The Naked Gun Slyly Pokes Fun At Liam Neeson’s Problematic History

It’s a query that has been on many minds within the final a number of years: is there a manner for the famously “canceled” to make a comeback? For some public figures, their misdeeds are so clearly past the pale that they need to by no means even try a comeback. These are the Harvey Weinsteins, the Kevin Spaceys, and the Bill Cosbys of the world: folks whose crimes should not enable them to be functioning members of society, not to mention have regular careers in leisure. For everybody else, nonetheless, issues will not be so minimize and dried. Mistakes are distressingly simple to make, and the street to Hell is certainly typically paved with good intentions. Yet our lives and tradition today are written in digital ink, not pencil, and it may be troublesome for anybody to maneuver on when the dangerous phrases or deeds are nonetheless available to re-experience on the click on of a button.

This is a matter confronted by actor Liam Neeson, who rightfully discovered himself in sizzling water after an interview he gave to The Independent in 2019 whereas selling his then-latest movie, “Cold Pursuit.” In the interview, Neeson was truly making an attempt to atone for his previous “awful” habits, involving a darkish time in his life when a pal of his was raped and listening to from her that she believed her rapist was a Black individual. Neeson confessed to wandering round London in search of a combat with any Black man he encountered. Although the purpose of his confession was to apologize for even having the considered enacting blind revenge with a racist theme to it, his phrases unfold like wildfire and broken his public repute.

Since then, Neeson has publicly apologized quite a few instances, and whereas his feedback and half-actions have actually not been excused, they appear to have been forgiven. The actor appeared as himself in “Atlanta” season 3,” in a cameo which boldly plays around with Neeson’s persona and the concept of his cancellation. Neeson’s new reboot of “The Naked Gun” additionally acknowledges his problematic historical past, and does so in a manner that enables folks (Neeson particularly) to maneuver ahead by laughing at it somewhat than letting it fester unmentioned.

Although Neeson made a proper public apology on an episode of “Good Morning America,” evidently the actor has since realized that laughter can actually be one of the best medication, and that poking enjoyable at himself goes a good distance. Even earlier than his controversial feedback ever occurred, as his appearances in “Life’s Too Short,” “A Million Ways to Die in the West,” and “The Lego Movie” made Neeson understand his stern, brooding display screen persona could possibly be effectively utilized in a comedic context. So, when given the chance to succeed Leslie Nielsen because the comedy-played-straight lead in “The Naked Gun,” the actor dives in headfirst.

“The Naked Gun” may’ve merely coasted on Neeson’s comedic depth, however the movie goes a number of steps additional, integrating some social commentary into the proceedings. The villain is an unscrupulous billionaire named Richard Cane (Danny Huston), a thinly-veiled analog for the a number of comparable males we have now to take care of in the actual world. Cane’s dastardly plot is to ship the world into such primal chaos that it might go away himself and his fellow elite billionaires essentially the most competent folks on the planet, and that this new society would enable them to say and do all of the issues white males really feel they have been barred from. Cane at first believes he can persuade the vigilante Detective Frank Drebin Jr. (Neeson) that such a world can be an enchancment, leaning on the persecution complicated that too many white males have given to themselves currently. Thankfully, although Drebin could also be a buffoon, he isn’t that a lot of a buffoon.

Director/co-writer Akiva Schaffer throws in one other allusion to Neeson’s previous in a while, when he dissuades Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson) from executing Cane out of revenge for her murdered brother. Drebin offers Beth an impassioned speech about how gaining revenge can turn into dangerously addictive, solely it is bought the additional comedic twist of Drebin explaining that it is as a result of an individual would discover it too superior to let go. By having the actor satirize his personal poisonous masculinity and the revenge fantasies he harbored as a youthful man, Schaffer and Neeson assist take the sting out of the previous — not not like what Will Smith did in final yr’s “Bad Boys Ride or Die.”

Despite his missteps, it is usually true that nobody would put Neeson in the identical class as a Weinstein or Cosby. However, there isn’t any query that social media could make it seem to be any transgression is grounds for capital punishment, given how vitriolic and overwhelmingly hostile folks can behave on-line. Ironically, “The Naked Gun” will not be the one film presently in theaters that offers humorously with the theme of unchecked toxicity and getting back from a tarnished repute. 

The different film is “Superman,” a movie which posits that kindness could be a radical “punk rock” act. If the movie had been made many years in the past, such a sentiment might sound far too corny, however within the environment of 2025, it nearly appears revolutionary. In “Superman,” Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) reveals that he has a military of clever monkeys contantly typing away on social media apps, all within the service of soiling the general public picture of Superman (David Corenswet). Gunn has loads of private expertise with on-line hordes of haters, whether or not or not it’s the cultish followers of Zack Snyder or the right-wing grifters who nearly bought him fired from his “Guardians of the Galazy” gig again within the day.

Both “Superman” and “The Naked Gun” deftly introduce their social commentary from a perspective of frequent sense somewhat than radicalized ardour. There is a spot for uncompromising protest, little question, and but movies are inclined to have better results as empathy machines in the event that they Trojan-horse of their commentary. In the case of “The Naked Gun,” Schaffer is aware of when to wink on the viewers in addition to when to take a subtler method be taken. With Neeson, a person who clearly appears to be contrite, the film pokes enjoyable. When it involves referencing the legacy character of Nordberg, who was performed by OJ Simpson within the unique “Naked Gun” motion pictures, the movie merely has his descendant (Moses Jones) give a understanding look to the digital camera and shake his head. It signifies that Nordberg Jr. is not going to be fawning over his father like his coworkers, and neither will the movie try to rehabilitate Simpson’s picture.

So, whereas there isn’t any actual playbook or rulebook for somebody to reform themselves within the public eye after turning into problematic, the way in which that Liam Neeson has publicly addressed and atoned for his previous makes for a good sufficient guideline. After all, joke goes a good distance.