QUICK HITS: THE NAKED GUN (8/1/25)

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"These are my best pair - and they're clean!" Frank
Drebin, Jr. (Liam Neeson) in a scene from THE NAKED
GUN. © 2025 Paramount Pictures

 

THE NAKED GUN

When it was first announced that Liam Neeson would be taking up the mantle of the comedic role Leslie Nielsen made famous in Frank Drebin – Neeson is playing his son, Frank Jr., to be exact – it was hard to imagine a man best known for his work as a hard nosed action movie star in the role. However, as those familiar with the late Nielsen's work may know, he too, was best known for his dramatic roles prior to taking the Drebin role that first debuted in the TV series Police Squad on which THE NAKED GUN was based.

Thus, with Avika Schaffer of The Lonely Island directing and Seth McFarlane serving as executive producer, it really shouldn't be surprising the new NAKED GUN not only pays tribute to and keeps the spirit of its predecessors with a gaggle of laughs worthy of a ticket.

Neeson, like Nielsen, plays it straight to strong comedic effect, the only always serious man in a world loaded with sight gags, word play and jokes you might need a second showing to catch them all. The best way to summarize the film might be to say it's akin to feeling high for the first time, but at a party where you're surrounded by friends, eating your favorite bag of chips and not having to worry about someone drawing on your face. The film is a relatively quick and easy watch at around 120 minutes, so the film never feels like it's overstaying its welcome thanks to comedy that continues throughout the credits.

So, if your old enough to remember the original film trilogy, this version of THE NAKED GUN won't feel like a reboot. If you're unfamiliar with the originals and under the age of 40, you'll be laughing but likely wondering why the older people are laughing more often at jokes you may not have caught.

In short, if you're looking for a perfect movie to remove your brain from the insanity that is the world in 2025, look no further than THE NAKED GUN - and be sure to stay all the way through the credits!

RATING (OUT OF FOUR BUCKETS OF POPCORN):