You know that feeling when the theater air conditioning hits you just right, the popcorn is way too salty, and you're sitting in a packed room full of strangers all collectively losing it to something actually funny? That’s the kind of joy I’ve missed — and The Naked Gun brought it all rushing back.
We’re not getting enough comedies like this anymore. So many studios are too scared to be silly, or they bury fun films straight to streaming, where they disappear into the algorithm void. But this? This is a big-screen comedy in all its goofy glory — and it had me laughing from the first gag to the closing credits. It felt like being handed a long-overdue glass of cold lemonade on a sweaty August day.
Let’s just say it: The Naked Gun is delightfully dumb. Not in a lazy way, but in a “yes-and” kind of way — like every joke is daring the next one to get weirder, and the cast is all in on the joke. It’s the type of movie where you want to roll your eyes, then end up laughing in spite of yourself.
At the center of this perfectly chaotic storm is Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr., son of the infamously incompetent cop from the original Naked Gun films. And yes, that Liam Neeson. The man best known for punching wolves and threatening kidnappers is somehow absolutely hysterical here. What makes him so funny is that he plays everything dead serious. It’s like he walked off the set of Taken and into a spoof movie without realizing it — and it totally works.
Frank Jr. is doing his best to live up to his dad’s bizarre legacy while bungling his way through an investigation that involves a suspicious car crash, a shady tech billionaire, and, of course, a femme fatale. Enter Pamela Anderson as Beth Davenport.
And let me be clear: Pamela Anderson is the moment. She is magnetic, hilarious, and surprisingly sharp in a way that totally caught me off guard. She leans into the ridiculousness without ever mocking it. Beth is sultry and weird in all the right ways, and Pamela brings so much warmth and chaotic energy to the role that I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She absolutely stole the movie for me. I would watch a whole spin-off about Beth investigating crimes in kitten heels and cashmere. More of this Pamela, please.
Another standout is Paul Walter Hauser as Frank’s partner Ed — they’re basically two himbos trying to solve crimes with zero coordination and all the wrong instincts. Their friendship gives the film its heart (and plenty of physical comedy), and it’s sweet in that dumb-dudes-who-care way that’s impossible not to root for.
What I appreciated most about The Naked Gun is that it doesn’t try to modernize spoof comedy in some snarky, overly meta way. It fully commits to the bit — every pratfall, pun, and punishingly stupid line. And it works. The jokes range from groan-worthy puns to blink-and-you’ll-miss-it sight gags. It’s the kind of movie that’s fun to watch with people. I heard belly laughs coming from every direction in the theater — the kind of laughter that sneaks up on you and won’t stop. That’s rare. That’s gold.
Akiva Schaffer, who directs and co-wrote the film, keeps things moving fast. At just under 90 minutes, the film never overstays its welcome. It knows what it is — a zany, slapstick, candy-coated slice of comedy — and it delivers that in spades. No filler, no pretension, no sad indie monologues pretending to be punchlines.
I also have to give props for how smartly dumb the movie is. Yes, that’s a thing. The comedy is broad, but it’s crafted with such care that it never feels lazy. Even when the plot makes no sense (and spoiler: it really doesn’t), it doesn’t matter because the film’s real goal is making you laugh. And honestly? That’s enough.
The vibe is pure chaos in the best way — ridiculous without being cruel, playful without feeling dated, and somehow totally fresh even though it’s built on something old. It’s the kind of movie that reminds you why sitting in a theater with a bunch of strangers can still feel like magic. Not the awards-season kind — the laugh-until-you-cry kind.
Honestly? I had such a good time. It’s messy in the best way, full of weird little choices that make it feel alive. Not polished. Not safe. Just fun. And when was the last time a movie let itself be fun without trying to be too cool or too clever about it? I didn’t just smile — I actually laughed. Out loud. In a theater. With strangers. That shouldn’t feel rare, but it does. In a sea of formula, this one felt like a breath of fresh, slightly chaotic air.
Give us more comedies like this. Give us more fun. Give us more Liam Neeson being deeply unhinged and incredibly sincere. And for the love of everything: give us more Pamela Anderson.
Director: Akiva Schaffer
Cast: Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser
Writers: Dan Gregor, Doug Mand, Akiva Schaffer, (Based on Police Squad! by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker)
Producers: Seth MacFarlane, Erica Huggins
Cinematography: Brandon Trost
Music: Lorne Balfe
Editor: Brian Scott Olds