Liam Neeson has been a quietly gifted comedy actor for years, and The Naked Gun is finally giving him the right comic showcase. The Naked Gun is the latest legacy sequel to hit the big screen. However, few have generated the overwhelmingly positive response that the Liam Neeson-led comedy has. As of this writing, the film is sitting pretty with a 91% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics are largely in agreement that Neeson delivers a fantastically funny performance as Frank Drebin Jr., the son of the franchise’s former protagonist.
This might come as a surprise to fans of Liam Neeson’s movies, many of which cast him as a grizzled action hero or rely on his dramatic skills for character pathos. However, the seasoned star has been quietly delivering great comedy performances for years. While he hasn’t embraced the genre as readily as he does in The Naked Gun, Liam Neeson’s comic turn shouldn’t come as a surprise, given some of Neeson’s most memorable surprise appearances.
Liam Neeson Is The Perfect Actor For The Naked Gun Sequel
Neeson And Nielsen Share A Unique Acting Talent
Liam Neeson is the perfect modern actor to take up the mantle of The Naked Gun‘s comic lead, highlighting just how funny the actor has always been. A big part of the comedic appeal of the original Naked Gun films (as well as the Police Squad series that preceded it) was the ᴅᴇᴀᴅpan delivery of Leslie Nielsen.
In the openly cartoonish world of The Naked Gun, the straight-faced commitment that Nieslen brought to the role was a big part of the joke. While he wasn’t stoic by any stretch of the imagination, Drebin was a fully realized character in his wacky world. This ensured the comedy never felt forced, making Nielsen’s goofiest turns feel like natural character beats.
Liam Neeson has mastered a similar approach, with many of The Naked Gun‘s best gags landing thanks to his similarly committed performance. After decades as an action icon and dramatic legend, Neeson’s innate sense of authority and confidence make his more comedic moments all the more ridiculous.
Similar to how Nielsen was largely regarded as a dramatic actor until late in his career, Neeson has maintained an enduring place in modern cinema’s pantheon of heroic leading men. Both actors also have a keen ability to translate that into a powerful delivery of the most ridiculous of lines. It’s a rare comic talent that Liam Neeson has perfected for The Naked Gun.
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While The Naked Gun is Liam Neeson’s most high-profile comedy performance to date, it’s far from the first. Neeson has been quietly cracking up audiences for years, largely in minor roles or cameo appearances that highlight his comic talents or poke fun at his public persona.
On shows like The Simpsons and Derry Girls, Neeson leans into his Irish heritage to create a fleshed-out (and silly) take on the Catholic priest and a police sergeant archetypes. Neeson brings a silly humanity to the roles, ensuring they’re still clear characters even while playing into the specific comic tone of their respective shows.
In other cases, Liam Neeson has played a direct parody of himself to great effect. Family Guy and Saturday Night Live both allowed the actor to tease himself and the general public’s view of him, with the latter even featuring him in multiple cameos over the years.
His darkly hilarious improv suggestions in Life’s Too Short or weirdly intense questions about Trix in Ted 2 are some of his best previous comedic performances, showcasing why he was the right choice for The Naked Gun. There’s a willingness to fully commit to a weird personality tic or bizarre trait that is perfectly suited for The Naked Gun‘s style of comedy.
The Naked Gun Will Finally Make Liam Neeson A Comedy Icon
Frank Drebin Jr. Proves Neeson Has Real Comic Potential
The Naked Gun casting Liam Neeson in the lead role makes perfect sense, especially with Family Guy and Ted creator Seth MacFarlane involved as an executive producer. Neeson brings a commitment to the bit that any good ᴅᴇᴀᴅpan comedy moment needs, Neeson’s natural gravitas escalating the absurdity of the line.
Beyond that, Neeson’s work in The Naked Gun highlights the comic versatility Neeson brings to his performances. Neeson can deliver clever wordplay without batting an eye or play dumb with a quick turn, his steely gaze becoming dumbfounded as part of a punchline. It’s such a departure from what audiences expect of him that it brings an additional layer to the joke.
It may have taken decades and a starring role in The Naked Gun, but Hollywood is finally ready for Liam Neeson, comedy star.
Scenes like Frank’s race to find a restroom highlight his ability to take things to the extreme. The film’s plethora of visual gags (like running around with a coat on his head or using a suspect’s severed arms to beat him) proves Neeson isn’t above throwing himself headlong into slapstick. The Naked Gun proves Neeson can do lots of different types of comedy.
The Naked Gun works on a lot of levels, but the most important is Liam Neeson’s lead performance. I hope it’s indicative of a wider shift towards more comedies for Neeson, who has proven he can nail all sorts of comedic styles. It may have taken decades and a starring role in The Naked Gun, but Hollywood is finally ready for Liam Neeson, comedy star.
