It's been 31 years since the last entry in the franchise, but The Naked Gun (2025) starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson revives the iconic slapstick franchise with a film that is unapologetically silly, raunchy, and full of laugh-out-loud moments. While this reboot isn’t here to win any awards, it delivers exactly what it sets out to: giving viewers a wildly fun night at the movies.
Watching The Naked Gun in the theater was the perfect setting, especially during a packed advanced screening. The atmosphere in the theater was energetic, with the audience erupting into laughter at every outrageous gag. From clever one-liners to elaborate slapstick sequences, the movie keeps its foot on the gas from start to finish.
Some standout bits from the film that had me personally laughing out loud include — the running joke of Frank Drebin Jr. getting handed coffees every few minutes, the scene that was included in the trailer of Frank interrogating a suspect and noting that he served “20 years for man’s laughter” with the suspect saying it was actually manslaughter to which Frank says, “Must have been quite the joke.” My personal favorite was that the famous arena in Los Angeles called Crypto Arena was renamed to Ponzie-Scheme.com Arena for the film.
Liam Neeson in the lead role proves to be a brilliant choice. His deadpan delivery fits the over-the-top comedy perfectly, allowing the absurd situations to feel even more ridiculous. Pamela Anderson, playing Neeson's love interest, matches his energy and fully commits to the chaos of the story. Their film chemistry and willingness to lean into the madness helped to carry the film, making the humor land even harder. Adding to the fun of the film are a number of standout characters and surprise cameos that keep the laughs coming. Dave Bautista has a cameo that surprised the audience and brought out tons of laughs, while Busta Rhymes plays the character that was convicted for manslaughter, which gained one of the biggest laughs of the night. There were other celebrity cameos throughout the film, each one landing with perfect comedic effect and sending the audience into fits of laughter.
The movie excels most when it embraces the slapstick roots that were beloved in the original movies in the franchise. The physical comedy is sharp, timing is impeccable, and the gags are layered enough to keep you chuckling even after the joke lands. I even found myself still laughing on the way home when recalling certain jokes from the movie. Longtime fans of the franchise will appreciate how it stays true to the spirit of the original films while still injecting fresh humor for a new audience.
With that said, The Naked Gun isn’t perfect. Like the movies that inspired it, some jokes stretch on longer than needed. But the hit-to-miss ratio is impressive, and the sheer absurdity of the plot makes it easy to forgive the occasional dud.
Ultimately, The Naked Gun (2025) is a movie that knows exactly what it is and it doesn’t try to be anything else. It’s raunchy, ridiculous, and consistently funny, the kind of comedy best enjoyed with a packed audience of people ready to laugh. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the franchise or new to its brand of humor, you’re likely to find something to enjoy here.
If you’re looking for a highbrow, prestige picture, this isn’t the one for you. But if you want a fun, carefree night out at the movies this summer, The Naked Gun is exactly the movie that you should be seeing in the theaters.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
If you have seen The Naked Gun and would like to leave your rating and review, click here. ~Erin Grace