Liam Neeson plays Frank in “The Naked Gun” (Photo Credit: 2025 Paramount Pictures)
(“The Naked Gun” trailer courtesy of Paramount Pictures)
The world certainly misses the great Fred G. Sanford (Redd Foxx) from the sitcom “Sanford and Son” because if he thought his son Lamont (Demond Wilson) was a “big dummy,” Lord knows how he would describe Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) and Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson) in “The Naked Gun.”
The bumbling idiot of a cop, Frank, makes Barney Fife (Don Knotts) and Goober Pyle (George Lindsey) from “The Andy Griffith Show” look like shoo-ins for Mensa membership.
In the meantime, Frank’s imbecilic performance on the job creates an expected outrageous and outlandish spoof of law enforcement in “The Naked Gun.”
The new installment in “The Naked Gun” franchise should make everyone realize that intelligence is not always necessary to do a good job.
A person just must be lucky enough to avoid total catastrophe, and at the end of the day, their boss will still be able to say, “Job well done.”
Unfortunately for Frank, his superior, Chief Davis (CCH Pounder), rarely tells him good job.
She often threatens Frank, suspends him, or removes him from a case.
But a good detective would never let rules and regulations stop them from doing their job.
Frank doesn’t even let the law stop him from doing his job, which some in law enforcement will unfortunately relate to.
When a bartender refuses to help him with a case because Frank shot someone the bartender knew in the back while the person was fleeing apprehension, Frank responds that the bartender could be talking about hundreds of suspects.
However, after the bartender tells him that the person was White, Frank immediately knows who the bartender is referring to.
When Frank investigates a possible crime scene, he places a glove on his right hand while grabbing potential evidence with his gloveless left hand.
And after a few minutes of looking at potential evidence, Frank declares the automobile accident a suicide.
However, when the beautiful and voluptuous Beth Davenport appears in Frank’s Police Squad office, her sex appeal and passion persuade Frank to look at the “suicidal” car crash one more time.
In “The Naked Gun,” Beth informs Frank that her brother was a big-time tech employee for Richard Cane (Danny Huston).
Therefore, Beth wants to investigate Richard’s behavior just in case Richard is hiding some nefarious activities behind his façade of being a brilliant and generous tech mogul.
At the same time, Frank is still investigating a bank robbery that Chief Davis previously removed him from because the robbers threatened to sue the Police Squad for the violence he inflicted on the criminals.
While the lawsuit might seem absurd on face value, Frank entered the bank and wreaked havoc like he was on the battlefield during World War II.
In “The Naked Gun,” Frank begins putting two and two together (assuming he can count to four) when he sees a Bank Robber (Busta Rhymes, “Higher Learning)) on his body camera without a mask.
In true G-code fashion, the Bank Robber refuses to give up any information on his alleged co-conspirators, initially.
Why should he?
When Frank begins showing him video footage, all he sees is a cop desperately trying to find a restroom to relieve himself, in number two fashion.
Think Willie Jones (John Witherspoon) in “Next Friday” with a badge and a gun.
And just like Willie in “Next Friday,” Frank keeps eating immediately after blowing up a bathroom.
But even though Frank gets bit in the metaphorical behind like the dog did Willie in “Friday,” they somehow both always get the job done, no matter how painful it is to them or the others around them.
With Beth by his side, someone equally dense, Frank might kill two birds with one stone and make an old owl proud.
This week, while promoting “The Naked Gun,” news broke that Neeson and Anderson are allegedly dating, and it all makes sense now.
The couple has obvious chemistry in “The Naked Gun,” even with the buffoonish nature of the movie.
Couples are known for the electric chemistry, especially at the beginning of the romance.
But good couples are known for their silly side too.
When Beth mentions attending college, Frank asks her, “UCLA?”
Beth responds that yes, she sees L.A. every day, seeing that they both live in Los Angeles.
Beth and Frank even crack jokes at the expense of fans of the dysfunctional Cleveland Browns while giving shout-outs to other teams like the New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos.
Additionally, the oral sex and bestiality scene is laugh-out-loud hilarious.
However, chemistry is not just reserved for the real-life lovebirds.
In “The Naked Gun,” Anderson has some on-screen chemistry with Huston, too.
When Frank and Beth attend Richard Cane’s elite supper club, the tech CEO is immediately smitten by the intimidating beauty.
Richard offers Beth a glass of wine.
But Beth immediately spits it out when Richard tells her the wine is from Bill Cosby’s private collection.
“The Naked Gun” also takes a jab at the late O.J. Simpson, who starred in the O.G. version of the franchise.
Despite the well-written and delivered laughs, “The Naked Gun will definitely not amuse everyone.
If a person does not like crude humor, “The Naked Gun” is not for them.
However, if they just want some quick laughs, check it out.
The movie should have shown more love to Busta Rhymes, too.
But he did his thing with the little he had to work with.
Despite that, “The Naked Gun” does not make many other dumb moves.
But there is no denying that Frank and Beth are two of the biggest dummies since the O.G. “big dummy” of 1970s television.
REGAL RATINGS
FOUR CROWNS=EXCELLENT
THREE CROWNS=GOOD
TWO CROWNS=AVERAGE
ONE CROWN=POOR
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