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The Naked Gun Review (2025) | Good, Bad, or Just Ugly?

by | Jul 30, 2025 | Reviews, Videos



🎬 The Naked Gun Review (2025) | Good spoof or total goof? 😂

The Naked Gun Review (2025)

Introduction

The reboot of The Naked Gun hit theaters in August 2025, and the question on everyone’s mind: is it comedy gold—or comedy mold? Directed by Saturday Night Live alum Akiva Schaffer, and produced by Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy), this latest entry attempts to resurrect the absurdist comedy stylings that made the original a cult classic.

Liam Neeson stars as Frank Drebin Jr., stepping into the shoes of the iconic character made famous by Leslie Nielsen. The results? Let’s just say there’s a lot to unpack.

A Brief History of The Naked Gun

To appreciate the 2025 reboot, you need to understand its comedic DNA.

The original Naked Gun (1988) was a spin-off from the short-lived but beloved TV show Police Squad! (1982), created by the powerhouse spoof trio: David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker. While the show was canceled after just four episodes aired, its brand of visual gags, pun-filled dialogue, and surreal comic timing lived on.

The film version became a box office and critical success, spawning two sequels. However, by The Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult, the franchise’s quality had started to wane, even if it remained financially viable.

Rumors of a reboot had been swirling since at least 2009. What eventually became the 2025 film saw intermittent involvement from David Zucker, though he has since publicly distanced himself from the final product. And he’s not shy about why—more on that in the linked interview in the video description.

The Plot of The Naked Gun (2025)

As expected, the plot is merely a delivery system for punchlines, but here’s the setup:

Liam Neeson’s Frank Drebin Jr. is a well-meaning, trigger-happy detective following in his father’s bumbling footsteps. He crosses paths with Beth Davenport (played by Pamela Anderson), whose brother has died under mysterious circumstances. Together, they investigate a conspiracy involving a shady billionaire and an electric vehicle company—a lightly veiled cultural jab that lands somewhere between clever and forgettable.

Naturally, as they get closer to the truth, they also grow closer to each other. But again, the story isn’t the point. The real question is: are the jokes funny?

The Humor: Homage or Imitation?

Here’s where the movie succeeds: The Naked Gun (2025) doesn’t just imitate its predecessors—it honors them.

There are plenty of nods to the original trilogy and Airplane!, including dialogue misunderstandings, physical comedy, and even direct scene recreations. For fans of the originals, this feels like a sincere tribute crafted by people who genuinely love the source material.

Lines like “Surely, you can’t be serious—I am serious, and don’t call me Shirley,” are referenced both directly and spiritually, setting the tone for what the film is trying to be.

What’s missing, though, is a broader sense of originality. While the movie avoids outright laziness, it doesn’t exactly bring a fresh comedic voice to the table either.

Performance, Direction, and Style

Casting Liam Neeson—best known for gritty action roles—as the clueless Frank Drebin Jr. was a smart, ironic move. Neeson’s deadpan delivery lands surprisingly well, proving he can indeed do comedy when it’s written for him.

Pamela Anderson brings unexpected charm, and the supporting cast delivers solid performances across the board.

Director Akiva Schaffer keeps the pacing brisk (maybe too brisk—more on that below), and the film looks polished without ever trying to be slick. There’s even a respectful recreation of Police Squad!‘s frozen-frame end credit gag.

Where the Film Falls Short

The biggest flaw? Runtime. At just 85 minutes, including a long end-credit sequence, The Naked Gun (2025) feels barely feature-length by modern standards. Yes, the 1988 film was also 85 minutes—but in today’s cinematic landscape, that brevity can feel underwhelming.

Also, while the homages are well-done, the film doesn’t attempt to push the comedy genre forward. It rarely satirizes anything newer than 2010. There’s some minor spoofing of contemporary trends and tropes, but not much. That restraint is both a strength and a weakness—it avoids cheap shots, but it also plays things a bit too safe.

And like many comedies before it, the ending lacks punch. It wraps up, sure, but not in a particularly satisfying way.

The Naked Gun Review – Final Verdict

The Naked Gun (2025) is a solid reboot that knows its audience and delivers on most of its promises. It’s reverent, well-cast, and above all, funny.

That said, it doesn’t quite reach the comedic heights of its predecessor. It doesn’t expand the formula. It doesn’t rewrite the spoof playbook. But it doesn’t need to, either.

It’s unlikely to become a timeless classic like the original, but in the here and now, it earns its laughs. And sometimes, that’s enough.

So, if you’re in the mood for some old-school slapstick, rapid-fire puns, and Liam Neeson playing wonderfully against type—give The Naked Gun (2025) a watch.

📺 Here are some related videos you might enjoy:

The Naked Gun Review – Video Chapters

00:00 Introduction
03:20 Summary
04:37 Opinions
08:12 Conclusion