The Naked Gun Returns: Is Liam Neeson the Right Man for the Job?

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (3/5)

A Modern Take on a Comedy Classic

The art of the spoof comedy, once perfected by the legendary team of Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker, has long been dormant. But in a summer movie season hungry for original laughs, director Akiva Schaffer (of The Lonely Island fame) has dared to revive the deadpan absurdity of The Naked Gun. The 2025 reboot, starring Liam Neeson as the son of the original Frank Drebin, is a bold and often hilarious attempt to bring the classic brand of a hundred jokes a minute to a new generation. The result is a film that, while not reaching the hallowed heights of its predecessors, is a welcome and frequently side-splitting breath of fresh, silly air.

Neeson’s Impeccable Deadpan

The heart of the original series was Leslie Nielsen’s perfectly straight-faced performance as the utterly incompetent Frank Drebin. The success of this reboot hinges on the casting of Liam Neeson, an actor known for his post-Taken gravitas. It’s an inspired choice, and Neeson rises to the occasion. He plays Frank Drebin Jr. with a serious, almost mournful dedication that makes his bumbling failures all the more hysterical. Neeson’s commanding presence and his established tough-guy persona are expertly weaponized for comedic effect, often to brilliant results. The movie is at its best when it leans into the contrast between his serious demeanor and the outrageous, often juvenile, gags happening around him.

Hit and Miss Humor

Like the original films, the humor in The Naked Gun 2025 is a rapid-fire barrage of sight gags, puns, and one-liners. Not every joke lands, but the sheer volume ensures that you’re never waiting long for another laugh. The film wisely avoids relying on dated pop-culture references, instead favoring a more timeless, Vaudeville-style absurdity that feels true to the spirit of the original. The supporting cast, including a fantastic Pamela Anderson as the love interest Beth and the always-reliable Paul Walter Hauser, are all game and contribute to the film’s manic energy. The plot, a parody of modern tech-billionaire thrillers, serves as little more than a framework for the jokes, which is exactly as it should be.

Final Verdict

The Naked Gun 2025 is a flawed but delightful film. While it may not be a perfect successor to the comedic masterpieces that spawned it, it is a testament to the enduring power of unapologetically dumb humor. It shows that a classic comedy brand can be rebooted with care, and that sometimes, a good laugh is the only thing a movie really needs to deliver. It’s a riotous, charming, and thoroughly entertaining watch that proves there’s still a place for slapstick on the big screen.