The Naked Gun is notorious for its brand of ridiculous slapstick and politically incorrect comedy.
The late Leslie Nielsen starred as Detective Frank Drebin. Drebin is a well-intentioned detective who is a magnet for mishaps. One cannot logically fathom how he makes it to work in the morning, never mind foil the villains’ nefarious plans.
While Drebin is the source of most of the laughs, there are various side sight gags that make audiences sit up and pore over every scene detail. And if that doesn’t get you, the wordplay and intentionally cringy innuendoes will.
So the new installment, directed by Akiva Schaffer had giant clown shoes to fill.
This year’s The Naked Gun is a reverential ode to the original series. It has recreated so many things we love about the original series while modernising it to fit modern palates.
Liam Neeson has taken over the reigns as Detective Frank Drebin Junior. It was a smart choice to have Neeson’s character be the son of Frank Drebin as opposed to a “replacement” as it takes away the burden of living up to the original.
Additionally, this allowed the film to pay tribute to the original Drebin in a touching yet absurd manner. Which really, is fitting for the series.
Like Nielsen, Neeson is overwhelmingly known for his dramatic work so I was keen to see if he would make it work.
And of course he did, because Liam Neeson has range. In fact, his serious demeanour enhances the deadpan delivery that is required for the role of Drebin Junior. The hilarity of Drebin Junior’s haplessness is amplified by his earnestness.
Another highlight of the movie for me was Pamela Anderson.
She truly is going through a renaissance of sorts. From her stellar performance in The Last Showgirl to gamely immersing herself in the silliness of this franchise, she’s on a new trajectory worth watching.
Ask me twenty years ago if I could see her in a Naked Gun film and I would have dismissed her as a vapid, blonde bimbo.
I’m sorry Pam, theoretical past me was wrong.
I also love that Anderson’s Beth Davenport is a realistically older woman for modern times. There’s so much to love about the representation of this older character. Like Anderson, Davenport does not wear heavy makeup and you can actually see her wrinkles.
However, they have not fallen into the ageist trap of putting a bare-skinned Davenport in frumpy, old-lady clothes. Anderson’s Davenport is confident enough to flaunt her fashion sense, body and sexuality for all to see. It is liberating to see an older woman be silly, sexy and sassy and wear her age proudly on screen.
The creative team could have lazily banked on nostalgia pulling in the crowds. However, they have meticulously refreshed this new addition for a new generation. And they’ve done so without compromising the spirit of The Naked Gun series.
Neeson has said in interviews that he thinks this movie will be a one-off but I remain hopeful for a sequel.
The Naked Gun opens in cinemas on 21st August.