A sketch stretched out to feature-length is not usually a glowing comment about a comedy, though there are some notable exceptions.Wayne’s World,The Blues Brothers, and, more recently,MacGruber, are some examples, the last of which wasdirected by The Lonely Island, the SNL trio consisting of Andy Samberg, Jorma Tacome, and Akiva Schaffer. Schaffer is also behind 2025’sThe Naked Gun, a legacy sequel to the third installment of the Leslie Nielsen-led parody franchise.The Naked Gunis essentially a sketch stretched into a full-length film.
It’s a critique you can lob at some previous Shaffer films, likeHot RodandPopstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, films that, while very funny, felt linked together with bubblegum. It’s not a problem here, precisely becauseThe Naked Gunmakes no effort to have even a semblance of a meaningful plot. That’s not to say there’s no story, but when a film opens with a thief breaking into a bank to steal a remote control box literally labeled “Plot Device,” you can stop worrying about the specifics of Frank Drebin, Jr.’s arc.
The Naked Gun Makes The Wise Decision To Focus On Laughs First & Foremost
The Plot Of The Film Is Negligible, Making The Movie More Streamlined
Instead,The Naked Gunfocuses on the laughs, which are all performed with a surprising and crucial amount of restraint.Jokes never overstay their welcome, but they still hang around, allowing plenty of time for the laughter to keep going. My audience would occasionally laugh comfortably at a joke, then, a moment later, laugh even harder as we collectively discovered another level to a gag.
Occasionally,The Naked Gunmisses, but Schaffer is wise enough to keep things moving. A joke eliciting a few uncomfortable chuckles is always followed by a knockout to have you grinning stupidly again.Shaffer knows exactly when to offer a palate cleanser, and the anticipation that comes when a joke is telegraphed is nearly as fun as the joke itself.
The premise ofThe Naked Gunis so thin as to be almost irrelevant, but it goes a little something like this. Frank Drebin, Jr. (Liam Neeson), the son of Leslie Nielsen’s character from the original films, is solving a mysterious suicide. He learns that tech billionaire Richard Cane (Danny Huston) plans to corrupt every phone in the world with a noise that causes those who hear it to tear one another apart, leaving only a few survivors for Danny and his wealthy ilk to lord over. There’s a hint of commentary there, but it’s never explored more deeply.
Frank is occasionally joined by his partner, Ed Hocken Jr. (Paul Walter Hauser), the son of another famous cop (all cops in this precinct are related to a beloved and dead police officer). He’s also joined by Beth Davenport, a woman investigating her brother’s murder,played by Pamela Anderson, in a sweet and perfectly pitched comedy performance to match Neeson’s.
The Naked Gun Is Old-Fashioned But Still Feels Fresh
Liam Neeson’s Stone-Faced Schtick Never Gets Old
Neeson is the draw, of course, channeling a comedic vein I haven’t witnessed since his scene-stealingcameo in the pilot for Ricky Gervais’Life’s Too Shortin 2011. His steely-eyed glare, combined with a refusal to wink at the camera, is admirable. It’s with his complete commitment that the most eye-rolling puns end up being deliciously funny jokes.
The Naked Gunjust wants to stuff its run time with as many jokes as the script can handle and still be said to have a beginning and an end.
The Naked Gunis old-fashioned, andcomedy fans will notice some gags lifted from now-ancient tomes likeAustin Powers, but this isn’t out of reverence for comedy classics likeAirplaneorSpaceballs, though they’re cut from the same cloth.The Naked Gunjust wants to stuff its runtime with as many jokes as the script can handle and still have a credible beginning and an end. Even the pop culture references are from another decade. Jokes aboutBuffy the Vampire Slayer,Sex and the City, and the Microsoft Office assistant tool Clippy fill the movie.
It’s dated, but it’s far from dusty. The film cajoles you into laughter with its innocence, which, while never sweet, is never so harsh that you have to choke down a laugh with a groan.The Naked Gunrevels in this old-school style of comedy filmmakingand doesn’t particularly mind if the audience misses a joke or two along the way.
Like the main character, whose pale thighs are presented to the world in the beginning and at the end of the film,The Naked Gunhas nothing to hide. It wants you to take a good look — that is, unless you already have enough good looks at home.
The Naked Gun
Cast
The Naked Gun is a comedy film focused on Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., who utilizes his unique talents to command the Police Squad and prevent global catastrophe. Released in 2025, the film continues the legacy of the original franchise while introducing a new generation to its comedic exploits.
