Film Review: The Naked Gun

The spoof genre peaked in the 1990s but it was back in the 1980s when the genre first kicked off, with one actor leading the majority of them - Leslie Nielson. One of the more iconic roles for Nielson was the role of Frank Drebin in the Police Squad series and the Naked Gun films. It is incredibly hard to imagine one of those films without him and yet in this day and age it was all but inevitable that the studio would want to bring the franchise back.

Continuing on the legacy of the originals we have Liam Neeson in the role of Frank Drebin Jr., the son of the famed Frank Drebin. It is a smart move making it connect to the original films but that in turn means they have the weight of the original on their shoulders. The comedy aspect was the highlight with a joke every few seconds, whether it was a sight gag or a quippy line, and that energy is matched in this film. The problem with is that it does mimic a lot of the same jokes that the other films have already done, and there are elements of the Austin Powers films in this film as well - in terms of borrowing certain jokes and comedy elements anyway.

The start of the film begins with a robbery of a plot device, and I mean that very literally. The story is very secondary after that as the emphasis is on the jokes. Pamela Anderson plays Beth Davenport who Drebin soon falls for. The chemistry between Anderson and Neeson is a big highlight and there is a very random segment of the film that includes them with a Snowman which did get a few laughs from the audience. The villain is played by Danny Huston who brings a serious role to life in this light-hearted world where Drebin easily uses humour against him. The supporting cast bring a lot of surprises and more deadpan humour which just adds to the entertaining value of the film.

The Naked Gun feels like a return to form for a genre that hasn’t seen much activity for the past decade or two. With spoof movies making a comeback it is great to see The Naked Gun lead the charge, reminding audiences just how fun these films are. Audiences familiar with the originals will gain a lot from it, while new audiences will be in for a treat. There is a lot of modern jokes and in-jokes from other films, but the big thing about this film is nostalgia and it is a true love letter to the originals. As a fan of the Leslie Neilson films I really enjoyed this film, Liam Neeson does an admirable job living up to the legacy.

★★★☆☆

3/5

Final Verdict:

The Naked Gun is a franchise that no-one saw coming. Witty, deadpan and extremely smart, the comedy from the originals were unmatched. Attempting to bring this type of humour to a modern audience was not going to be easy considering the state of the world these days but they do a decent job. There is a lot of jokes and comedy is at the heart of the film with a lot of standout scenes, but there are equally some scenes and moments where the jokes do fall flat. It is a careful balance working comedy with story and the result is a fun film that may not match its predecessors but does a great job bringing in new audiences.

Thanks for reading today’s blog!

Alex Murray, the Head of Eyesight Productions