The Naked Gun Review
In a time where the wave of nostalgia overtakes the film and television industries, it feels refreshing to have a movie that feels exciting. Sure, this summer gave us blockbusters, from Superman, Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Jurassic World Rebirth. However, while many may say that these films are refreshing takes, the “trinity” of summer 2025 were straightforward as any movie could be. Fortunately, Paramount Pictures took one of their franchises out of the woodworks and made something very fun out of it: the Naked Gun series. Not only does 2025’s The Naked Gun honor Leslie Nielsen’s original movies, but also confidently modernizes its satire for today’s generation.
Much like its predecessors, The Naked Gun’s slapstick and spoof comedy is what makes it memorable. It follows the son of Nielsen’s Frank Drebin, Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson), who’s being scrutinized for disobeying orders. It’s your typical cop-action movie that’s got a jazzy ‘90s feel to it as Drebin Jr. discovers the mischievous plans of evil tech CEO Richard Cane (Danny Huston).
Helping him is Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson), the sister to a victim Drebin Jr. is assigned to, who falls in love with him. Of course, all of the plot beats are pulled from nearly every crime action film you’ve seen. However, it’s the witty recognition of the franchise from director Akiva Schaffer that makes The Naked Gun entertaining.
Looking at the writing, Schaffer and writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand definitely knew what they were doing with the comedy. From the beginning, which features that huge bank robbery from the trailers, the film continuously throws jokes at you to keep you hooked. Fortunately, they never get too out of hand and most fit perfectly for their given circumstances. The entire robbery scene is an example of this as the stunt choreography blends together with abrupt moments of humor to maintain this natural flow with each goon Drebin Jr. takes down.
The Naked Gun also has these elaborate setups that make for some more funny moments. Whether it be Cane’s head of security (Kevin Durand) misinterpreting Drebin Jr. and Beth “making turkey” to his bodycam footage revealing his crazy chili dog diet, each big joke set piece is wonderfully wacky enough to fit into this movie. Particularly, there’s one somewhat long comedic piece where Drebin Jr. and Beth go on vacation that turns into a completely different film a la 1997’s Jack Frost.
All of these moments go hand-in-hand with the small, but repetitive jokes that are spread throughout this movie. There are so many to recount, from Drebin Jr. accidentally hitting a biker to an off-camera assistant handing him coffee, that further enhance the experience. Sure, they can range from being just a bit subtle, like a line of referential dialogue, to being in your face, such as a sex joke here and there. Yet, the diverse collection of jokes makes sure that not a single joke feels campy.
Of course, this wouldn’t be possible without the amazing “straight man” performances from Neeson and Anderson. Their chemistry on screen cleverly mimics what one expects from an investigative protagonist and their lover, albeit with a bit more pep and pop. Neeson and Anderson really invest themselves as Drebin Jr. and Beth respectively and it’s that performative investment that makes The Naked Gun’s comedy work.
There are also a few standouts in the cast, particularly with Paul Walter Hauser’s Ed Hocken Jr. and Huston’s Richard taking the cake (quite literally!) This is only the tip of the iceberg as there are even more cameos here, with one feeling like it’s concisely making fun of athletes turning into actors.
Given how The Naked Gun satirizes the crime action genre as a whole, you can expect there to be a lot of action movie tropes. Even though Schaffer and company know they’re making fun of the genre, they also lock themselves in this narrative structure that nearly every ‘90s crime action film follows.
As such, one can expect some driveling narration, femme fatale plot points, and generic bad guy grovelling. Although, it also feels like Schaffer wants to break free of these structural elements by calling them out in specific jokes. The best way to experience this film is to simply not dig into the intricacies of the tropes, which will leave you with a great time in the theater.
The Naked Gun does a great job invoking the witty satire and absurd hilarity from the Leslie Nielsen trilogy as Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson successfully bring their A-game to this film. Despite it being a legacy sequel, as compared to related films that have also been released this year, Schaffer’s vision makes this film a strong instalment for this franchise. While it does feel like this story is a one-and-done narrative, it proves that there could be hope for spoof movies to reign once again (looking at you, Scary Movie 6!)
The Naked Gun releases in theaters on August 1.
Rating: ★★★★
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Christopher Gallardo is a freelance entertainment writer and critic. While not running The Reel Roller, Chris can be found writing reviews and breakdowns on all things films and TV. Outside of entertainment writing, he’s currently taking classes for a Bachelor’s of Science with a minor in Digital Media & Journalism. Plus, he loves Percy Jackson, animated films and shows, and Fallout! Follow Christopher on Instagram & X.