The Naked Gun review: Liam, Pamela's film is ridiculously silly and it's a good thing

Liam Neeson stars as the bumbling detective in The Naked Gun reboot. The film's absurd humour and nostalgic charm bring fresh life to the classic franchise.

In Short

• Liam Neeson plays bumbling Detective Frank Drebin Jr in this reboot
• Pamela Anderson delivers strong comic timing and chemistry with Neeson
• The villain aims to make humanity resourceful using a doomsday disc

In this zany reboot of the iconic 'Naked Gun' franchise, Liam Neeson takes a surprisingly successful comedic turn as Detective Frank Drebin Jr., the bumbling but well-meaning son of the legendary Frank Drebin (immortalized by Leslie Nielsen). Tasked with saving the ever-dysfunctional Police Squad from being shut down, Drebin must solve a murder and stop a villain who plans to turn the world into “salvagers” using a doomsday disc ominously (and hilariously) named... Plot Device. Yes, really.

Along for the ride is Pamela Anderson, who proves she still has comic chops (and undeniable chemistry with Neeson), in a film that’s equal parts nostalgic, nonsensical, and laugh-out-loud funny.

Liam Neeson has threatened criminals, trained 'Batman', and chased wolves in the snow. But nothing quite prepares you for watching him almost poop his pants after eating too many hotdogs. In 'The Naked Gun', Neeson throws himself into full-blown comedic chaos with sincerity.

The film doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not. It knows it’s stupid. It celebrates that it’s stupid. And it works, mostly because Neeson is completely, wholeheartedly in on the joke. He stumbles through this absurd world with wide-eyed confusion, perfect deadpan delivery, and a physicality that’s surprisingly game for a guy who usually punches bad guys in grimy back alleys.

The villain of the story, played with over-the-top flair by Danny Huston, is on a mission to “make humanity resourceful again” by turning them all into junkyard scavengers using a disc named Plot Device. It's that level of meta-stupid that somehow makes the film feel both brainless and strangely smart. It’s a script that pokes fun at itself while tripwiring through sight gags, puns, and visual punchlines that come faster than a rogue pigeon through a windshield.

Directed by Akiva Schaffer, who co-wrote the script with Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, the film, however, isn’t close to the satirical comedy one saw in previous films in the legacy franchise. Remember how the previous films performed unhinged gags on politics (1994 release), well, the new 'Naked Gun' franchise picks up the baton with a new generation of clueless crime-fighters, but it isn’t as sharp.

Pamela Anderson makes a splashy return, leaning into the madness and sharing unexpectedly charming chemistry with Neeson. Their scenes together are sprinkled with both classic rom-com tension and, at one point, exploding fondue. Don’t ask. Although Pamela isn’t given enough to show her acting chops in isolation.

You don’t walk into this movie expecting emotional arcs or cinematic subtlety, you go in for a laugh. And laugh you will. Whether it's the demonic snowman or the owl helping Liam in a crucial climatic scene, the film knows how to keep the absurdity dialled just high enough to stay enjoyable.

'The Naked Gun (2025)' is a masterclass in committed chaos. It’s silly, it’s self-aware, and it leans so far into its own absurdity that it sticks the landing. 'The Naked Gun' is now in theatres.

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