Over 30 years after The Naked Gun 33⅓, a risky comic resurrection is now playing at your local theater. In an age of genre-bending comedy hybrids (see The Fall Guy, meh) and niche, catered offerings (see Friendship, loved), the traditional studio comedy has basically vanished. What used to be a regular fixture at the cineplex is now nearly extinct. The new Naked Gun isn’t just trying to revive that format; it’s a full-on throwback to a time when comedies weren’t afraid to be stupid, loud, and singularly focused on laughs. And while this movie is definitely all of those things, it’s also just plain funny. That Liam Neeson, now tragically deep into his post-Taken run of stoic, violent men with a particular set of skills, is anchoring one of the most laugh-dense movies in years feels like a joke in itself. But somehow, it lands. Read More
