By Drew Dietsch
| Revealed 20 seconds in the past

I used to be skeptical about The Naked Gun. One other rights-driven reboot that would fall into the all-too-familiar lure of nostalgia bait and reheated leftovers. Liam Neeson stepping in for the impossible-to-replace Leslie Nielsen? Seth McFarlane hiding within the wings as a producer? A visible fashion like each piece of low-effort digital studio sludge as we speak? I can’t say I used to be within the film’s nook earlier than it was launched.

Nevertheless, the response to The Naked Gun from critics and audiences piqued my curiosity. Oh, and it’s Akiva Schaffer within the director’s chair? Okay, I assume I used to be going to must strap on my Pull-Ups and do my responsibility as somebody who loves spoof comedies earlier than they grew to become poisoned by These Two ‘Film’ Guys that pumped out dreck as shortly as doable.

And whaddaya know? The Naked Gun didn’t merely meet my expectations, it blew threw them with a drive like my butt by a pair of underwear after Chili Con Carnage 2009.

Similar Spirit, New Strikes

What stunned me probably the most about The Naked Gun was its potential to seize the fast hearth spirit and relentless gaggery of the unique movie whereas by no means feeling like a ventriloquist act. The reboot isn’t puppeteering the nostalgia of the previous to make you clap like educated seals at Issues You Know. It takes the acquainted rhythms and tones from the Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker college of comedy and infuses them with its personal humorousness and elegance. Actually, that is one thing of a minor miracle from a writing standpoint so kudos to Schaffer and co-writers Doug Mand and Dan Gregor.

Speaking in regards to the rhythm of The Naked Gun, that is the form of film that is aware of precisely the expertise it’s providing and isn’t making an attempt to promote you on something larger. At 85 minutes with credit (which you need to sit by), this film retains on transferring, spending simply the period of time it wants with any given plot beat or joke. You need to discuss not overstaying its welcome, buddy, this film is aware of the precise second to depart the get together whereas they’re nonetheless laughing.

Good Stupidity

It’s additionally value noting that The Naked Gun manages to be one of the best narrative in your complete franchise outdoors of particular person episodes of Police Squad!. We’ve acquired one other right villain for 2025 in Danny Huston’s thinly-veiled Elon Musk monster who helps floor a lot of the film’s sensible satire. For as riotously foolish as this film will get, it has some clear and worthwhile real-world targets it goals its bare gun at. For those who don’t get the joke, you’re both dim or don’t understand it’s aimed toward you, numbskull.

Throughout, The Naked Gun proves this type of comedy continues to be value placing actual cash into so long as the voices behind it really perceive the sub-genre of spoof. Even writing about The Naked Gun makes me need to watch it once more. The arsenal of absurdity is loaded for bear in a film that would’ve simply gone so very, very incorrect. Fairly the alternative! The Naked Gun is must-see mirth and considered one of 2025’s knockout good instances.