⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Rated PG-13 | 85 minutes

I was practically raised on the films from David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker. They’re responsible for remaking dramatic actor Leslie Nielsen into a comedy god. From the first utterance of “don’t start up with your white zone shit again” in 1980’s Airplane!, I was hooked on their silly laugh-a-minute comedy brand.

They did it again with the short-lived ABC TV series Police Squad!, but sadly, that was a show ahead of its time. That series may have only lasted six episodes, but it led to a trilogy for the ages: The Naked Gun. Ever notice how the first film has the subtitle “From The Files of Police Squad”? That 1982 TV show is why!

It’s proof that good ideas never die. It took until 1988 for the first The Naked Gun to get off the ground with Leslie Nielsen reprising his TV role as Frank Drebin, the bumbling detective that’s too smart for his own good. Frank always got the bad guy, even if it was in the most unconventional of ways.

That film was so successful, it spawned three sequels at Paramount, the last titled The Naked Gun 33 1/3. The film brought George Kennedy’s Captain Ed from the TV show as well as most of the original supporting cast. It was a magical time. They also introduced new characters such as Norberg played by the infamous OJ Simpson and Priscilla Presley (Elvis’ former wife) as Jane. If there was ever a perfect late-80’s, early 90’s movie cast, that was it.

Fast-forward 30 years, and we finally have another sequel. When it was first announced that usually-gritty action star Liam Neeson was cast in the titual role as Frank Drebin, toungues started lashing. How could this guy who is known for splitting heads in thrillers take on one of the iconic comedic roles of the last century? Fortunately, it turns out it was expert-level casting.

Back on the big screen for the first time since 1994, Paramount’s new reboot/sequel The Naked Gun captures the original spirit and humor of the originals in every nuanced way. And I don’t say that lightly. This film from Akiva Schaffer and Seth MacFarlane might as well have been stolen right from the brains of Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker.

Neeson plays detective Frank Drebin… Jr. Paul Walter Hauser is on board playing Captain Ed Hocken…. Jr. and Moses Jones assumes the role of Not Nordberg Jr in a scene-stealing performance that we sadly only get about 4 seconds of. Pamela Anderson also joins the franchise, not as a junior, but in the role of Beth Davenport, a forlorn sibling that pleads with Drebin to take her case and prove her brother was murdered.

Because this is a Naked Gun movie, it only takes about 5 seconds of mourning for Davenport to start flirting with Drebin, while still trying to get to the bottom of her brother’s death… and in doing so, hopefully prevent the closure of Police Squad, helmed by the always-a-treat-to-see CCH Pounder.

The comedy here is downright dumb, and it’s glorious. All too often, comedies try so hard they miss the point. The Naked Gun and the pairing of Neeson and Anderson make movie comic magic – it works because they take their roles so very seriously.

I haven’t laughed this hard at the movies since Platoon.

You can’t go into this film afraid of being offended. There is absolutely a joke in here that will offend you – but that’s the comedy of it. Schaffer and MacFarlane are no strangers to pushing limits. They do show a modicum of restraint here, however, pushing just far enough to get the laugh. It’s the rare movie where every single sight gag, one-liner, prat fall, and running gag lands with uproarious laughter.

I was that guy in the theater. I was laughing at stuff no one else caught… and that’s the genius of this film. It deserves several re-watches. At just 85 minutes, you can be assured this film will eventually make it to TBS or Comedy Central where it will live in perpetual reruns with plenty of time for commercials.

But I implore you – go see this movie with friends and a full audience. The shared experience of laughing along with a room full of strangers is so rare these days… I might even say that The Naked Gun could be a healing experience.