The Naked Gun (2025) review: Liam Neeson’s more than a fair cop

Be honest, some of you out there were expecting to be disappointed, weren’t you? If that includes you then don’t fret, because surely it’s never been nicer to be wrong. The Naked Gun, although far from flawless, should even go down well with the biggest detractors of deadpan humour.

And what would the franchise be without that? It’s a brand of comedy that never goes out of fashion, which means audiences of all generations can sit back and enjoy this reloaded 2025 version.

Maybe that’s bold talk. It’s easy to forget what a sacred cow The Naked Gun is, having been unleashed upon an unsuspecting public in the late 80s to universal acclaim. It’s also easy to forget that cop movies were huge back then, and a film of that ilk had to be pretty bad  to receive a lukewarm reception – how else do you explain seven Police Academy movies? The genre isn’t anywhere near as sure-fire these days.

The two 90s sequels are much-loved, too, so over to you Liam Neeson. It’s worth bearing in mind that Leslie Nielsen was an accomplished comic veteran when he took the part of Lieutenant Frank Drebin. Neeson, as Frank Drebin Jr, is in his first ever comedy lead here, which cuts him a bit of slack to start with. Much like the movie itself, there’s bags of potential for the character in a sequel.

If that comes to fruition, this may prove a further career-defining role for Neeson. With his Taken days firmly behind him, Frank Drebin Jr could surpass Bryan Mills as his most famous creation, and already – like Nielsen before him – you almost can’t imagine anyone else playing the part. We’ll mention the word ‘deadpan’ for the final time here, because although comedy isn’t something Neeson’s been famous for during his illustrious career, you could argue that many of his previous roles have prepared him for the d-word. Thankfully, this is without the actor becoming a pastiche of any of them.

It’s been no secret in the media lately that the chemistry between Neeson and his love interest, Pamela Anderson as Beth Davenport, has translated from the screen to real-life. There’s no denying it burns brightly right on front of your very eyes, and it goes a long way to making The Naked Gun what it is. By the way, this certainly won’t have done the former Baywatch star’s acting credentials any harm. One thing that lets this film down a little is that, while it’s not afraid to overstep the mark, it does seem to be a little too obsessed with trying to appeal to a teen-to-twenty-something audience.

The gags? The script isn’t really close to being as pin-sharp as its predecessors, and sometimes the jokes do miss the mark. But let’s praise it for its genuine feel-good factor and hope that it might inspire Hollywood to produce more decent comedy. It’s extremely funny in places, which adds to the overall feeling that this first attempt is feeling its way around the franchise, and there’s much potential to be better should a second film get made.

Which is almost a shame, when you consider this is co-produced by Seth McFarlane. On the plus side, however, this all-new The Naked Gun is no final insult, oh no. It’s a fine addition and should definitely be the catalyst for some more; a mini-franchise, if you like. And without giving too much away, stick around for the end credits.