The Naked Gun (2025)

Scratch that, the only appearance of O.J. Simpson (in a photo) triggering Nordberg's son looking at the camera and shaking his head because he's unwilling to honor him means it's the best.

Here's the thing about The Naked Gun, and it goes for Airplane! and Hot Shots too. I would guess about 95% percent of the jokes aren't funny. Like, they are silly, but they won't make you laugh and are just there. The thing is there are just SO many jokes, and it's nonstop, you'll be laughing a ton anyways. The fact that a LOT (or even most) of the comedy is majorly sucky doesn't matter because there's just so damn much of it.

Also, no O.J.. Did I mention that?

I knew Liam Neeson would do a great job. The specific role of Frank Drebin requires a serious actor who can commit. And that's Neeson. What was a pleasant surprise was how great Pamela Anderson was. I mean I know she got awards for a recent movie, but I hadn't seen it, and have literally never seen her in any role that wasn't eye-candy. There IS some eye-candy here, but the bit of her scatting at the jazz club with a fearless lack of vanity says the woman has actual comedy chops. And she probably always did, and nobody did anything about it because her bottom spoke like "I am a talking bottom."

I'm glad they didn't leave out the Police Squad car bit, but unfortunately, it's during the end credits instead of the beginning, and worse, it's legacy clips from the first three movies instead of new stuff. On the other hand they brought back the end credits freeze frame gag from "Police Squad". How many Naked Gun fans actually remember THAT bit from the TV show? How many Naked Gun fans actually SAW the TV show? Hell, how many Naked Gun fans even KNEW there was a TV show?

Best jokes:

The O.J. slam. Mm, mm. (Shakes head.)

The heat sensors with the dog. I am 100% positive the original films could have gotten away with this, but the value of producer Seth MacFarlane is he STILL managed a PG-13 rating for them in 2025 (which is insane). Or considering the fact that the MPAA is basically an unfathomably corrupt criminal organization, maybe it's on-brand. But I guarantee you if an indie film had tried the exact same joke it would be slapped with a hard R. Pretty sure money actually changed hands here.

The three-way with the snowman was also twisted, especially it turning into a horror movie. That is purely MacFarlane and not remotely ZAZ. Didn't one of them do a couple Scary Movies though? Still, it was the twisted intention and way it was shot that was unique to this.

Liam Neeson's extended bit with the "pretty popular boy" in prison gag was great. Kevin Durand will tell him anything because he's freaking him out.

I also loved at they are watching the police cam footage in the interrogation the guy is wincing at Frank NOT to eat the chili dog.

I love that Frank loves Buffy The Vampire Slayer. And the writers know enough about it to actually mention some of the characters and plotpoints.

I'm say this for Liam Neeson. Leslie Nielson was asked to do silly things, but nothing quite as degrading as the producers coaxed Liam Neeson to do. And that's not because Nielson wouldn't have done it (if it was funny he would have done anything). It's just that Hollywood producers back then never understood that it was REALLY funny watching legit actors embarrass themselves on-camera. But in fairness, how could they know? No legit actors back then were actually willing to do it.

I also need to talk about another reason the movie is superior. And this brings me squarely back to the first one. In it there is a scene of Drebin wearing a wire as he's using the bathroom. And you are focused on this roomful of diplomats' horrified expressions while you can hear him singing and noisily farting.

That brought down the theater I was in.

That specific thing is the reason the first Naked Gun film was one of only THREE good experiences I've EVER had in a movie theater in my entire life. (I'm celebrating my 50th birthday today).

And yet, if you watch it on Streaming or video years later, that scene lands with a thud because the timing is off. There are weird pauses in the comedy to accommodate the audience's expected laughter, and without the laughter, the scene seems very odd and poorly-paced.

Here, for whatever reason, even during the moments that were sure to bring down the house in the theater, each of those moments isn't ever paused for the laughter, so it's actually JUST as funny on streaming (where I saw it). I noticed that about The Simpsons Movie years back and I'm glad this is simply how comedy is made these days.

They also remembered to do end credit jokes. You know, NOBODY would mind sticking through the Marvel movies' credits for the tags if they put jokes in the credits. They wouldn't mind it at all.

Yeah, this is the best Naked Gun movie. 4 1/2 stars.