Every once in a while, a movie comes along that inspires people to be more than who they are.To Kill a Mockingbird,Rocky,The Shawshank Redemption,The Naked Gun, and… sorry, did I lose you? Where? Remember, Rocky didn’t win in the first movie. It was about overcoming one’s obstacles and lot in life, aspiring to something better… No? Okay, notShawshank… Is itThe Naked Gun? Ah, I see.Well, friend, I see we have two differing opinions: the right one, and yours.
You need to understand that my life has literally been built uponAirplane!,Police Squad!, andThe Naked Gunfilms. “Surely you can’t be serious” is always answered with, “Yes, I am… and don’t call me Shirley.” Every, “Hey, what’s up?” is met with “It’s aDisney/Pixar movieabout a house with balloons, but that’s not important right now.” I’ve literally had conversations that go “Coffee?” “Yes, I know.” So the upcomingThe Naked Gunreboot, opening on August 1, is one I approach with cautious optimism. Not because I want to, but because I need to.I need to believe thatThe Naked Gunreboot is going to be good. For the sake of humanity.
Comedy Has Forgotten Why ‘The Naked Gun’ Works
The team of Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker, the trio behindAirplane!, used the same formula and applied it to the police procedural with the 1982 seriesPolice Squad!The series was brilliant, but ended up being axed after only airing four episodes, with a network executive basically implying thejokes were too smart for viewers(TV Guide calls it"the most stupid reason a network ever gave for ending a series").The successful move ofPolice Squad!to film asThe Naked Gunproved TV Guide right, and it stuck to what made the series andAirplane!work: the plot exists largely as a means of moving along a non-stop series of sight gags and wordplay, the lines are delivered in deadpan, and the film itself aspires to be nothing more than a straight-up comedy.
The 10 Best ‘The Naked Gun’ Quotes, Ranked
“I’ve got nine more…”
But since then, comedy has changed, and the genre has suffered for it.Rare is the comedythat doesn’t have the protagonist come to some sort of self-redemption or revelation in the final act (even a groundbreaking, acclaimed comedy likeBridesmaidshas its protagonist,Kristen Wiig’s Annie, turn her life around). Comedies that exist as nothing more than a straight-through comedy are few and far between at the local theater, and those that do are neutered by political correctness. Comedy has been eclipsed by the rise of the so-called dramedy, and today’s audiences prefer to get their laughs in 30-second bits on social media, not necessarily willing to sit through films waiting for the funny bits.
‘The Naked Gun’ Needs To Save Comedy
For a fella like me who enjoys his comedies sight-gag and pun-heavy, the dearth of comedy for comedy’s sake has been painful.But the good news is thatThe Naked Gunhas the elements it needs in its DNA to succeed. Presuming the reboot sticks to what worked the first time around (fingers crossed), then those jokes coming at a rapid-fire pace are actually perfect for audiences that have become accustomed to comedy in quick shots. A straight-ahead comedy with no lessons learned, too, is perfect for moviegoers in a world only too quick to pass judgment on lessons that don’t coincide with their own ideals.You’re either p**sed off going in, or you’re fine.
The trailer has one hilarious moment that referencesO.J. Simpson(who played Nordberg in the original), which suggests that it’s not afraid to shake the politically correct tree. And you know thatthe upcoming filmthat pairsKendrick LamarwithSouth Park’sTrey ParkerandMatt Stoneis going to leave political correctness crying in a corner somewhere, which is refreshing.So please,The Naked Gunreboot, don’t compromise, do honor your past, and succeed. I, we, but mostly I, need you more than wordplay can say.
The Naked Gun
