The Naked Gun - Review

·20 min·2 clips

Mark and Ryan admit they almost skipped watching the Liam Neeson Naked Gun reboot, rolling their eyes for weeks.

The episode opens with hosts Mark and Ryan introducing their review of The Naked Gun reboot, releasing in theaters on August 1st. Both hosts express initial reluctance, with Ryan noting he almost skipped watching it and Mark rolling his eyes beforehand. They discuss the film's brisk 85-minute runtime and PG-13 rating. Ryan admits he has seen all three original Naked Gun films but is generally indifferent to the parody genre. The hosts compare the original films to later parody movies like Scary Movie, acknowledging the Naked Gun style as superior. Early in the review, Ryan reveals that just five minutes into the film, he turned to Mark and quoted Rick and Morty, signaling his unexpected enjoyment. They analyze Liam Neeson's performance, explaining that his comedy stems from playing Frank Drebin with ultra-serious deadpan, similar to Leslie Nielsen's approach. The hosts praise Pam Anderson's natural delivery and Paul Walter Hauser's straight-faced partner role. They mention supporting cast members like Danny Huston as the villain, CCH Pounder as the police chief, and Kevin Durand and Busta Rhymes in smaller roles. The discussion touches on a particularly disturbing body-cam sequence and an unexpected cameo at the end. Mark shares that a friend, Scott, summarized the film by saying 'they understood the assignment,' which the hosts agree with. They debate whether the film's humor is 'woke' or transgressive, citing a scene where Danny Huston's character uses a controversial word. The hosts note the audience's frequent laughter during their screening, which reinforced their positive impression. They speculate on how younger viewers in their 20s might perceive the film's parody of older police drama tropes. The episode concludes with a call for listener feedback, especially from younger audiences, and promotional details for the podcast.

As heard by us

A skeptical reboot check turns into a sharp appreciation of The Naked Gun's deadpan comic machinery.

The episode frames The Naked Gun as a cautious test case for reboot fatigue, with the hosts bringing real skepticism to a series Mark says was never central to his wheelhouse. That hesitation does not last long.

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Why you'd press play

You want a brisk check on whether Liam Neeson's 85-minute The Naked Gun makes its deadpan reboot case.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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