Legacy sequels are still on the rise this year, with entries in a ton of franchises varying in the length of their respective hiatus. 28 Years Later, Jurassic World: Rebirth, and I Know What You Did Last Summer were released within the last two months to differing levels of success. Even Adam Sandler joined in the fun with Happy Gilmore 2 dropping on Netflix over the weekend. Nothing holds a candle to the immaculate, laugh-out-loud machine that is the reboot of The Naked Gun.
Starring Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin, Jr., director Akiva Schaffer of The Lonely Island fame takes on the fourth installment of The Naked Gun franchise. It follows Drebin, Jr. as he simultaneously investigates a single-car accident and a bank robbery. The film also stars Paul Walter Hauser, Pamela Anderson, and Danny Huston.
It felt so good to be seated in a theater for an amazing comedy again. For I Think You Should Leave fans, we got Tim Robinson’s niche brand of humor on display in Friendship earlier this year, but that film wound up alienating a large swath of viewers. This isn’t to say that the humor found in The Naked Gun franchise isn’t somewhat niche, but it does seem to have a broader appeal. Its sight gags and over-literalization are part of its charm, perfectly parodying noir and cop films of the ’70s and ’80s. This latest film expertly adapts the structure and tone of the originals into the modern day, utilizing the popularity of action comedy this century to give it a special place in the franchise and not just a modern remake of its predecessors, and the overt recreations of major scenes from action franchises of the past few years made me laugh uncontrollably.
The true genius of the film is casting Liam Neeson as Frank, Jr. Neeson has built up two decades of goodwill in the action-thriller space, and he gets to toss that intensity and action choreography work into this movie. It honestly feels like he’s playing this more seriously than most of his non-comedy roles. His comedic timing is impeccable, and his low, gravely voice makes everything he says that much funnier.
Neeson is pitch-perfect in his role, but Pamela Anderson steals every scene she’s in. It would be hard to choose a more different role than that of Beth after her heartbreaking turn in The Last Showgirl, but she has some real comedic energy here. Her and Neeson’s electric chemistry is something often missing from comedies, and it really makes the movie. They’re both the most bought in on the tone and style the team is going for, and it shows when they’re on screen together.
The most surprising aspect of The Naked Gun is its visual presentation. It actually looks well-produced and shot, and had some sense of visual style it was going for. Its $42 million budget doesn’t exactly place it in the indie category, but when you compare it to some of the bigger budget films to be released this year, it’s astounding how much better this looks in comparison.
The Naked Gun is an unequivocal success, solidifying itself as the comedy of the year. Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson shine in this soft reboot of the franchise, and I earnestly hope we get as many more of these movies as we can. There are admittedly some running gags and jokes that try a little too hard, but before those few that don’t work can settle in, another zinger hits that makes you forget all about it. So much has changed in the world since Naked Gun 33 ⅓ (1994), and Schaffer and his team of writers take huge swings at modern action classics and advanced technology. Comedies like this are necessary to both comment on the world around us and bring audiences together to laugh at how absurd that world can be. Typically, this would have been dropped on a streamer with little fanfare, but its theatrical release (and hopefully success) indicates that studio comedies aren’t dead yet. Let’s hope this proves they’re still worth putting in theaters.
The Naked Gun will debut exclusively in theaters on August 1, 2025, courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
The Naked Gun is an unequivocal success, solidifying itself as the comedy of the year.
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Proud owner of three movie passes. Met Harrison Ford at a local diner once. Based in Raleigh, NC.
