Naked Gun – Movie Review
Naked Gun – Movie Review
This might just be one of Trending Pop Culture’s shortest reviews in a while—but not because the film is lacking in any way. Quite the opposite. With Naked Gun, what you see is exactly what you get, and thankfully, nobody’s pretending this is high cinema. No Oscar-worthy monologues here, no dramatic arcs that redefine modern filmmaking. Instead, what is delivered is exactly what fans of the original franchise want: a buffet of silly, over-the-top, absurd humor that feels like it was yanked straight out of the 1988 playbook and handed to us with a wink. This is the kind of movie that doesn’t try to impress—it just wants to make you laugh until you snort.
Liam Neeson steps into the deadpan disaster that is Frank Drebin Jr.—yes, that Frank Drebin’s son—and he brings every ounce of commitment to this role as if it were a Shakespearean tragedy. Except, of course, it’s anything but. Neeson somehow manages to fully embody the spirit of Leslie Nielsen’s legacy, with the same hapless expression, the same clueless delivery, and the same complete detachment from any real-world logic. It’s a beautiful tribute to the man who made bumbling detective work an art form. Neeson doesn’t just lean into the chaos—he cannonballs into it.
At a breezy hour and 25 minutes, the runtime is as fast as it sounds. Blink, and it’s over. And honestly, that’s part of the beauty. This film doesn’t give you a moment to stop and think—not that it ever wanted you to. The plot, if you can even call it that, is a thin excuse for nonstop gags, visual puns, pratfalls, and throwaway lines that land harder than most modern comedies manage in two hours. It’s all gloriously pointless, in the best way possible.
Let’s talk about Beth—Frank Jr.’s love interest—played by none other than Pamela Anderson. Yes, that Pamela Anderson. And yes, it works. No, she’s not gunning for a comeback Oscar here either, but that’s not what she’s asked to do. What she does bring is exactly what the role demands: a wildly exaggerated persona, channeling the same energy that made her a pop culture icon to begin with. She oozes the same sultry, exaggerated confidence that made teenage boys in the ’90s forget how to blink. Sultry eyes? Check. Perfect teeth? Yep. And that intangible Pamela factor? Still very much present. She and Neeson have just the right comedic chemistry—completely detached from reality, but somehow still perfect for each other in this cartoonish world.
The film is a never-ending parade of lunacy—one ridiculous set piece after another, packed with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it gags. In fact, some of the biggest laughs don’t come from the slapstick, but from the quiet, subtle one-liners buried in background chatter or casually tossed into conversations. Those are the moments that truly channel the magic of the original Naked Gun films. And speaking of nostalgia—keep your eyes peeled. There are a few unexpected cameos that’ll have audiences pointing at the screen with a grin, and more than a few nods that reward eagle-eyed fans paying attention to the background chaos.
The theater was jam-packed during the screener, and the energy in the room was electric. This wasn’t just a movie—it felt like a reawakening. Could this be the beginning of a new chapter for the Naked Gun franchise? With Neeson firmly (and hilariously) at the wheel, it just might be. He’s swapped out his action-star gravitas for banana peels and misunderstandings—and somehow, it suits him. Hopefully, this isn’t the last time we’ll see Frank Drebin Jr. bumble his way through another “investigation.”
Bottom line? If you’re craving a ridiculous night at the movies, if you just want to laugh without thinking too hard, if you need a break from reality’s current dumpster fire of a news cycle—Naked Gun is your perfect escape. It’s absurd. It’s ridiculous. It’s fun. And most of all, it’s a loving and completely unhinged tribute to the late, great Leslie Nielsen. The legacy lives on, one banana peel at a time.
….And yes, this review ran a bit longer than expected. Jr. made me say it was going to be a short one.
-Jay Katz
Naked Gun – Movie Review