The verdict is in: the fourth instalment of The Naked Gun franchise is officially funny.

Liam Neeson fills Leslie Nielson’s hefty shoes playing his son, Frank Drebin Jr., a lieutenant in the fictional Police Squad, and sets out to stop an Elon Musk-like tech villain named Richard Cane (Danny Huston). From the opening bank robbery scene where Drebin Jr. finds an inventive disguise to gain access to the heist taking place, it’s clear the film picks up tonally right where Naked Gun 33 1/3 left off way back in 1994.

There are countless easter eggs to find for fans of the originals, and some are not so hidden like a hilarious Nordberg (aka O.J. Simpson) reference early on in the picture. Fans of spoof comedy can rest assured the genre is alive and well here: cue a recurring gag where coffee cups of increasing size are handed to Drebin Jr. and Ed Hocken Jr. (yes, the son of Capt. Ed Hocken portrayed by Paul Walter Hauser) from anywhere and everywhere (even into a moving car’s window). 

After a hiatus from Hollywood these past few years, Pamela Anderson is a welcome addition to the cast as the mysterious true-crime novelist Beth Davenport. Her chemistry with Neeson is instantly evident — so much so the pair is sparking rumours of a real-life romance — and they play off each other wonderfully while attempting to thwart an evil plan to take over the world. Delightful cameos from the former trilogy and present pop culture are sprinkled throughout, including a couple of faces professional wrestling fans might recognize. 

The movie, which is packed into a tight 85-minute runtime, is directed by Akiva Schaffer of Lonely Island fame. Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane serves as producer, a not-so-surprising fact given the slapstick humour and randomness depicted throughout. 

The Naked Gun is in theatres is now.