--- title: "The Naked Gun" year: 2025 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-naked-gun" fi1m_id: "the-naked-gun" imdb_id: "tt3402138" tmdb_id: 1035259 wikidata_id: "Q125908027" fi1m_score: 77 critics_score: 83 critics_reviews: 13 published: "2026-09-09" updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:49.704329+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Naked Gun (2025) Directed by Akiva Schaffer · 1h 25m · MPA PG-13 · Comedy, Crime, Action ## Identity The Naked Gun - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-naked-gun - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** the-naked-gun - **IMDb ID:** tt3402138 - **TMDB ID:** 1035259 - **Wikidata ID:** Q125908027 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3402138/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1035259, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q125908027 **Fi1m score: 77** · Critics 83 from 13 reviews *In a sentence:* Liam Neeson has finally found the right use for that face: saying idiotic things as if they were warnings > Akiva Schaffer’s revival keeps the old rule that nobody on screen may know they are in a comedy, and Liam Neeson obeys it to the letter. The gags come fast and thin out late, but enough of them land. ## Synopsis Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) is a detective with Police Squad, the son of a famous father and the inheritor of his habits. He works under Chief Davis (CCH Pounder) with his partner Ed Hocken Jr. (Paul Walter Hauser). When Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson) asks him to look into her brother’s death, the trail leads to Richard Cane (Danny Huston), a billionaire, and to Sig Gustafson (Kevin Durand). Akiva Schaffer directs from a script he wrote with Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, in the spoof style of the original 1988 film: sight gags, wordplay and a lead who plays every line straight. It runs 85 minutes and carries a 15 certificate. ## Review Frank Drebin Jr. is the son of the man Leslie Nielsen played, and he has inherited the raincoat and the inability to cross a room without breaking something in it. Liam Neeson plays him as a detective with Police Squad, under Chief Davis (CCH Pounder) and alongside Ed Hocken Jr. (Paul Walter Hauser). Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson) walks into his office wanting to know how her brother died, and the trail leads towards Richard Cane (Danny Huston), a billionaire. That is the plot, and the film cares about it roughly as much as its predecessors cared about theirs. It is funny more often than it is not, it is 85 minutes long, and it knows what it is for. The rule of these films, set down by Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker and kept through the original trilogy, is that nobody on screen may know they are in a comedy. Akiva Schaffer, who directs and writes with Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, holds to it. The jokes come in the three old kinds: a line taken literally, a sign or prop in the background misbehaving, and a large man falling over with conviction. They arrive at a rate that leaves no time to judge the last one. We laughed out loud, in a room full of strangers, at a sign in the squad room reading “Cold Cases”, and at a love montage that carries on long past the point where a sensible editor would have stopped it. Brian Scott Olds is the editor, and the not stopping is his judgment as much as Schaffer’s. Neeson is why it works. He has spent two decades playing men who threaten people down telephones, and he brings all of it, the growl, the stare, the look of a man counting henchmen, to lines that mean nothing at all. He never winks. Nielsen had a softness, the air of a man surprised to find himself in trouble; Neeson’s Drebin looks as though he caused the trouble and would do it again. It is a different note and it suits him. Anderson is the other reason. Beth is the woman in the doorway from every 1940s crime picture, all veil and grief, and Anderson plays her straight and gets funnier the longer she holds the face. There is one scene, involving a song, that we will leave you to find. Hauser lets Neeson keep the punchlines, and Huston plays Cane as a man who explains his philosophy to people who did not ask. Brandon Trost shoots it as you would shoot a real thriller, steel and streetlight and shadow, and that is right; the moment the picture starts looking like a comedy the trick stops working. Bill Brzeski’s Police Squad offices look like every open-plan precinct you have seen, which gives the background jokes plenty of wall to sit on. Betsy Heimann keeps Neeson in a suit and coat that would pass in a serious film and puts Anderson in gowns from another decade entirely. Lorne Balfe and Joel McNeely score it as if lives were at stake, with heavy brass and ticking percussion, and never let on. The problems are the old ones. The story stops mattering about twenty minutes in, which is fine until the film needs a climax and has to pretend it cared. The last third is thinner than the first; the hit rate drops, a couple of gags come back for a second and third bow, and we found ourselves waiting for the next one rather than being ambushed by it. And the 15 certificate is earned: a fair share of the jokes are about bodies and what comes out of them. Set against the originals this is a faithful copy rather than a new idea, and it is honest about that. It has the rhythm of the 1988 film and lacks the one thing nobody can copy, which is the luck of being first. Most critics have gone warmer than we have. They are right about the laughs. We think there are stretches here that coast, and a film this short should not have any. See it with a crowd if you can. Laughter of this kind spreads, and a miss is easier to forgive when someone two rows back has forgiven it first. On a sofa the gaps show, and there are more of them after the hour mark. *Fi1m score 77, published 9 September 2026.* ## What the critics say The reviews are warm and unusually close together. Most critics agree that this reboot works because it does what the originals did: it throws jokes at the screen without pause and trusts the cast to keep a straight face. Liam Neeson’s deadpan Frank Drebin Jr draws the most praise, several reviewers noting he mocks his own thriller persona as much as he honours Leslie Nielsen, and Pamela Anderson is singled out almost as often for stealing scenes. Akiva Schaffer’s direction is credited with keeping the pace brisk and the gag density high. Reservations are mild and scattered: The Hollywood Reporter finds the structure uneven and the plot shaky, Den of Geek thinks it runs out of steam before the end, and The Guardian misses something of the first film’s innocence. The one clear dissenter is NME, which argues the timing wobbles and the padding lowers the hit rate, though even there the leads and the film’s committed silliness are welcomed. ## Straight answers **Is The Naked Gun worth watching?** *The Naked Gun* (2025) is worth watching if you want a fast, silly spoof that plays every line straight, and we scored it 77. Liam Neeson's growl turned on lines that mean nothing carries it, and the gags land more often than not. The last third coasts, so it is best seen with a crowd, where the misses are forgiven faster. **How long is The Naked Gun, and what is it rated?** *The Naked Gun* runs 1h 25m and is rated PG-13 by the MPA in the US. It is a comedy and crime film. **Where can I watch The Naked Gun in the US?** *The Naked Gun* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel and Apple TV in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $5.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is The Naked Gun, and is it suitable for children?** *The Naked Gun* (2025) carries a 15 certificate, and the violence is slapstick rather than frightening: large men falling over with conviction, nothing that will alarm a nervous viewer. The certificate is earned by the jokes, a fair share of which are about bodies and what comes out of them. It suits teenagers; it is not for younger children. **How does The Naked Gun compare to The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!?** *The Naked Gun* (2025) is a faithful copy of the 1988 original rather than a new idea, and the earlier film is the better of the two, because it got there first. Neeson's Drebin is harder and drier than Nielsen's bewildered one, and the new film's crude humour is coarser. Start with the original; the revival rewards those who already know the rhythm. **What should I watch after The Naked Gun?** After *The Naked Gun*, try [*The Naked Gun*](https://film.one/film/the-naked-gun-from-the-files-of-police-squad) (1988, Fi1m 88): The original; Nielsen at his most bewildered, and the gag rate this film is chasing. Then [*OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies*](https://film.one/film/oss-117-cairo-nest-of-spies) (2006, Fi1m 76): France’s straight-faced spy spoof; Dujardin never lets on and neither does the period design; and [*Hot Fuzz*](https://film.one/film/hot-fuzz) (2007, Fi1m 84): Cop-film parody built with real affection for the thing it is mocking. ### Reviews we read (25) - **Little White Lies**, Charles Bramesco (4/5/5): The critic hails it as not just another reboot but a machine that extracts laughter through a barrage of gags, with inspired casting of Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson delivering brilliant comic turns. They single out the smart stupidity and commitment to making everything funny at all times. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-naked-gun) - **Time Out**, Hanna Flint (★★★★★): The critic calls it a comedy masterclass and the funniest film of the year, praising the laugh-a-minute script, sight gags, and excellent cast including Neeson and Anderson fully committing to the bits. They single out the inspired casting and direction that makes the comedy sing. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/news/review-liam-neesons-the-naked-gun-is-the-funniest-film-of-the-year-073025) - **The Telegraph**, Robbie Collin (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it one of the stupidest films ever seen and loves it for its hilarity that makes audiences physically crumple with laughter. They highlight how director Akiva Schaffer and writers recapture the original trilogy's comedic relentlessness and high gag quality with fresh jokes in nearly every line. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/the-naked-gun-liam-neeson-review/) - **Empire**, John Nugent (80/100, inferred): The 2025 Naked Gun is an affectionately silly requel that captures the original series' parody hallmarks while updating the targets, delivering a high density of visual gags, wordplay and surreal moments that produce more belly laughs than most recent comedies. Neeson's deadpan performance as the tougher Drebin Jr. leads a cannily cast ensemble in skewering modern cop tropes. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-naked-gun-2025/) - **Financial Times**, Danny Leigh (4/5): The critic describes it as an expert dumb comedy where Neeson proves a worthy successor to Nielsen through slapstick action and deadpan style. They single out the mad scramble of pop-culture tropes from across eras, smartly folded in with nods to modern life, as landing with aplomb. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/da5f033e-867d-43f4-a24e-a715ba60faba) - **Radio Times**, Terry Staunton (4/5): The critic finds it an affectionate celebration of the past with a cavalcade of laughs, noting Neeson's performance blending Nielsen's style with self-mockery of his own action roles. They single out the jokes themselves as the stars, many fresh and quotable. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/the-naked-gun-review/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (4/5): The critic praises the reboot as a lot of fun thanks to its outrageous gags and Neeson's impeccable deadpan performance as Frank Drebin Jr. They single out the film's amiably ridiculous and guilelessly crass spoof elements, including memorable pop-culture riffs, while noting it may lack the original's eerie innocence. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jul/30/the-naked-gun-review-liam-neeson-spoof-reboot) - **The Times** (4/5): The review finds Neeson and Anderson irresistible in their chemistry and deadpan delivery amid a cavalcade of sight gags and buffoonery. It praises the director for sticking to the original's high volume of jokes while noting the film feels like its predecessors, which is more than enough. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/naked-gun-review-liam-neeson-and-pamela-anderson-are-irresistible-wbmhgfg5g) - **The AV Club**, Jacob Oller (B-): The film unloads a dense barrage of gags that mostly land thanks to a game cast and brisk pacing. Pamela Anderson is highlighted for stealing scenes with her ridiculous straight-faced delivery. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-naked-gun-review) - **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich: The review calls it the funniest American movie in years and a laugh-a-minute legacy sequel that proves comedies belong in theaters. Liam Neeson is praised for living up to Leslie Nielsen's legacy. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-naked-gun-movie-review-liam-neeson-pamela-anderson-2025-1235141714/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Amy Nicholson: The critic calls it Liam Neeson’s best career move since Schindler’s List, a giddy and riotous comedy that reinvigorates him by letting him mock his thriller persona. She highlights how the film careens around merrily, hitting all the touchstones of the first movie with a loony love montage and clever cameos. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-07-31/naked-gun-review-liam-neeson-pamela-anderson-paul-walter-hauser-danny-huston) - **Screen Daily**: The critic describes it as a pleasingly reverential and wonderfully stupid sequel that pulls off a consistently amusing facsimile of the originals with dopey gags and one-liners. They single out the smart direction keeping the silliness zipping along and the leads' deadpan sincerity. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-naked-gun-review-liam-neeson-and-pamela-anderson-headline-pleasingly-reverential-comedy-sequel/5207405.article) - **Sight and Sound**: The critic praises the film's refreshingly silly and expertly paced comedy, highlighting Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson's committed performances in this cop caper that resurrects Hollywood comedy. They single out the tight 85-minute runtime and volume of gags as strengths. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/naked-gun-delightfully-stupid-cop-caper-resurrects-hollywood-comedy) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney: The critic finds the reboot delivers enough laughs to succeed as dumb fun despite an uneven structure and shaky plot. Neeson and Anderson's chemistry and comic timing are singled out as highlights. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-naked-gun-review-liam-neeson-pamela-anderson-1236333409/) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis: The critic finds the reboot a chip off the old blockhead, with Liam Neeson gamely stepping into Leslie Nielsen’s role as the blissfully silly hero who generates disaster. She praises the brisk timing, ludicrous and bountiful jokes, and how the film embraces obviousness and maximalism in the spirit of the originals. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/movies/the-naked-gun-review.html) - **Variety**: The critic describes an engaging goofball grab bag of a reboot that skewers clichés and delivers vintage terrible puns and inspired gags, but rarely shocks you into laughter. It notes the script honors the spirit of the originals while starring Liam Neeson in the bumbling detective role. [Read](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/the-naked-gun-review-liam-neeson-pamela-anderson-1236472418/) - **Vulture**: The critic hails the reboot as fall-out-of-your-seat hilarious and potentially restorative for studio comedies, with a high hit rate of jokes in the classic ZAZ style. Neeson's physical comedy and the film's commitment to crude, silly gags are praised. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-the-naked-gun-might-save-the-studio-comedy.html) - **Collider**, Aidan Kelley (9/10): The critic praises the film as one of the funniest of the decade, highlighting its rapid-fire jokes and Liam Neeson's powerhouse comedic performance as Frank Drebin Jr. They single out the action sequences for being well-directed and the overall balance of nods to the original with new material. [Read](https://collider.com/the-naked-gun-review-2025-liam-neeson-pamela-anderson/) - **/Film**, Ethan Anderton (9/10): The critic calls it the funniest movie of the year, praising its relentless, gut-busting jokes and gags that riff on crime thrillers and action hits while staying true to the original's slapstick spirit. They single out the cast's straight-faced performances, especially Liam Neeson's, for making the absurdity work. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1925863/naked-gun-review-2025-reboot/) - **The Ringer**, Adam Nayman (85/100, inferred): The critic lauds the film's dedication to packing jokes densely, calling it a spiritually pure update that honors the original's absurdism. They single out the lean, aggressive pacing and specific gags like the "Cold Cases" sign for praise, while noting supporting performances. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2025/08/01/movies/naked-gun-reboot-review-liam-neeson) - **NME**, Paul Bradshaw (55/100, inferred): The reboot tries too hard to be both the same and different from the originals, with timing issues and padding that cause the hit rate to drop, though Neeson and Anderson deliver solid performances and the film's committed silliness is welcome. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/the-naked-gun-review-liam-neeson-pamela-anderson-3881755) - **Deadline**, Pete Hammond: The critic finds the reboot a welcome return to rapid-fire gag comedy that succeeds more often than not thanks to a game cast playing it straight. Neeson and Anderson are perfectly cast in the lead roles. [Read](https://deadline.com/2025/07/naked-gun-review-liam-neeson-pamela-anderson-comedy-reboot-1236473708/) - **Den of Geek**, David Crow (3 out of 5): The critic finds it a gratifying study in guffaws with more jokes landing than not, praising Liam Neeson's deadpan performance as Frank Drebin Jr., but notes it runs on fumes by the end and some gags miss. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-naked-gun-review-liam-neeson-has-killer-deadpan/) - **Paste**, Jesse Hassenger (7.8): The critic commends Liam Neeson's impeccable deadpan performance as Frank Drebin Jr., noting how he maintains a stone face while delivering silly jokes. They praise the film's commitment to parody and running gags, though noting some wobbles in what it's parodying, ultimately celebrating the return of the laugh-a-minute spoof. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/akiva-schaffer/the-naked-gun-2025-liam-neeson-pamela-anderson-akiva-schaffer) - **The Wrap**: The film is very funny and does exactly what a Naked Gun movie should by lampooning cop movies while alternating between straight-faced tone and gags. Neeson’s self-mockery and the leads’ chemistry are highlights. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/the-naked-gun-review-liam-neeson-pamela-anderson/) ## Details - **Director:** Akiva Schaffer - **Director:** Akiva Schaffer - **Writer:** Dan Gregor, Doug Mand, Akiva Schaffer - **Cinematography:** Brandon Trost - **Editor:** Brian Scott Olds - **Music:** Joel McNeely, Lorne Balfe - **Production design:** Bill Brzeski - **Costume design:** Betsy Heimann - **Producer:** Erica Huggins, Seth MacFarlane - **Cast:** Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr.; Pamela Anderson as Beth Davenport; Paul Walter Hauser as Ed Hocken Jr.; Danny Huston as Richard Cane; CCH Pounder as Chief Davis; Kevin Durand as Sig Gustafson; Liza Koshy as Detective Barnes; Eddie Yu as Detective Park - **Runtime:** 1h 25m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13 - **Release (the US):** 1 August 2025 - **Genres:** Comedy, Crime, Action - **Budget:** $42 million - **Box office:** $102 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLguU7WLreA ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: streaming, uhd - The Roku Channel: add-on, hd - Apple TV: add-on, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $5.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent $5.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $19.99, uhd - Apple TV: buy $19.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-10.* Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IN, IS, IT, JP, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *The Naked Gun* (1988), Fi1m 88: The original; Nielsen at his most bewildered, and the gag rate this film is chasing. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-naked-gun-from-the-files-of-police-squad.md) - *OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies* (2006), Fi1m 76: France’s straight-faced spy spoof; Dujardin never lets on and neither does the period design. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/oss-117-cairo-nest-of-spies.md) - *Hot Fuzz* (2007), Fi1m 84: Cop-film parody built with real affection for the thing it is mocking. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/hot-fuzz.md) - *The Pink Panther* (1963): Sellers’s Clouseau, the first great detective who breaks everything he touches. - *The Kentucky Fried Movie* (1977): The Zucker brothers and Abrahams before the rules; cruder, faster, still funny. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-naked-gun