The Naked Gun is a story about a detective out for justice. Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) is a damn good cop. As a member of Police Squad, Drebin takes out cronies by any means necessary and with extreme prejudice. However, due to his highly questionable methods, he’s under some scrutiny from Chief Davis (CCH Pounder). Fortunately, his friend Captain Ed Hocken Jr. (Paul Walter Hauser) always has Frank’s back. Things become interesting for Drebin when the mysterious Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson) shows up. Beth believes her brother was murdered despite the death being ruled a suicide. Drebin takes the case and begins investigating the shady industrialist Richard Cane (Danny Huston). When Frank uncovers a nefarious plot, he vows to stop at nothing to kick crime right in the balls.
What works in The Naked Gun is the uproarious comedy, and that’s all that matters. While it may feel like hyperbole, The Naked Gun is an important film. It fills a large void in cinema: pure slapstick. The jokes come a mile minute in every single variety like a firehose. That’s not to say all of them land, but enough will for each individual’s brand of humor. Some jokes are puns, others are physical, and a few are overtly meta. But thanks to a razor-sharp script by Doug Mand, Dan Gregor (Chip & Dale: Rescue Rangers), and director Akiva Schaffer (Palm Springs) the chaos results in consistent laughs. It also helps that the entire cast has fantastic comedic sense and timing. Neeson is particularly fun in a role that’s very self-aware and impressively well-executed in terms of delivery. All in all, The Naked Gun is simply hilarious.
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People who don’t enjoy a few dashes of raunchy in their entertainment may not enjoy The Naked Gun as much as others. While it sticks to the PG-13 code of conduct, the film consistently pushes the envelope in creative ways. For example, several fight sequences escalate into cartoonish gore. Sexual acts are implied in silly ways but are not shown. Therefore, some of the material may be too mature for younger viewers. In addition, some watchers may tire of the countless references to both previous movies and pop culture. Several jokes won’t land unless one has a fairly comprehensive handle on media from the past two decades or so. So while The Naked Gun never goes too extreme or obscure, it definitely flirts with those boundaries all in the name of comedy.
The Naked Gun is a refreshing movie. The phrase “they don’t make ‘em like this anymore” is completely apt in this situation, as films that rely on this level of ridiculous rarely get made. It’s fortunate then that in Schaffer and Neeson’s capable hands, The Naked Gun delivers. Highly recommended.
Recommended if you enjoyed: The Naked Gun, Airplane, MacGruber, Walk Hard
The Naked Gun is available exclusively in theaters beginning on August 1st, 2025.
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