The Naked Gun franchise has always been about one thing: watching a man in uniform trip, fall, and somehow still save the day. In 2025, that man is Liam Neeson — yes, Taken’s very own particular set-of-skills guy — now playing Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. The result is a comedy that’s equal parts dumb, brilliant, and so absurd you’ll question whether you accidentally inhaled laughing gas in the theater.
What makes the film shine is Neeson’s commitment to the bit. His greatest weapon isn’t his fists or his grizzled action-hero presence — it’s his poker face. Watching him deliver nonsense lines with the seriousness of a hostage negotiator is comedy gold. The movie never slows down either, tossing out sight gags, pratfalls, double entendres, and even a running joke involving a rogue tuba. If one joke doesn’t land, another one will be crashing through the door before you can groan.
For fans of the original trilogy, there’s plenty to love. The movie winks at its roots with sly callbacks to Leslie Nielsen’s legacy, but it doesn’t rely solely on recycled punchlines. Instead, it blends nostalgia with new absurdities that feel at home in today’s world of overblown action flicks. The supporting cast adds to the chaos in delightful ways. Pamela Anderson, surprisingly well-cast as a true-crime novelist, has strong comedic chemistry with Neeson, while Paul Walter Hauser and Danny Huston bring their own brand of eccentricity that keeps the stew bubbling.
That said, the film isn’t flawless. The endless barrage of slapstick eventually starts to feel repetitive, as though gravity itself should be demanding royalties for how many times Neeson hits the floor. Drebin Jr.’s backstory of living in his father’s shadow offers a potential emotional hook, but the film barely pauses long enough to explore it. And while the movie races out of the gate with sharp silliness, its finale leans too heavily on loud, chaotic spectacle, like a whoopee cushion that’s been sat on one too many times.
Still, The Naked Gun (2025) succeeds at being gloriously dumb. It’s the kind of dumb that makes you laugh so hard you nearly choke on your popcorn, the kind of dumb that feels strangely refreshing in a world full of self-serious blockbusters. Neeson proves he can be funny precisely because he refuses to act like he’s in a comedy, and the movie thrives on that contrast.
Is it perfect? Not at all. But perfection was never the goal. This reboot delivers pure, undiluted silliness, honoring the legacy of Leslie Nielsen while carving out its own ridiculous identity. The Naked Gun (2025) is armed with dad jokes, pratfalls, and a total disregard for dignity — and it’s guilty of making us laugh. Case closed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ ½ (7.5/10)