitally recreated Leslie Nielsen) that doesn’t quite work.

The editing is sharp, and the film knows how to pace its set pieces. A climactic chase through a convention of impersonators—Elvis, Batman, Beyoncé, Gandhi—is hilariously chaotic and staged with real technical skill. The production design deserves credit too. Every scene looks deliberately absurd without crossing into cheap parody.

Not every joke lands. Some are dated before they leave the actor’s mouth. A few extended bits—especially a musical number involving AI karaoke—go on too long. And while Neeson is excellent as the straight man, some viewers may miss the uniquely elastic facial comedy and vocal cadence that Leslie Nielsen brought to the role. Neeson brings authority, but not quite the same unpredictability.

Also, not everyone in the supporting cast gets enough to do. Paul Walter Hauser plays Drebin’s paranoid, conspiracy-loving partner, and while he has a few great moments, his character is largely underused. Liza Koshy as a tech-savvy analyst is energetic but feels like comic relief in a film already stuffed with comic relief.

It’s rare for reboots of beloved comedies to strike the right tone, especially when the original is so iconic. Ghostbusters, Dumb and Dumber, Zoolander—each stumbled trying to recapture past glory. The Naked Gun avoids most of those pitfalls by staying laser-focused on what made the original great: its dedication to being silly. It’s not trying to be edgy or meaningful. It doesn’t wink at the audience or comment on its own existence. It just wants to be funny—and often, it is.

For fans of the original, there are enough callbacks and cameos to feel nostalgic without being obnoxious. For newcomers, it serves as an accessible entry point into a genre that’s all but extinct in mainstream theaters.

The Naked Gun (2025) is far from perfect, but it’s a loving tribute to a kind of comedy that’s become increasingly rare. It understands its source material, updates it just enough for modern audiences, and offers a steady stream of laughs—even if a few fall flat along the way. Liam Neeson proves himself a capable comedic lead, Pamela Anderson is a standout, and Akiva Schaffer delivers a film that moves fast, hits hard, and leaves you smiling.

It won’t please everyone—especially those who want their comedy to come with a message—but for audiences looking to laugh out loud for 90 straight minutes, it’s a breath of fresh air.