‘The Naked Gun’ 2025 premiere leaves audiences in stitches; Critics hail Liam Neeson’s comedic reinvention

After three decades in development limbo, The Naked Gun has returned to the big screen and will be released on August 1. According to early reactions from Monday’s premiere, and if the social media buzz is a thing, it’s a triumphant, tear-inducing comeback that’s just as outrageous, silly, and relentlessly funny as fans hoped.

Directed by Akiva Schaffer (Popstar, Palm Springs) and produced by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, the 2025 reboot marks a bold leap into slapstick for Liam Neeson, who plays Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., the son of Leslie Nielsen’s iconic detective from the original trilogy.

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Alongside Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Danny Huston, Neeson has stunned audiences, not with intensity this time, but with impeccable deadpan delivery and comic timing.

The response from film critics and fans at the New York premiere was swift and euphoric.

“There are like six different scenes in The Naked Gun that made me laugh so hard I cried,” tweeted critic David Ehrlich. “Even the title card is funny. I wrote ‘SO DUMB (complimentary)’ in my notebook several times.”

Dan Mecca of The Film Stage called the reboot “a freakin’ miracle” — a modern comedy that’s “tightly scripted (under 90 minutes!), hilariously funny, and has a simple, meaningful message about the state of the world.”

Critic Rendy Jones perhaps summed up the general feeling best: “Big ‘they just don’t make these like this anymore’ vibes… I think I ruptured a spine or a ribcage or a cheekbone because of how hard I was laughing.”

Many pointed out that Neeson, long seen as the brooding face of the Taken franchise, reinvents himself with unexpected brilliance.

“Might have laughed harder during this than any movie this year,” said critic Shaurya Chawla. “One of Liam Neeson’s best performances in so long. Loved Pamela Anderson here too. What a blast.”

Others praised the film’s ability to honor the spirit of the originals without being stuck in the past. “It’s not just a cover band,” wrote David Gonzalez. “It follows the golden rule: be funny.”

Perhaps most significantly, the film is being hailed as a much-needed return to theatrical comedy. “We just don’t see movies like this anymore,” several critics noted, how rare it is today to watch an entire theatre erupt in collective laughter.

With full reviews still to drop and the film set for worldwide release on August 1, The Naked Gun is shaping up to be a surprise hit, not just for nostalgic fans of Leslie Nielsen’s absurd detective antics, but for anyone hungry for a genuinely funny, unpretentious comedy.