It's 2025 And I Just Watched 1988's The Naked Gun For The First Time – These Are My Honest Thoughts

In the history of side-splitting spoofs, "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!" has always been something of a blind spot for me. Somehow, I'd snorted and wheezed through the likes of "Airplane!," "Blazing Saddles," and "Young Frankenstein," only to fly right into the face of the "Top Gun" and "Rambo" rip-offs that were the "Hot Shots" movies. In discovering Topper Harley (Charlie Sheen), I'd totally overlooked the idiotic antics of Leslie Nielsen's law enforcer, Frank Drebin. It's only right then, that with the impending arrival of one-time Jedi and henchman eradicating hero, Liam Neeson, taking the lead in the new legacyquel of "The Naked Gun," that I go back to where the giggles began. The problem with that is that most of the movie's biggest laughs are its most well-known.

Do a GIF search for "Nothing to see here," "Beaver," and "O.J. Simpson" (don't judge my search history), and chances are that top results will all come from the 1988 comedy, which is understandably why it's considered such a great watch. Well, I say "great," but 37 years on, even though there's a solid enough reputation to warrant a new sequel, the original "Naked Gun" does shoot off some woefully dated blanks, while also highlighting just how carefree comedies were back in the day.

Just like many great comedies, "The Naked Gun" truly feels like a product of its time, which is evident right from its cold open when Frank crashes a party comprised of lookalike dictators and hated historical figures. In a time when some world leaders are getting all worked up about being punchlines in "South Park" episodes, it's a wonder if this kind of humor would fly as far as Idi Admin does out a window. Then there's the matter of O.J. Simpson being so crucial to the story as Frank's fallen comrade, Nordberg, which came as a shock. It's undoubtedly a poorly aged casting choice, and so much so that the new movie didn't hesitate to throw shade at it in its first teaser.

Nevertheless, some of the signature gags still land, even some that can be seen from a mile off. This isn't because they're executed poorly, but simply because there are so many other comedies that followed the trail left by this classic. David Zucker's cop show spoof plays like an almost live-action Looney Tunes and doesn't waste a second. Whether it's confusing bribes for info, an actor throwing themselves around the room, or a line so perfectly dumb it earns its rank as an ingenious quotable gem, these jokes still hit their target. Perhaps my biggest takeaway from this first-time viewing, though, is that it's no wonder Liam Neeson got called up for this year's follow-up movie, given that he's the closest match for the franchise's original frontman in the best way.

As an "Airplane!" devotee, it's hard to watch "The Naked Gun" and not compare it to what is widely regarded as one of the best comedies of all time. They might be entirely different movies altogether ("They might be entirely different movies"), but Nielsen's remarkable straight-faced standard set in the dopey disaster movie works just as well here and makes some jokes 10 times funnier than they need to be. It's the sign of a classic comedy when you have to rewind to catch the third gag because you were too busy giggling at the first and second, and Nielsen is the leading cause of this issue. He's laying things out as serious as a tax return, which adds to the bone-headed brilliance of his character. It also highlights why Liam Neeson is the perfect protege for the brand new sequel.

He may have only dabbled in comedy over the past decade or so, but Neeson has shown the same stone-like stature as Nielsen, which should assure audiences that dropping him in the world of "The Naked Gun" is a genius move. It also seems to be one that's paid off, thanks to the already staggering Rotten Tomatoes score. I don't want to call it too soon, but I'm likely to rank the newest "Naked Gun" higher than the original, mainly because the guy from "Taken" will be doing toilet gags. Whatever punchlines are heading our way this week, though, I have to respect the setup that came almost 40 years before it.