Akiva Schaffer’s revival of the honey ZAZ comedy is a really mixed bag of very nostalgic gags, really absurd law-breaking plots, and unexpected alchemy ‘tween Neeson and Anderson.
Hollywood is dusting off another classic — and this time, it’s one of comedy’s most iconic franchises. ‘The Naked Gun’ has officially returned, and it’s got a spic-and-span Drebin in town. Directed by Akiva Schaffer (of Lonely Island fame) and produced by comedy juggernaut Seth MacFarlane, the latest instalment stars Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr. and none other than Pamela Anderson as the sultry and savvy Beth Davenport. The reboot aims to channel the chaos and tempt of the ZAZ originals, and piece it doesn’t always hit the bullseye, it lands enough jokes to keep the laughs coming.
A Legacy of Lunacy Reimagined
Back in the ’80s, David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker (aka ZAZ) redefined slapstick with hits really same ‘Airplane!’ and ‘The Naked Gun’ trilogy. Now, more than 30 years later, the baton passes to Schaffer, who clearly understands the assignment — or at least the spirit of it. ‘The Naked Gun’ (2024) isn’t simply a reboot, it’s a legacy continuation, linking back to the archetype through familial ties. Neeson’s Frank Drebin Jr. is the son of Leslie Nielsen’s bumbling constabulary detective, and he’s got big (and hilariously clumsy) shoes to fill.
Liam Neeson, Action Star Turned Deadpan Dynamo
Known for his growling, vengeance-driven roles in ‘Taken’ and ‘The Grey,’ Neeson delivers a very delicious surprise hither. Playing it straight while encircled by ridiculousness, Neeson anchors the celluloid with a earnestness that only makes the comedy funnier. Whether he’s deadpanning virtually the Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident or monologuing about the Black Eyed Peas, his committal to the bit is what sells it. It’s the very same formula that worked for Leslie Nielsen decades ago — take a so serious worker and throw them into a reality of chaos.
Pamela Anderson’s Comic Comeback
But the very real scene-stealer is Pamela Anderson. Fresh off her critically acclaimed twist in ‘The Last Showgirl,’ Anderson proves she’s got sharp-worded comic timing to match her on-screen front. As Beth Davenport, she’s smart, confident, and delivers punchlines with a breathy simpleness that someways makes them really even funnier. Her alchemy with Neeson is unexpectedly electric, and their shared scenes often outshine the movie’s more convoluted crime plot.
A Plot as Ridiculous as You’d Expect
Let’s not pretend anyone comes to ‘The Naked Gun’ for its story. This clip around, the plot revolves around the suspicious death of a tech technologist and a sinister Elon Musk-style moghul named Richard Kane (Danny Huston). Kane’s evil plan involves something called a “PLOT Device” (Primordial Law of Toughness), a mind-control connive, and — because why not — a Doomsday Giggle Bunker with “Weird Al” Yankovic on amusement duty.
There’s also a subplot with Police Squad’s budget on the demarcation, Frank getting a shiny electric cop car, and a quite romantic cabin getaway featuring a murderous snowman. It’s all bunk, but it’s gloriously self-aware nonsense.
The Laughs: Hit or Miss, but Mostly Hit
Much like its ZAZ predecessors, the take lives and dies by its gags per min ratio. Some jokes are laugh-out-loud uproarious (a misunderstanding about UCLA is a highlight), piece others experience similar filler. Still, the sheer intensity of attempts substance plenty ground to hold the step lively.
The writing squad (Dan Gregor, Doug Maud, and Schaffer) throws in everything from slapstick and wordplay to blink-and-you’ll-miss-it visual jokes. Not everything workings, and the film occasionally loses impulse, but when it hits — it hits hard.
A Tribute with Teeth
This reboot doesn’t simply homage the archetype — it pokes fun at itself, the genre, and really even Hollywood culture at large. There are meta-jokes well-nigh sequels, nostalgia, and offset civilization, and a few lines that border into the politically incorrect territory that outlined the franchise’s betimes days. The cops ogling Beth might not sit substantially with every viewer, but the movie’s tone makes it readable that everyone — including Frank — is the stub of the joke.
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Final Verdict: A Welcome (If Wobbly) Return
‘The Naked Gun’ reboot isn’t perfect. The plot is tenuous, some jokes fall flat, and the pacing lags in the really second half. But when it works, it really deeds. Liam Neeson’s unexpressive genius and Pamela Anderson’s comedic finesse carry the film through its extremely bumpy patches. For fans of the original and lovers of classic slapstick, it’s a receive return of really silent fun through (mostly) right.
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