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The Naked Gun (2025)


The Naked Gun (2025) is directed by Akiva Schaffer, best known for his work with The Lonely Island and the underrated comedy Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. His comedic style blends absurdity with sincerity, and while this remake doesn’t hit quite as hard as his past projects, his direction still captures the zany tone of the original Naked Gun series well enough to work.

Liam Neeson plays Frank Drebin Jr. and surprisingly fits into the role. Known for intense thrillers like Taken and The Grey, Neeson leans into the slapstick with commitment. His deadpan delivery helps sell the ridiculousness around him, and he ultimately carries the film by balancing parody and sincerity.

Pamela Anderson is cast as the love interest, and while her role is fairly monotoned, she does exactly what’s needed: look glamorous and play it straight while chaos happens around her. She doesn’t try to overdo it and fits the comedic world well.

Danny Huston plays the villain, a role he’s no stranger to given his performances in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Children of Men. He chews up the scenes he’s in and knows exactly how to make a stereotypical bad guy entertaining, without derailing the tone.

Kevin Durand, known for roles in The Strain and Real Steel, as the head of the henchmen. Despite being a supporting role, Durand manages to stand out with his brief time on the screen. He’s both funny and intimidating in just the right ways.

This remake doesn’t quite reach the iconic levels of Leslie Nielsen’s original, but it holds its own. With a solid cast, competent direction, and just enough absurdity, it lands more hits than misses. The most important detail is that it's funny and we haven't had a good comedy since 2019's Jojo Rabbit. Result: B

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