Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Hilarious spoof has slapstick violence, racy innuendo.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Naked Gun
What's the Story?
In THE NAKED GUN, Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) is following in his late father's footsteps, working as a detective for L.A.'s Police Squad. When a car is driven over a cliff, Drebin believes that it's too suspicious to be an accident and teams up with the victim's sister, Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson), to solve the case.
Is It Any Good?
Nielsen's gumshoes fit Neeson like a glove, resulting in a hysterically silly sequel that ably reboots the franchise. The laughs just don't stop in The Naked Gun—and, like the original 1980s/'90s films, it's good, dumb fun. Frank Drebin Jr. is as comically clueless as his predecessor, and Neeson's serious dramatic pedigree makes the characters' straight-faced idiotic delivery just as effective as Nielsen's was in the earlier movies. And Anderson is an ideal femme fatale foil, playing into her typecasting while also making fun of it.
From Airplane! to Top Secret!, many parents and grandparents grew up watching these kinds of goofy spoofs and will likely laugh at this one until they can't breathe. And for teens, it's the kind of lowbrow humor that appeals but is also enough unlike what they're used to that they'll probably find it fresh, making it a goofy, great choice for families to enjoy together.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the type of humor used in The Naked Gun. What makes it a spoof? Why is it often funny when expectations are upended in a ludicrous way?
Did you find the violence realistic? Why, or why not? How does it compare to what you might see in a serious action/thriller movie? Which has more impact, and why?
Star Liam Neeson is best known for his serious, dramatic action roles, not comedy. Why does the casting work here?
Frank and Beth act with perseverance, although defiantly—they're both told not to pursue the case. Do you think there should be boundaries on tenaciousness?
What are the hallmarks of noir and cop action movies? How does The Naked Gun parody those genres?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 1, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : September 2, 2025
- Cast : Liam Neeson , Pamela Anderson , Paul Walter Hauser
- Director : Akiva Schaffer
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Paramount Pictures
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Adventures
- Character Strengths : Perseverance
- Run time : 85 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : crude/sexual material, violence/bloody images and brief partial nudity
- Last updated : September 4, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate