In 1982, the Police Squad! television series made its way into homes, starring the late great Leslie Nielsen as the bumbling police lieutenant, Frank Drebin. Despite the positive reception, the series was sadly cancelled after only six episodes, sparking controversy with the TV network that made the decision.

Seeing its potential, Police Squad! was made into a feature film known as The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! blasted into cinemas worldwide, with two sequels that followed with The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear in 1991 and Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult in 1994.

The film series is one of the most recognised and funniest franchises in Hollywood history, and the character of Frank Drebin became a Hollywood icon and legend. Now, in 2025, the legend of Frank Drebin lives on through Liam Neeson, with his particular set of skills in the all-new The Naked Gun film titled The Naked Gun, ready to unload onto Pamela Anderson and into cinemas worldwide.

Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr becomes a police officer like his legendary father, Detective Frank Drebin. He possesses a very particular set of skills and must use them to lead Police Squad to solve a case and save the police department from shutting down.

Liam Neeson leads the cast as Frank Drebin Jr, the son of the legendary Detective Frank Drebin. He is best known for his serious roles, especially in the Taken series, which created some of his most iconic quotes.

Liam Neeson may not be the first name that comes to mind for someone to take up the mantle of Frank Drebin, but after the first trailer was shown, he proves he was more than up to the task. Neeson’s performance seems to be just as serious as his other roles, but it adds so much to the comedy of the film.

Comparing the performances of the two Frank Drebins, they each have their unique portrayals that set them apart, but follow the same theme in their own ways. Liam Neeson has often been mistaken for Leslie Nielsen due to how similar their names sound, so his casting seems to have been done on purpose to play on that joke. He is surprisingly hilarious in almost everything he does, bringing his signature Liam Neeson personality in a comedic way.

Pamela Anderson portrays Beth Davenport, an author writing crime novels based on true events that she made up. She is drop-dead gorgeous, catches the eye of Frank Drebin Jr., and is linked to the case he’s working on. Anderson is looking great for her age, and her role in this film feels like a parody of her past roles, in which she gets typecast. It’s clear to see she’s having a ton of fun in this role and poking fun at herself. It feels like a role she was born to play, as she’s able to exaggerate everything she does, hold nothing back, and feel no shame for it.

Paul Walter Hauser stars as Captain Ed Hocken Jr, the son of Captain Ed Hocken from the original films. He is best known for his comedic roles, especially as Raymond “Stingray” Porter in the hit Netflix series, Cobra Kai, which makes him a perfect fit for The Naked Gun franchise. He works closely with Frank, and although he has a smaller role, he gets plenty of funny moments throughout the film.

CCH Pounder Stars as Chief Davis, a tough-as-nails chief of police and boss to Frank Drebin. The main villains, Sig Gustafson and Richard Crane, are portrayed by Kevin Durand and Danny Huston, respectively, who also add a lot to the comedy. Also appearing in the film are Liza Koshy as Detective Barnes, WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes as Bartender, Busta Rhymes as Bank Robber, as well as cameo appearances by WWE legend Dave Bautista, plus MMA fighters/personalities Jon Anik, Michael Bisping, Bruce Buffer, John McCarthy, Justin Gaethje, and Kamaru Usman all appearing as themselves.

“Weird Al” Yankovic also appears as himself, and Priscilla Presley reprises her role as Jane Spencer-Drebin, the wife of the late Frank Drebin from the past films. They also happen to be the only stars to appear in every Naked Gun movie.

Rather than be a reboot like many other films have been, the new Naked Gun film is a direct continuation of the original film series that saw its last movie in 1994. A fourth film starring Leslie Nielsen was in the works in 2009 but was cancelled due to financial reasons, and Nielsen sadly passed away a year later. The 2025 film honours the original films in true Naked Gun fashion, as the original characters’ sons and daughters pay their respects to them. It’s a nice moment that makes you appreciate it while also giggling. One original character in particular gets scoffed at and rightfully so, and those who get the reference will immediately know why.

The Naked Gun films are famous for their endless amount of comedy, and the 2025 movie brings more of it. Audiences will be laughing almost the entire way through with all the jokes, puns, sexual innuendos, Frank’s constant narrating, hilarious action, misfortunes, misadventures, and more, which are all well thought out.

Even if not every joke lands, it’s easily forgivable because there’s bound to be a joke that does and does it tenfold. It feels like a long time since a film has made us laugh as much as this. There are certainly films from the past few years that offer plenty of comedy, but few can match this one.

The film highlights everything that can and will go wrong, focusing on key details to keep an eye on. The original Naked Gun movies were some of the funniest films in cinema history that still hold up well today, and the latest film brings more of it. When you think you’ve had enough laughter, the laughs will just keep on coming to the point it hurts, in the best way.

The cinematography not only enhances the comedy in many ways, but also makes it feel like a film from the late 80s and early 90s, but in a modern setting. It has the same overall style and presentation as the original films. It even features the iconic theme song composed by Ira Newborn, which adds to the nostalgia and brings back memories. They just don’t make movies like this anymore, so it’s great that this film style is in modern cinema.

It should be clear by now that the 2025 rendition of The Naked Gun is all about the comedy, and it has an overwhelming amount of it. Liam Neeson isn’t replacing Leslie Nielsen, but carrying on the legacy of The Naked Gun franchise. His performance is unlike anything he’s done before, but his serious demeanour surprisingly adds to the humour of his just as serious but clumsy character. Pamela Anderson shines bright in a perfectly fitting role, isn’t afraid to make fun of herself, and has fun doing so. 2025’s The Naked Gun film is possibly the best comedy film in recent years, a worthy sequel that earns its place in the franchise and will have you laughing uncontrollably from beginning to end.

Written by: Sammy Hanson