In Ricky Gervais’s often forgotten 2011 sitcom Life’s Too Short there’s one sketch that has almost been prophetic. Liam Neeson walks in to meet Gervais and Merchant because, as he puts it, ‘I’m thinking of doing some comedy.’ What follows is Neeson being as deadpan as they come which adds to the utter absurdity of the scene itself. Who would’ve thought that an actor of Neeson’s prowess from Michael Collins to Schindler’s List could be capable of being just so darn hilarious? An ode to comedic films of yesteryear, The Naked Gun is a wonderfully ridiculous spoof, filled with absurd slapstick humour and innocent innuendo that will leave your face aching from laughing from start to finish. One of the most pleasant cinematic surprises of the year. 

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Detective Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) and new acquaintance Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson) take on evil billionaire Richard Cane (Danny Huston) — and his mysterious P.L.O.T. device.

There’s nothing particularly original about the premise of the story here - a cop is trying to solve a case that leads to a world-impacting conspiracy. But it’s all the elements that The Naked Gun builds on and around the skeleton of this story that makes it just so much fun. Also, at just under an hour and a half run time The Naked Gun, unlike many of its cinematic compatriots, does not outstay its welcome. 

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From spoofs of other action films and TV shows (the Mission: Impossible sequence is a particular highlight), to ridiculously innuendo including contracting salmonella and wonderful slapstick comedy of Neeson’s Drebin crashing into the baddies lair, it had the cinema in an absolute uproar. Oh, and there’s a talking owl. It will have you in absolute stitches from start to finish all with some wonderful cultural references thrown in. 

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Neeson is brilliantly deadpan in his delivery here which just adds to the hilarity with Pamela Anderson, who’s on a career revival, equally as brilliant with the two of them sharing some superb comedic and romantic chemistry which is the heart of the film.  

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An ode to comedic films of yesteryear, The Naked Gun is a wonderfully ridiculous spoof, filled with absurd slapstick humour and innocent innuendo that will leave your face aching from laughing from start to finish.