Leslie Nielsen and Jeannette Charles
Writer: Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Pat Proft
Director: David Zucker
Notable Actors: Leslie Nielsen, Ricardo Montalban
I’ve always been reluctant to watch this, due to its similar vein to Airplane!, which I was utterly unimpressed with. With the exception of Johnny, who I could happily quote forever.
Usually if it’s taking me awhile to catch up with reviews I have no problem recalling those special moments I filed away to comment upon. With The Naked Gun I’ve a problem, because there weren’t any. Bam-bam-bam smack me in the stomach with laughter, sure, but nothing that really stood out. At least Airplane! had Johnny.
Perhaps I’m being unfair, after all the underused O.J. Simpson’s Nordberg was a masterpiece. I feel I should point out I had intended to use the phrase ‘criminally underused’ until I realised who the actor was.
Maybe I should’ve made myself familiar with Police Squad before attempting this, as perhaps things would’ve been easier to sink into then. Not that it wasn’t fun. I just wish I’d been arrested (ok, I’ll stop).
The odd thing here is all the performances, barring the (perhaps intentional) manikin of Priscillia Presley’s Jane, are incredible. Ricardo Montalban’s villain is, oddly, truly fearful while being utterly comical…and hey! It’s the granddad from Spy Kids! Awesome.
The Naked Gun still rubbed me in all the wrong ways. I finished the film extremely unsatisfied and wondering why I watched it on TV rather than pay for it.
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