The Naked Gun (2025) Review: Neeson Plays It Straight, Gags Fly Fast

The Naked Gun review starts with a simple question: can a spoof franchise that went quiet in 1994 still make audiences laugh? Director Akiva Schaffer says yes, mostly, by handing Liam Neeson the trench coat and letting the nonsense fly. The result is a brisk, goofy comedy that runs just 85 minutes.

The Naked Gun Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Naked Gun plot is deliberately thin. Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. (Neeson) is the son of the legendary Police Squad detective, and he carries his father's name, his bad habits and his talent for causing chaos. A murder case lands on his desk, and if he fails to solve it, Police Squad could be shut down for good.

The trail leads to a tech mogul with a gadget and big plans. That's all you need to know. The story exists to hang jokes on, and the film never pretends otherwise.

The film arrived in cinemas on 30 July 2025, so The Naked Gun release date puts it more than 30 years after the last entry, The Naked Gun 33-1/3: The Final Insult. It works as a continuation and a fresh start at once, so newcomers can jump in without homework.

What Works in The Naked Gun

The jokes come fast. Schaffer, who co-wrote the script with Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, packs the frame with puns, visual gags and absurd background details. If one bit falls flat, another arrives seconds later.

The film also understands the old rules of this style. Everyone plays the madness with a perfectly straight face, and nobody winks at the camera.

• Rapid-fire gags: wordplay, slapstick and sight gags all share the screen.

• Respect for the originals: it feels like a loving tribute to the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker classics.

• Tight running time: at 85 minutes, it never overstays its welcome.

Fans of the Airplane! school of comedy will feel at home. Viewers new to the series get an easy way in, and several critics have said the same.

The Naked Gun Cast and Performances

The Naked Gun cast is led by Liam Neeson, who plays Frank Drebin Jr. with the gravel-voiced seriousness of his action roles. That contrast is the engine of the film. The more solemn he sounds, the funnier the chaos around him becomes.

Pamela Anderson plays Beth Davenport and brings real comic timing and warmth. Her chemistry with Neeson gives the film a light romantic thread that suits the genre well.

Supporting Players

• Paul Walter Hauser plays Ed Hocken Jr., a sidekick whose sincerity is a gift for the script.

• Danny Huston is Richard Cane, the villain with the big scheme.

• Kevin Durand plays Sig Gustafson, Cane's menacing enforcer.

• CCH Pounder appears as Chief Davis, the boss who has to put up with it all.

The whole ensemble commits fully to the silliness, which is what makes this kind of comedy tick.

Where The Naked Gun Stumbles

Not every joke hits, and the hit rate dips in the middle stretch. Some gags feel like they were written for a trailer, and a few modern touches lack the sharp bite of the 1980s originals. One reviewer called it a fun but uneven successor, and that is fair.

The plot is also very light, even by spoof standards. The mystery rarely builds any momentum, so the film relies almost entirely on its comic set pieces. When those wobble, there is little else to lean on.

As an action comedy, it also keeps the action modest. Don't expect the sort of spectacle you might find in Action movie reviews on this site. The thrills are there mainly to be punctured by a punchline.

Is The Naked Gun Worth Watching?

Yes, if you want a silly, quick comedy and can forgive some misses. Audience scores sit in the middle, at 6.3 out of 10 on TMDB, but several critics were warmer and praised the commitment to old-school gags. We land in the same place: a likeable, uneven revival.

It isn't a flawless reboot, and it doesn't quite match the best of the original run. Still, it delivers more laughs than most modern comedies, and it moves fast enough that a dud joke is quickly forgotten. For more laughs, browse our Comedy movie reviews. If you prefer animated crime-fighting, our The Bad Guys 2 review is another summer option.

You can read more about the franchise's history on Wikipedia's page for The Naked Gun).

Who Will Enjoy The Naked Gun

• Fans of the original Naked Gun and Airplane! films who want more of that deadpan style.

• Viewers who like Liam Neeson's gruff screen persona and enjoy seeing it turned on its head.

• Anyone after a short, light comedy with plenty of gags and no heavy plot to follow.