‘The Naked Gun’ brings the laughs: Critics hail it ‘a loopy delight’ and ‘fall-out-of-your-seat hilarious’
Denton Davidson
Only one man has the particular set of skills to carry on the legacy of Police Squad — and save the world.
Liam Neeson steps into the role of Frank Drebin Jr. in director Akiva Schaffer’s fresh spin on The Naked Gun, Paramount's revival of the iconic slapstick comedy franchise (based on the short-lived, Emmy-nominated TV series Police Squad) originally led by Leslie Nielsen. This fourth installment in the series features a star-studded cast, including Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, and Danny Huston. The story centers on Drebin, who must fill his legendary father’s shoes to prevent the closure of Police Squad.
Early buzz from critics suggests the franchise might just reclaim its signature mix of laugh-out-loud absurdity and crime-fighting hijinks. The comedy is already earning rave reviews, currently boasting a "certified fresh" status on Rotten Tomatoes with an impressive 90 percent aggregate critics score. Could this be the revival fans have been waiting for? The signs are looking promising.
Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair writes, "At its best, this new Naked Gun is a dumb, loopy delight, a return to the kind of comedy that was woefully taken for granted in its heyday and now barely exists at all." Meanwhile, Rafer Guzman of Newsday praises Akiva Schaffer’s direction, noting, “Schaffer keeps the jokes coming so fast you won’t even have time to complain.”
Praise is also rolling in for the cast’s comedic chops. Mick LaSalle of The San Francisco Chronicle calls Neeson “a delight” who “seems to be having just as much fun as the audience.” However, the biggest surprise may be Anderson, with LaSalle noting, “She was sad and plaintive in The Last Showgirl and now reveals herself a skilled and self-aware comedienne."
And if you want some advice from critics — see it the theater. Bilge Ebiri (New York Magazine/Vulture) calls the movie "fall-out-of-your-seat-and-roll-on-the-floor hilarious" and suggests, "See it with the biggest audience you can find. It might just heal you. It might just heal the world." Robbie Collin of The Telegraph agrees, cheekily encouraging moviegoers to "experience the rare and wonderful pleasure of a crowd scrambling to keep up with one of the stupidest films it’s ever seen."
Of course, not everyone is throwing confetti. Jake Coyle of the Associated Press offers a more tempered take, stating, “It would be easy to hail The Naked Gun as something better than it is, since it simply existing is cause for celebration. But like most reboots... the best thing about the new Naked Gun is that it might send you back to the original." Similarly, David Fear of Rolling Stone notes, “Brilliant gags pop up here and there, yet the last two-thirds of this new Naked Gun feels like its exponentially limping to the finish line.”
The Naked Gun opens in theaters on Friday.
