‘The Naked Gun,’ Thanks to Straight Man Liam Neeson, Hits a Comedic Bull’s-Eye

The straight man of cinematic franchises, “The Naked Gun,” is pratfalling back into theaters. Satirizing police procedurals, William “Liam” Neeson as Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr. avoids the stale nostalgia of Hollywood’s endless reboots, reimaginings, and remakes to deliver fresh laughs straight through the post-credit scene. The late actor, Leslie Nielsen, played Lt. Frank Drebin Sr. on TV and in three “Naked Gun” films, making comparisons inevitable. “I want to be just like you,” the younger Drebin tells a picture of his father, “but at the same time, completely different and original.”It’s a paradox upon which “The Naked Gun” delivers. The movie has a timeless feeling with no divisive, dated politics. There’s only a wink to the audience about the fate of its original cast member, O.J. Simpson, and the comedian Bill Cosby. Elon Musk is parodied, but without malice. Drebin calls the villain, Danny Huston’s Richard Cane, “the genius who’s going to save the world with his electric cars.” Cane is another contradiction. He’s memorable despite being, by design, a caricature, right down to his MacGuffin: “The Primordial Law of Toughness” or “P.L.O.T.” Device.Like Nielsen, Mr. Neeson built his career playing serious roles and black hats. It makes his jokes based on misunderstanding words — “foul” for “fowl” and the like — hit square on the funny bone because it’s so different from what audiences expect from a serious actor.“Comics are dime a dozen,” Lou Costello said in 1936, “but a good straight man is hard to find.” Although more famous, the comic insisted on a 60/40 split in favor of his partner, Bud Abbott. At 73, Mr. Neeson is aging out of action roles; “The Naked Gun” may make him the next great “stone face.” Another worthy heir to Abbott, Paul Walter Hauser, plays Drebin’s partner, Captain Ed Hocken Jr., son of George Kennedy’s original. Called upon to endure physical abuse, he exercises a restraint that’s rare in an era of over-the-top physical comedy.As Beth Davenport, Pamela Anderson also avoids the impulse to chew scenery or surrender to contemporary tropes that forbid damsels in distress. The “Baywatch” actress and Playboy’s Miss February 1990, she brings confidence to “The Naked Gun,” never forcing punchlines. At 58, she looks an age-appropriate blonde bombshell for Mr. Neeson to pursue.Carol Christine Hilaria “CCP” Pounder, a fixture in the crime genre, plays Police Squad’s Chief Davis. She’s world-weary and exasperated with Drebin’s refusal to play by the rules. But with an absurd twist to her character’s home life, those tired traits are tweaked for the sake of the farce. “The Naked Gun” films are heir to TV’s “Police Squad!”, canceled in 1982 after six episodes. The show’s humor relied heavily on sight gags that could be missed on 12-inch screens. High-definition, wall-sized televisions were sci-fi at the time, Ray Bradbury’s 1953 novel, “Fahrenheit 451” being the only place they were even imagined.In the DVD commentary for “The Naked Gun,” Nielsen quoted the president of ABC entertainment, Tony Thomopoulos, as saying “the viewer had to watch” the TV incarnation with care “to appreciate it.” That’s why the team of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker — who went by ZAZ — planned a film before TV came calling. Captive theater audiences were where “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” found success in 1988. Today, the distraction comes from “second screening” on smartphones. But audiences will be riveted to the action and in their seats from the moment the lights dimmed, which helps keep them invested in the story. This “Naked Gun” keeps audiences watching for the next subtle snicker by delivering all the jokes that will fit but not so many that they clutter the story. Look down at your phone and you might miss gems like “The PonziScheme.com Arena,” a poke at the DotCom failures. “The Naked Gun” is what happens when clever people turn their talents to light-hearted entertainment, delivering humor that tickles without bruising. The film carries forward the legacy of previous “Police Squad!” incarnations while being something original: A cinematic straight man that trusts audiences are smart enough to get the jokes.

‘The Naked Gun,’ Thanks to Straight Man Liam Neeson, Hits a Comedic Bull’s-Eye

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