Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Religious Music and Entertainment
Review: ‘The Naked Gun’ Speaks Universal Language of Comedy

Review: ‘The Naked Gun’ Speaks Universal Language of Comedy

Last updated on: July 30, 2025 at 1:54 pm by DeWayne Hamby

Review: ‘The Naked Gun’ Speaks Universal Language of Comedy 2025-07-30T13:54:29-04:00 DeWayne Hamby

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Liam Neeson shows a different set of skills in the hilarious new reboot of “The Naked Gun,” opening this week. The actor, a go-to for action films since “Taken,” dives head first into comedy in the new reboot, spearheaded by director Akiva Schaffer (“Saturday Night Live,” “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping”) and from producer Seth MacFarlane (“Ted,” “Family Guy”).

Paul Walter Hauser plays Ed Hocken Jr. and Liam Neeson plays Frank Drebin Jr. in The Naked Gun from Paramount Pictures. | © 2025 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Stepping into the clumsy shoes of Frank Drebbin Jr., Neeson literally follows a destructive “Plot Device” through a maze of intersecting crimes and scenarios, all played for nonstop laughs. Pamela Anderson stars as Beth Davenport, the grieving sister of a man who worked for a sinister corporation led by Richard Cane (Danny Huston). Paul Walter Hauser (“Cobra Kai,” “Richard Jewell”) also stars as Capt. Ed Hocken Jr., the son of George Kennedy’s character from the original series.

While an entirely new gang is behind the wheel of the reboot, “The Naked Gun” serves as a terrific homage to the original series and also stands on its own. The jokes are relentless and unapologetically stupid, elicited frequent uproarious laughter in the theater during my preview. Surprisingly, besides a few seriously off-color moments, the film seems intended for a broader audience than the recent crop of R-rated and unrated films released in the last few decades.

Anderson, like her leading man, isn’t known as a comedienne, but she holds her own, delivering a howling performance at an underground jazz club. Neeson’s rough exterior mixed with brainless decisions and clueless dialogue flow together flawlessly to send up many of the police dramas and films he’s appeared in. Huston’s diabolical Cane, a tech founder who boasts of driverless cars, cutting edge technology, and a pumpkin farm, is also memorable.

Beyond the few innuendos that stretch the bounds of a PG-13 rating, the profanity is mild and the violence is mostly slapstick. A few jokes poke fun at relevant pop culture topics such as Bill Cosby, O.J. Simpson, and “Sex in the City,” but it refreshingly also steers clear of easy political jabs.

Are there larger themes in the new film? Does the comedy hint at something bigger? No. It’s just comedy for comedy’s sake. It doesn’t exist just to honor the original and present a new series going forward, but mostly to bring people together to laugh. And that’s a good thing, in my opinion. What the world needs now . . . is laughter, sweet laughter.

“The Naked Gun,” directed by Akiva Schaffer and starring Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, CCH Pounder, Kevin Durand, Cody Rhodes, Liza Koshy, Eddie Yu, with Danny Huston, opens August 1 from Paramount Pictures.

Pamela Anderson

Paramount Pictures

Paul Walter Hauser

Previous Post

July 29, 2025

Animated Redemption: 'The Bad Guys 2' and Second Chances

Next Post

August 6, 2025 Watch: A First Look at Inspirational Drama 'Sarah's Oil'

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Trying to find tickets but there are none."

“Beyond Belief”: Petra’s 80s Rock Hits ..."

"This is a well - written and insightful article. The points you covered are very ..."

New Angel Studios Good Samaritan Film ..."

"Why are so many people trying to normalize this vile behavior. He was a racist, ..."

CarletteHarris0731

Wrestling Champ Hulk Hogan Brought His ..."

"He was a stone cold racist"

Wrestling Champ Hulk Hogan Brought His ..."

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Comics Movies Music Plays and Musicals Podcasts Television Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 September 2015 July 2015 March 2015 November 2014 September 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 May 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 February 2012 December 2011 November 2011 August 2011 July 2011 March 2011 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 April 2006 February 2006 December 2005 October 2005 September 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 February 2005

Follow Us!

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which Christian group is known for pacifism?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Quakers Baptists Pentecostals Methodists

Related posts from Reel Faith

‘Conceivable’ Opens Friday: Faith, Family & a Surprise...

Narnia Trailer Revealed: Gerwig, Streep & Led Zeppelin

Review: Pitt's Moving 'Heart of the Beast' Among...

Faith, Courage and Psalm 23 in 'Heart of...

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Religious Music and Entertainment

Pope Leo Celebrates Mass for Nurses & Docs...

I don't have any idea how he did it, but Pope Leo...

The Sermon on the Mount, Part I: Matthew...

The Sermon on the Mount, Part I (Matthew 4:12-5:12) St. Matthew moves...

What's up from Crossway

What's up from Crossway: Reviewing some of their latest A few weeks...

Janie Learns the Way of the Cross: A...

Teaching children about Jesus' Passion can be challenging. Many parents and educators...

Looking For Good Catholic Writing - October 2026

He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of...

Luther on Tools

In "Irreplaceable," our book on vocation and technology, Trevor Sutton and I...

view all Religious Music and Entertainment blogs

What Are Your Thoughts?leave a comment

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Copyright 2008-2026, Patheos. All rights reserved.

Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In

Follow Patheos