The Naked Gun is a hilarious triumph, but it's lucky to have been made at all.

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Good news: silly comedies are back, baby. And damn, it feels good!

In an ever-growing slate of nostalgic reboots, The Naked Gun has shown how it's done in a hysterical crime spoof.

The fourth film in The Naked Gun franchise, the new film serves as both a loving legacy to the '80s films and a sequel to the original trilogy that began with The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! back in 1988.

The original movies were created by the comedy trio David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker, known for their slapstick style, social commentary and irreverent humour.

The creative team for the 2025 film is a mixed bag of niche comedy creatives. The film is directed by Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping's Akiva Schaffer, who co-wrote the script with Crazy Ex-Girlfriend's Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, and the film was produced by Family Guy's Seth MacFarlane and The Spy Who Dumped Me's Erica Huggins.

And yes, all these different colours of humour bleed through into The Naked Gun script with perfect synergy.

Watch the trailer. Post continues after video.

The plot follows Frank Drebin Jr. and his partner Ed Hocken Jr. as they investigate the suspicious death of tech programmer Simon Davenport, uncovering a sinister scheme by a billionaire named Richard Cane to unleash chaos on the world.

Yep, it's as ridiculous as it sounds.

The original films starred the late/great Leslie Nielsen as the bumbling police detective Frank Drebin. In his place is Liam Neeson, an unexpected replacement, given he's most known for his dramatic roles in Taken and Schindler's List.

But never fear, Neeson nails this role. In fact, he's a big part of why the film lands so precisely.

As Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., the son of Leslie Nielsen's iconic character, Neeson's deadpan delivery and perpetually befuddled expression are reminiscent of his predecessor; however, he makes the role his own by approaching the character as a slightly softer, sweeter, more well-rounded person.

Image: Paramount.

I, Tonya actor Paul Walter Hauser as Capt. Ed Hocken Jr. is another standout, plus the supporting cast is doing their funniest work, including Kevin Durand, Danny Huston, Liza Koshy, Cody Rhodes, and CCH Pounder.

But it's Pamela Anderson as the murder victim's sister, Beth Davenport, who truly steals the show.

She is simply sensational. Between her comedic timing and an effortless line delivery, Anderson elevates this comedy while surrendering herself completely to its most absurd moments.

You best believe that Pamela Anderson scats in this. She scats a lot.

Anderson's quiet confidence and a self-aware glimmer in her eye manage to perfectly balance out the film's ridiculous dialogue and over-the-top action sequences.

The Golden Globe nominee was made for comedy, and in The Naked Gun, her talents are finally put to good use.

The chemistry between Neeson and Anderson is palpable. Like hot damn, I could watch these two on my screen forever.

Image: Paramount.

Before seeing this film, just know that you're in for a whole lot of silliness. The film is big on absurdist comedy, bringing slapstick action sequences while staying true to the spirit of the originals with a detective noir vibe.

And we're lucky this movie was even made at all. The reboot was in development for over 12 years from its initial announcement way back in 2013. An early iteration even had The Hangover's Ed Helms in the shoes of Frank Jr.

The final release is a true triumph for the mid-budget comedy — a rarity in today's movie industry where films with the core purpose of being funny are in steep decline.

In the 00s, comedies reigned supreme with iconic films like Superbad, Bridesmaids, Meet The Parents, Anchorman and Step Brothers all skyrocketing to the top of the box office.

The director of Naked Gun, Akiva Schaffer (known for The Lonely Island alongside Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone), knows that his film is a relative rarity.

"I definitely miss those days. I couldn't be more excited every time Will Ferrell and Adam McKay had a new movie coming out. It was an event for me," he told GQ.

These days, very little is filling that space between an indie film and a big-budget movie.

Of course, in the past couple of decades, mid-budget rom-coms or dramas have dropped off, too, but it's the subjectivity of comedy that presents a bigger problem.

Image: Paramount.

What is funny to one person — or one country of people — might not be funny to a wider, global audience, the kind that Marvel movies can win over.

But this is where The Naked Gun succeeds: it's just extremely, side-splittingly funny.

When I reached the halfway point, I had to actively stop myself from laughing because my jaw had started aching from cackling so much.

The film successfully captures the original movies' slapstick spirit: it's a constant string of classic puns, clever sight gags and absurdist punchlines.

It's an homage to the iconic cop spoof without feeling repetitive or reductive. Simply put, the script is impeccable. It's all killer; no filler.

There are jokes that I'll be quoting for years to come. In particular, Ed Jr. telling Frank Jr. "You don't even know your Miranda rights," and him replying, "It's Carrie who writes!" (referring to the iconic Sex and the City characters) is a joke that I've already been using on high rotation.

One moment involving a snowman sequence had the cinema crowd literally rolling in their seats. It's bonkers in every wonderful way. With the sick mind of Family Guy's Seth Meyers helming the project, this outrageous scene makes a lot more sense.

To be clear: the plot is absolute nonsense. For those hoping to watch an action comedy with high stakes and a narrative they can invest in — this won't be the film for you.

Nothing makes sense and nothing matters. But for those familiar with The Naked Gun universe, it has to be this way.

Above all, this film is a parody of serious police procedurals. The 'investigation' at the centre of the film is simply the stage — it's the gags and iconic characters we're here to watch.

And with a constant string of hilarious jokes, sizzling chemistry between the leads, and a tight running time of just 85 minutes (in this economy??), you won't regret watching this silly spoof… probably more than once.

Feature image: Paramount.