Stepping into the legendary shoes of Leslie Nielsen, known for his late-career comedic genius and roles like Lt. Frank Drebin in the original The Naked Gun series, was a daring move. Liam Neeson’s new reboot revives this classic comedy franchise with a surprising display of his comedy skills, bringing a fresh yet respectful homage to the rapid-fire, absurdist humor crafted decades ago by the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker team. Premiering recently in theaters, the film showcases Neeson’s ability to combine his intense dramatic background with an unexpected flair for slapstick comedy.
Fast-Paced Humor and Energetic Direction Propel the First Act
Director Akiva Schaffer, known for his sharp comedic sensibility from his work with The Lonely Island and Hot Rod, spearheads the reboot with a clear understanding of the original’s style. Alongside co-writers Doug Mand and Dan Gregor, Schaffer infuses the film’s opening 30 minutes with a relentless onslaught of jokes, visual gags, and witty wordplay that recall the breakneck tempo of the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker films. This rapid-fire humor, combined with a high joke-to-miss ratio, creates an engaging and hilarious experience that will satisfy longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Liam Neeson’s Deadpan Delivery Reinvents Lt. Frank Drebin
Known for his roles in intense dramas like Schindler’s List and action blockbusters such as the Bourne series, Neeson takes on Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. with a straight-faced, deadpan style that heightens the absurdity of the character’s ineptitude. His dramatic gravitas makes the comedic situations even more striking, especially as Drebin Jr. navigates ridiculous scenarios with unwavering seriousness. The supporting cast complements Neeson well, including Pamela Anderson as Beth Davenport, a femme fatale who dives into detective work with an unexpected willingness to embarrass herself, and Paul Walter Hauser as Drebin’s sidekick Ed Hocken Jr. The performances from Danny Huston as a tech-savvy villain and CCH Pounder as the stressed police chief also help maintain a playful yet chaotic energy.
Balance Between Rapid Humor and Extended Gags
After a lightning-fast start, the film intentionally slows down to allow viewers to savor longer comedic sequences, such as a date scene observed through heat-seeking binoculars and a surreal falling-in-love montage featuring magical snowmen and horror movie tropes. These moments showcase Schaffer’s background in absurdist comedy and digital shorts, providing a different flavor of humor amid the speedy gags. However, this deceleration also marks the beginning of a gradual pacing decline that becomes more apparent as the movie progresses.
Challenges in Sustaining the Comic Momentum
While the first act sparkles with nonstop jokes, the final two-thirds of the film struggle to maintain that intensity. The climax, set at a UFC fight, features some entertaining moments but reflects a comic fatigue that has plagued many modern comedies over the last few decades. Despite sporadic bursts of creativity and laughter, the latter half feels like it loses steam, as if the filmmakers hesitated to overwhelm audiences with continuous hilarity. This pacing issue slightly diminishes the overall impact, causing the reboot to feel uneven despite its promising start.
The New ‘Naked Gun’: Reinvention or Missed Opportunity?
This reboot serves as an intriguing proof of concept for Liam Neeson’s transition from dramatic roles to full-on comedy, demonstrating his surprising ability to deliver both physical and verbal humor with impeccable timing. However, in attempting to revive a beloved franchise known for its nonstop slapstick and parody, the film falls short of fully recapturing the original series’ consistent energy and sharpness. For fans of the genre and Neeson’s evolving career, it remains a notable effort, but its uneven execution might temper expectations for future installments or a broader resurrection of the shock-comedy era.
