Ege Alidedeoglu / The Hoya
It has been 37 years since the 1988 release of “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!”, yet its bawdy, slapstick and tongue-in-cheek humor stands the test of time. The spoof is centered around the comedic genius of Leslie Nielsen as his character, Lieutenant Frank Drebin of Police Squad, uncovers a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II (Jeannette Charles). Drebin’s attempts to thwart the assassination are filled with ridiculous scenarios and memorable moments.
The movie begins with Lt. Drebin foiling the schemes of former U.S. political enemies (including Amin, Khomeini and Gorbachev) in Beirut. As he returns home, he must investigate the attempted murder of his fellow officer Nordberg (O.J. Simpson) who was shot investigating criminal dealings on a ship owned by Vincent Ludwig (Ricardo Montalbán), a wealthy businessman. Once realizing that Drebin knows more about his criminal connections than he should, Ludwig asks his assistant Jane (Priscilla Presley) to falsely befriend Drebin and determine if he is a threat. As the Police Squad is asked to act as security for Queen Elizabeth II’s upcoming visit, Ludwig commences a plan to assassinate the Queen using hypnosis.
Unfortunately, after attempting to save the Queen from what he believed to be a shooting, Drebin is fired. Learning that the assassination attempt on the queen will happen during a baseball game at Anaheim’s Angel Stadium, Drebin unsuccessfully attempts to frisk every player during the game, missing Reggie Jackson (played by himself), the hypnotized assassin. The entire scene is one of the most iconic in comedy history, and balances both hilarity and suspense. After failing to hit the Queen, Jackson is crushed by a woman tranquilized by Drebin, saving the Queen’s life. Ludwig also falls off the side of the stadium, triggering his hypnosis beeper and activating Jane as a killer. Drebin, however, is able to disarm her by professing his love and proposing to her. While the ending can seem nonsensical and overly ridiculous, I found it to contain the perfect amount of spontaneity while making a final return to a recurring gag.
“Naked Gun” is a fantastic spoof on traditional detective and James Bond-esque dramas. It is fully aware of how ridiculous it is and capitalizes on its own humor. Whether it is through the over-dramatization of physical comedy or hilarious innuendos, “Naked Gun” proves itself to be a classic and timeless comedy. The satirical nature of the film is exemplified in a quote from Drebin after he is fired from the Squad: “Just think, the next time I shoot someone, I could be arrested!” Quotes of similar nature kept me laughing throughout the entire film. There is genuinely never a dull moment in the witty screenplay by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker, the creative trio behind the genius of “Airplane!,” “Top Secret!,” and part of the writing teams for “Scary Movie 3” and “Scary Movie 4.” Their signature comedic style shines bright in the endless amounts of slapstick comedy and running gags. I found humor in “Naked Gun” everywhere I looked, and I genuinely feel as if there is something for everyone to laugh at.
The use of constant misunderstandings between nearly every character contributes to the film’s consistent pacing and hilarity. As is to be expected of a spoof, however, there is no dimensionality to the characters, with the movie choosing to portray them as the caricatures each actor represents. Drebin is the traditional hard-boiled detective with a troubled past, while Jane is the stereotypical Bond-girl-esque love interest with little personality except for being a pawn in the villain’s schemes. However, the actors’ effective use of comedy, through Nielsen’s deadpan deliveries and Presley’s unexpected comedic timing, do a lot to elevate their characters into unforgettable ones. In fact, “Naked Gun” succeeded in launching a long-lived film series, with “The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear” (1991), “Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult” (1994) and “The Naked Gun” (2025) also becoming classics in the highly influential franchise.
Overall, I found “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” to be a goofy but unforgettable parody with hilarious and effective gags all the way through. Whether you are looking to watch one of the spoof genre’s foundational movies or for a fun and easy late-night watch, I would highly recommend “The Naked Gun.” Its timeless plot and nearly spotless execution make it a resonating movie today and one that will stay a classic for years to come.