Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson's 'The Naked Gun' reboot is a worthy legacy sequel

"The Naked Gun” legacy, which began with the Leslie Nielsen movies, is in good hands with the next generation.

In the Liam Neeson reboot, Neeson stars as Frank Drebin Jr., son of Nielsen’s detective in the original film. Similar to his dad, Drebin Jr. also works with the Police Squad.

Drebin takes up the case of a man killed in a mysterious car crash, the brother of Beth Davenport, played by Pamela Anderson.

That is the most straightforward description for a movie that gets delightfully zany and almost apocalyptic, thanks to the evil plan of a tech billionaire, Richard Cane (Danny Huston).

“The Naked Gun” is packed wall to wall with gags and outright silliness befitting the original. From a running gag where Neeson and his partner, Hocken Jr (Paul Walter Hauser) are constantly being handed to go cups of coffee to an impassioned speech lamenting the loss of a Tivo full of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” episodes, there’s a wide variety of laughs to be had.

That’s thanks to a script from Dan Gregor, Doug Mand, and Akiva Schaffer, who also directs, and producer Seth MacFarlane. Fans of “Family Guy” will recognize some of the same humor, but it’s full circle considering all four creatives were clearly so influenced by the original.

The comedic performances are top notch as well. Neeson is obviously the primary draw, playing on his tough guy persona from the “Taken” franchise and other action movies he’s starred in for the past two decades. In “The Naked Gun,” he brings that seriousness to the goofiest scenarios, like a mad dash to the bathroom after one too many chili dogs.

The supporting cast shines as well. Anderson continues her winning streak with a charming and hilarious performance, including a scene displaying a hidden talent. You’ll have to see the movie to discover the talent, we won’t spoil it for you here. Huston, often cast as a villain as he is here, gets to be dead pan silly and is clearly having a good time.

As often as reboots and legacy sequels get derided, “The Naked Gun” is the rare one that perfectly lives up to the original. It also pulls double duty, by carrying the torch and creating a path to connect with a new generation.

“The Naked Gun” is in theaters August 1.