Liam Neeson's performance in the reboot of The Naked Gun has been praised in early reviews, with critics noting his impeccable deadpan delivery. Neeson plays Detective Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr, the son of Leslie Nielsen's iconic character, in a film that has been described as 'outrageously amusing' and 'a lot of fun'.
The film, directed by Akiva Schaffer and co-written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, is a spoof of 1980s LA action movies. Neeson's character is haunted by his late father's reputation and finds himself investigating the murder of a man found dead in a hi-tech electric car. The plot involves a sinister plutocrat, played by Danny Huston, and a romance with a true-crime novelist, portrayed by Pamela Anderson.
Reviewers have highlighted the film's absurdist humour, including riffs on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Sex and the City, as well as a controversial reference to OJ Simpson. One scene, described as a 'showstopping' homage to the original Airplane! films, involves a moment of mayhem followed by a queue of people waiting for violence.
Despite the positive reception, David Zucker, co-creator of the original Naked Gun and Airplane! films, has reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the reboot. Nonetheless, critics have found the film to be 'amiably ridiculous, refreshingly shallow, entirely pointless and guilelessly crass', with Neeson's performance being a standout element.
