Want to see a silly, funny, highly entertaining movie? Naked Gun is just the ticket. After weeks of seeing those delightfully bizarre advertisements posted along the exits at Americana at Brand, I gave in. What started as curiosity became cautious optimism, and then erupted into unrestrained laughter.

Liam Neeson, the man who made phone threats in Taken and haunted Nazis in Schindler’s List, steps into one of the most unexpected roles of his career: Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr. Son of Leslie Nielsen’s iconic detective from the original 1988 spoof The Naked Gun, Neeson channels his trademark intensity into comedy, and the result is weirdly wonderful. Rather than resisting his natural stoicism, he weaponizes it. His seriousness becomes the punchline. And it lands . . . consistently.

The setup is pure farce: Drebin Jr. must solve a murder tied to a tech billionaire or risk having his beloved department, Police Squad, shut down and turned into a Spirit Halloween store. Enter Pamela Anderson as Beth, a true-crime writer and part-time femme fatale with enough bounce (in wit and physicality) to make even the silliest plot points feel surprisingly grounded. Their chemistry isn’t forced, it’s cartoonishly natural, like a featherweight punching a heavyweight and somehow winning.

Anderson is the silly putty to Neeson’s granite jaw. Their scenes together feel lifted from an alternate reality where noir never met irony, and that’s exactly where this film thrives.

Credit where it’s due: the script is sharp. Really sharp. Written by Akiva Schaffer (The Lonely Island), Dan Gregor, and Doug Mand, the film serves up gag after gag with machine-like precision, without losing rhythm or wit. The dialogue is fast, clever, and somehow still spontaneous. You laugh before your brain catches up, which is exactly the point. The jokes sneak up on you, detonate, and vanish, replaced immediately by the next.

Directed by Schaffer and produced by Seth MacFarlane, this reboot pays loving tribute to the original Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!—itself born from a failed (and now beloved) six-episode television series. David Zucker, who directed the 1988 film, helped shape the comedic language of a generation: visual gags, absurd deadpan, and a complete disregard for reality. This 2025 reboot honors that legacy without mimicking it. It adapts the tempo, updates the references, and never apologizes for being stupid. And that’s why it’s so smart.

At just under 90 minutes, the movie moves fast but feels full. There’s no filler. Every frame is either delivering a laugh, setting up a future laugh, or rewarding you for having paid attention earlier. There are no morals, no lessons, and certainly no realism. But there is craftsmanship, surprisingly so.

For those skeptical of Neeson’s comedic chops, consider this: he’s not trying to be funny. He’s simply applying his full dramatic toolset to the most ridiculous circumstances imaginable . . . and it works. The contrast between his gravitas and the absurdity of the plot gives the film a strange center of gravity. He anchors the chaos. In a genre that often collapses under its own weight, Neeson gives it structure.

Pamela Anderson, too, is a revelation. She plays Beth like a woman who’s read every Nancy Drew novel and decided to solve crimes with lip gloss and blind confidence. Her comedic timing is tighter than expected, her delivery fresh. It’s not parody; it’s play.

Filming took place in Atlanta from May through June 2024 under a tight schedule and modest budget. There’s no evidence of AI-driven writing or effects, which makes the humor feel even more organic. The jokes are old-school, the timing is precise, and the whole production feels refreshingly analog in a digital world.

I don’t typically go for slapstick or spoof comedies—my taste leans literal, measured. But Naked Gun broke through my defenses. It was, without question, the comic relief I needed at the end of a long, stressful week. Like Dumb & Dumber, Airplane!, or the best of Jim Carrey’s early work, this film commits to its lunacy and invites you to do the same.

So bring your sense of humor. Leave logic at the door. And let Liam Neeson make you laugh in a way you never thought possible.

Rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5)
An outrageously enjoyable spoof that hits all the right notes: timed, smart, indulgent, and absolutely ridiculous in the best way.