The Naked Gun 2025: Does Liam Neeson's Slapstick Stint Hit or Miss the Mark?

The ghost of Frank Drebin looms large over any attempt to revive The Naked Gun franchise. Leslie Nielsen’s deadpan brilliance and the Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker (ZAZ) team’s relentlessly silly, gag-a-second style are enshrined in comedy legend. So, when news broke of The Naked Gun 2025, starring Liam Neeson in a leading role that felt both a tribute and a departure, fans held their breath.

Could this modern incarnation capture the same anarchic spirit, or would it be yet another casualty in the reboot graveyard?

Directed by Akiva Schaffer (of The Lonely Island fame) and penned by a team including Schaffer, Dan Gregor, and Doug Mand, the new film introduces Detective Frank Drebin Jr.

(Neeson), a bumbling, well-meaning, and spectacularly inept police lieutenant who somehow always stumbles into solving the most convoluted crimes. While Neeson admirably commits to the physical comedy and delivers his lines with a stoic sincerity that occasionally mirrors Nielsen’s, the magic often feels… manufactured.

It's like watching a meticulously choreographed pratfall rather than a genuinely spontaneous one.

The film's plot, involving a scheme to sabotage a major international peace summit through a series of absurd technological contrivances, feels appropriately convoluted. There are plenty of visual gags, wordplay, and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it background jokes that hark back to the originals.

Some land with genuine belly laughs, proving that the ZAZ formula, when executed well, is timeless. A sequence involving Drebin Jr. attempting to go undercover at an opera house, resulting in a chaotic destruction of sets and a bewildered soprano, is a definite highlight.

However, many gags feel recycled or, worse, over-explained.

The original Naked Gun films thrived on their lightning-fast pace and the audience's ability to keep up; here, some jokes linger a moment too long, robbing them of their punch. The supporting cast, while talented, often feels like they’re playing caricatures of the original characters rather than developing new comedic voices.

Ana de la Reguera as Drebin Jr.'s long-suffering partner, for example, struggles to carve out her own identity amidst the constant comparisons to Priscilla Presley’s Jane Spencer.

Ultimately, The Naked Gun 2025 is a valiant effort. Liam Neeson throws himself into the role with admirable dedication, and there are flashes of the glorious absurdity that made the original films so beloved.

But the soul of The Naked Gun wasn't just in the gags; it was in the sheer, unadulterated, unpretentious joy of absurdity. This reboot, while entertaining in parts, never quite reaches that sublime level of comedic genius. It’s a respectable homage, but one that perhaps proves some legends are best left undisturbed.

Stream It or Skip It: While it has its moments, ultimately, The Naked Gun 2025 is a Skip It for true fans seeking the original's magic.

For a casual viewer in the mood for some light, slightly dated slapstick, you might find a few chuckles. But don't expect a comedic masterpiece.