🔫The Naked Gun (2025): Liam Neeson’s Comedy Reboot Scores Laughs But Struggles at the Box Office

"Like father, like son… just with more explosions, fewer pants, and even worse aim."

The legendary slapstick franchise returns—and it’s as absurd as ever. Nearly three decades after Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult, director Akiva Schaffer (Hot Rod, Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers) takes the reins of the franchise with a fresh coat of ridiculous paint. But despite The Naked Gun (2025) delivering gags, cameos, and one-liners by the truckload, it seems not all audiences were in on the joke—the film has opened to modest box office numbers, despite generally positive reviews.

🎬 Legacy Meets Lunacy: The Plot

Liam Neeson stars as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., the son of the late, great detective played by Leslie Nielsen. Following in his father’s hilariously clumsy footsteps, Drebin Jr. is tasked with saving the Police Squad from being permanently shut down.

In true Naked Gun fashion, the story spirals into a wild mix of exploding cars, ridiculous disguises, rogue dolphins, and poorly timed slow-mo. Alongside him are a stacked (and stackedly absurd) cast including Pamela Anderson as Beth Davenport, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, and Danny Huston—plus cameos from UFC stars, Busta Rhymes, and Weird Al Yankovic himself.

💵 Box Office Breakdown: A Modest Bang

Despite the nostalgic value and Liam Neeson’s surprisingly committed comedic turn, The Naked Gun had a lukewarm opening at the box office:

• Opening Day Gross: $6.3 million

• Thursday Previews: $1.6 million

• Budget: $42 million

• Worldwide Total (as of opening weekend): Still underperforming, projections remain cautious

While it’s too early to call it a flop, the numbers suggest that nostalgia alone may not be enough to carry a legacy comedy in today’s superhero-saturated cinema climate.

🎤 "Freeze! Or I’ll keep making sequels until someone does." – Frank Drebin Jr.

🍿 Critics Say: Dumb Fun Done Right

Despite slow box office momentum, critics have been largely kind to the film, appreciating its dedication to slapstick tradition, absurd visual gags, and Neeson’s self-aware performance.

📰 Rotten Tomatoes:

Certified Fresh at 73%, with many calling it “a worthy, if ridiculous, return.”

🗣️ Critics' Highlights:

• IGN: “Schaffer recaptures the spirit of Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker with updated flair. Neeson’s stone-faced delivery is pure gold.”

• Variety: “Hits more than it misses, and that's a win for slapstick in 2025.”

• The Hollywood Reporter: “It’s dumb, yes—but it knows it. And that makes it smarter than most modern comedies.”

😄 Neeson, Naked Gags & Nostalgia

At the center of the madness is Liam Neeson, who plays Drebin Jr. with a mix of stoic intensity and just enough awkwardness to sell the nonsense around him. While most fans knew him from Taken-style roles, Neeson shows off his surprising comic chops, blending clueless bravado with physical comedy that echoes his fictional father’s legacy.

“I have a very particular set of skills… but apparently, comedy is one of them now.”

👮‍♀️ Supporting Cast & Cameos Galore

• Pamela Anderson is magnetic as the femme fatale with a taser and a taser addiction.

• Paul Walter Hauser brings a bumbling heart to Capt. Ed Hocken Jr.

• CCH Pounder, Kevin Durand, and Danny Huston round out a cast of straight-faced lunatics.

Special shoutout to Priscilla Presley, returning as Jane Spencer-Drebin in a touching and funny cameo that brings full-circle closure to fans of the original trilogy.

🕵️‍♂️ Final Verdict: Worth the Watch?

✅ If you loved the original trilogy’s over-the-top antics, police parodies, and banana-peel logic, The Naked Gun (2025) will make you laugh out loud.❌ But if your humor leans more subtle, this might feel like a relic trying too hard to stay relevant.

The humor is broad, brash, and brilliantly stupid—but in a world where irony and satire now wear capes, it’s oddly refreshing to see something so unashamedly silly.

📽️ Final Rating: ★★★½☆ (3.5/5)

The Naked Gun (2025) is a love letter to an era when spoof reigned supreme. While its box office may not reflect its quality just yet, it could still find its audience on streaming and home release. For now, it’s a comedy reboot that delivers laughs, explosions, and Liam Neeson in a tutu—and honestly, that’s worth the ticket.

🔔 Streaming Status: Not yet available for streaming. Stay tuned—Paramount+ release expected later this year.