The Naked Gun is By Far the Funniest Film of the Year
Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
By Luis Zonenberg
In a day and age where the political climate is boiling and AI is taking over, audiences yearn for good-old fashioned escapism. With so many movies hammering in agendas left and right, it was refreshing to see a film like The Naked Gun return to the big screen. This reboot comes over thirty years after the release of Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult, marking the true return of old-fashioned parodies while also (ironically) producing one of the best reboots in a long time.
The story focuses on Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) investigating software engineer Simon Davenport’s fatal car crash and deeming it to be a suicide run. Back at the precinct, he is approached by Simon’s sister, Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson), who claims it wasn’t suicide. After finding Simon’s death tied into a past bank robbery, Drebin finds himself at the center of a huge conspiracy, battling Simon’s wealthy employer, Richard Cane (Danny Huston).
The movie lives up to the spirit of its predecessors with a wacky narrative littered with clever, delightfully absurd jokes. This reboot not only embodies what the original films represented but also manages to successfully update it for the modern cinematic landscape. The humor is just as sharp and edgy, without relying too much on nostalgia or pointless cameos to elicit a reaction from the audience.
The cast more than lived up to the original series, with Liam Neeson proving to be a worthy replacement for the legendary Leslie Nielson. His dry delivery and quick wit, informed by his dramatic background, make his lines all the better. Pamela Anderson’s wacky performance perfectly compliments Neeson. Paul Walter Houser, Kevin Durand, and Danny Huston were all fantastic in their supporting roles as well.
The cinematography also made the film all the more enjoyable. Director Akiva Schaffer took a bold gamble by filming the movie like a typical crime drama, and it paid off handsomely with great laughs. This contrast to the ridiculous antics of the characters and story adds the cherry to the top of Schaffer and crew’s comedy sundae. Sure, it didn’t reinvent the wheel, but it did not have to, and the camerawork only serves to simply amp up the humor.
I do want to note that The Naked Gun is the first major parody film released since Scary Movie 5. The genre has been in decline for a while, since many films’ overuse of shock humor and pop culture references all but killed many movie theater attendees. This film seeks to remedy that, relying much more on silly but cleverly written dialogue and slapstick humor. The film not only has a good understanding of the source material, but an understanding of the material it parodies.
This film came at arguably the perfect time. With so many pressing global issues looming, it’s evident that so many people want to forget about their troubles and just watch something fun. I myself am a huge fan of the Naked Gun franchise and thought this remake not only captured the spirit of the original, but also set a new bar for reboots to come. The latest Naked Gun fires on all cylinders and rarely misses, with Akiva Shaffer’s classic cinematography and Liam Neeson’s deadpan delivery making it impossible to hold back all the laughs.
The Naked Gun is now playing in theaters and available to purchase from digital retailers.
Rating: ★★★★★
