The Naked Gun

Original title:	The Naked Gun
Director:	Akiva Schaffer
Release:	Cinema
Running time:	85 minutes
Release date:	01 august 2025
Rating:

Only one man has the skills... let's say unique skills... to lead the prestigious Special Squad and... save the world, quite simply! That man is Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr. — yes, you read that right — he's following in the footsteps of his illustrious father in The Naked Gun: The First Case of a New Kind.

Sabine's Review

The Naked Gun 2025 marks the return of the famous parody franchise, inspired by the television series Police Squad, created by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker, nicknamed the ZAZ. The trio had first made a parody of a disaster movie in 1980, the now cult classic Airplane. Then they created the tv series Police Squad in 1982, and adapted it for the cinema with a series of three films: The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! in 1988, The Naked gun 2 1/2 : The Smell of Fear in 1991,The Naked Gun 33 1/2 : The Final Insult in 1994. These comedies are based on film parodies, crazy gags that follow one another at high speed and often occur in the background of the image. Their success also depends on the masterful performance of Leslie Nielsen, in the role of Detective Frank Drebin of the Los Angeles Special Police.

For this reboot of the franchise, Paramount has enlisted Ted producer Seth MacFarlane and director Akiva Schafer (Saturday Night Live) to recapture the original ZAZ madness. The absurd, slapstick humor and visual gags are still at the heart of this comedy, a parody of an action movie. For those who appreciate slapstick comedies, the film is a success. Without spoiling the gags, you won't look at coffee cups the same way after this movie.

Liam Neeson, known for his action films, plays the son of Detective Inspector Frank Drebin, a role against type. He brilliantly rises to the challenge of succeeding Leslie Nielsen. Pamela Anderson, from the famous series Baywatch, will delight fans of the 90s. She brings a fresh edge and a comedic flair. She and Liam Neeson form a partnership that works, just like the one formed with Paul Walter Hauser (The Case of Richard Jewell), his partner. With The Naked Gun, Akiva Schaffer brings the franchise back to life. The film is packed with parodies, improbable stunts, absurd dialogue, and nods to pop culture. Don't miss the hilarious end credits, which feature Liam Neeson singing.

The Naked Gun
Directed by Akiva Schaffer
Written by Dan Gregor, Doug Mand, Akiva Schaffer
Based on Police Squad! by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker
Produced by Seth MacFarlane, Erica Huggins
Starring Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, Danny Huston
Cinematography: Brandon Trost
Edited by Brian Scott Olds
Music by Lorne Balfe
Production companies: Paramount Pictures, Fuzzy Door Productions
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release dates: July 28, 2025 (SVA Theater, NYC), August 1, 2025 (United States), August 13, 2025 (France)
Running time: 85 minutes

Seen the 17, July 2025 at the Marbeuf Club, Paris

Sabine's Mark:

Cookie's Review

No sooner have we settled into our seats than we find ourselves in the thick of the action, in the middle of a bank robbery with all the anxiety and suspense that entails. What should have been a somewhat frightening scene turns into mockery, accompanied by a good dose of humor. The tone of the film is set when Lieutenant Franck Drebin Jr. of the prestigious Special Branch makes his appearance. His mission is to save the world by taking down the unscrupulous businessman Richard Cane. It's no easy task, but as a worthy successor to his father, he throws himself bravely into the fight in his own unique way.

While pursuing his investigation, Franck Drebin Jr. meets a mysterious and elegant woman, Beth Davenport, played by Pamela Anderson. This unlikely duo works wonderfully well together, and it is all down to the skill of director Akiva Schaffer in bringing together these two strong-willed but diametrically opposed characters, who, over time, learn to work together.

Liam Neeson, in an unusual role, has successfully stepped into the shoes of his fictional character, a rather zany cop with a deadpan expression and a weathered face, but perfectly credible with his clumsy manner, often rebuffed by his boss Davis. As for Pamela Anderson, with her impeccable beauty, her performance is subtle, accurate, natural and without exaggeration, a far cry from her provocative image. She offers us an endearing, dynamic character who can't help but assist Franck Drebin Jr. in his mission. Danny Huston, in the role of Richard Cane, is perfect as the villain, a cynical man willing to do anything to overturn the current world order and create a new one in his own image.

There are no flashbacks here; the staging is fluid, sprinkled with little twists, suspense, emotion, and romance. We let ourselves be carried away by this simple but well-crafted script, which makes us enjoy following this cop who is unlike any other. The gags, puns, and unexpected and grotesque situations follow one after another. We go from laughter to anxiety in an instant. The intensity is present throughout the film, with no downtime. The special effects are used to great effect, notably the very unexpected and remarkable one at the beginning of the film during the bank attack, which is a marvel.

The length of this production seems just right to appreciate the script. The film is skillfully constructed and easy for the viewer to follow. It makes you want to dive back into the older films in this saga. The music also plays an important role, carefully chosen to suit each scene, so we move easily from the jazz atmosphere of the cabaret settings to darker, more mysterious music in moments of suspense and combat, and softer, sweeter music in the romantic passages.

A film for all audiences that can be enjoyed without moderation, it benefits from a wide range of excellent actors and actresses. The gamble seems to have paid off, particularly for Liam Neeson, who takes on a role long played by Leslie Nielsen and manages to make him a different but equally combative, endearing, and likeable cop. A real moment of relaxation and laughter guaranteed.

Seen on July 23, 2025 at UGC Bercy

Cookie's Mark:

Mulder's Review

In a cinematic landscape where laughter is too often relegated to the background behind grandiose special effects and gloomy seriousness, The Naked Gun arrives not only as a breath of fresh air, but also as a cheeky and unapologetic tribute to absurd comedy. Directed by Akiva Schaffer, co-written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, and backed by the vision of producer Seth MacFarlane, this spiritual successor to the iconic ZAZ franchise doesn't just ride the wave of nostalgia: it revs up the police car engine and skids with joyful confidence and just enough stupidity to make genius seem easy, into new but familiar territory.

The specter of Leslie Nielsen looms large over this reboot, and rightly so. His portrayal of Frank Drebin Sr. defined the parody genre, with his deadpan humor and disconcerting sincerity in the face of escalating nonsense. In reprising his role (and, as we know, his schoolgirl outfit), Liam Neeson makes perhaps the most daring career shift since Schindler's List. As Frank Drebin Jr., Liam Neeson doesn't imitate Leslie Nielsen, he reinvents the archetype. His stoicism and deep voice, honed over decades of frowning in action thrillers, are recontextualized here to become comic gold. His ability to fully embrace the idiocy around him is the film's not-so-secret weapon. He's a knight of the absurd with an iron will, never betraying the fact that he's in on the joke, even when he's devouring chili dogs in front of an on-board camera or interrogating criminals with nonsense about Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

This isn't just a nostalgic echo; Is There a Cop to Save the World? understands its roots and replants them in fertile new comic soil. Akiva Schaffer and his team have wisely retained the anarchic spirit of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker while reorganizing the framework to reflect a world where police propaganda is no longer a joke but a critique of the real world. The satirical thread, the idea of a hopelessly incompetent police force, remains intact, but it is now sharpened by cultural awareness. When the exasperated Chief Davis, played by CCH Pounder, reprimands Drebin Jr., who responds, perplexed, “Since when do cops have to obey the law?”, this line not only references his father's ignorance but also serves as a scathing commentary on the institution he represents. Since when do cops have to follow the law? This line both references his father's ignorance and serves as a scathing commentary on the institution he represents. It's the kind of three-level punchline that The Naked Gun excels at: homage, absurdity, and criticism, all rolled into one.

Pamela Anderson is the film's biggest surprise and its most delightful secret weapon. In the role of Beth Davenport, the author of film noir-inspired crime novels who finds herself caught up in the film's absurd plot, Pamela Anderson is a revelation. With her sensual voice and sharp comic timing, she avoids the pitfalls of sex bombs in previous parodies and commands the screen with confidence, wit, and genuine charm. A seduction sequence with a snowman, a scat interlude in a jazz club, and even her joke-filled exchanges with Neeson evoke both classic comic duos and a refreshing comic energy that has been missing from Hollywood comedies for a long time. After being the butt of jokes for decades, Pamela Anderson can finally tell them, and she nails them all.

The plot, as one might expect, is beautifully incidental. It's about an evil tech mogul, Richard Cane, played brilliantly by Danny Huston, and a “P.L.O.T. Device” that might just be the most honest MacGuffin in modern cinema. Huston goes all out, delivering a performance that could just as easily be subtitled “Elon Musk: The Opera.” His sincere belief in social regression and technological chaos makes him the perfect modern villain, especially when juxtaposed with a protagonist so disturbed by his own backward view of the world that he religiously uses TiVo and considers the Black Eyed Peas a cultural pillar.

Visually, Akiva Schaffer's direction relies on parodic aesthetics without overdoing it. There are no contemptuous winks or ironic detachment; every gag is played with unwavering seriousness, from the freezer literally containing corpses to a slapstick fight involving toilets and a gun pulled out over a police matter. Brandon Trost's cinematography revels in the dark shadows and melodrama of crime series, which only reinforces the comic effect of the punchlines. Even Lorne Balfe's music mimics Zimmer's grandiose style, with a disproportionate and hilarious effect.

The supporting cast, notably Paul Walter Hauser as Ed Hocken Jr., Kevin Durand as a brutal henchman, and even Busta Rhymes in a memorable cameo, throw themselves into their characters with heart and soul. Casting serious actors in ridiculous roles has always been one of the major strengths of this franchise, and Is There a Cop to Save the World? (The Naked Gun) is no exception to the rule. It's a film where no one tries to steal the show, but where everyone is in perfect harmony with the tone. Even Priscilla Presley makes a surprise appearance, passing the torch with a single incredulous glance that says it all.

And that's what makes this film so successful: not the jokes themselves (which, as in all parody films, vary greatly in their success rate), but the way they are delivered. Every moment is fueled by the film's frenetic pace and the unshakeable conviction that stupidity is not only allowed, but liberating. There is poetry in stupidity and precision in chaos. It's a perilous exercise, but Akiva Schaffer, with the blessing of Seth MacFarlane and the ghost of ZAZ, manages to pull it off without falling into parody of parody.

Laughing at The Naked Gun is laughing with the film, laughing through it — at our institutions, our nostalgia, our pop culture, our politics, our movies, and ourselves. This isn't just a successful reboot. It's a small miracle: a film that remembers what makes comedy sacred, even when it dresses a 70-year-old action star in a schoolgirl uniform and has him solve crimes with a mannequin. May Liam Neeson wear that badge (and maybe a tutu) with pride. And may this franchise, like the joke about the beaver that never dies, keep coming back—uninvited, crazy, and incredibly funny. This film is the must-see movie of the summer, to be seen and seen again with undiminished pleasure.

Seen on August 22, 2025, at Gaumont Disney Village, Theater 12, seat A18

Mulder's Mark: