Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for The Naked Gun.
Although an attempt to rebootThe Naked Gunwas always going to be met with some hesitation from longtime fans of the trilogy starringLeslie Nielsen,Akiva Schaffer’s new film made the brilliant decision to castLiam Neesonin the role of Frank Drebin Jr. Given that Neeson has becomesynonymous with gritty action thrillerslikeTakenandThe Commuter, it is hilarious to see him cast against type as the goofy, incompetent son of Nielsen’s character from the original films. Neeson is joined by an extensive cast who seem to understand the unique brand of humor that makesThe Naked Gundifferent from most comedies. However,Danny Hustonis a surprising standout in the role of Richard Crane, the main villain who wants to unleash global chaos.
Huston is an acclaimed actorwho has played many villainous roles before in films such asThe Proposition,Children of Men,Horizon: An American Saga, and30 Days of Night, butThe Naked Gunis pitched at a very different tone. Given how ridiculously over-the-top Neeson’s performance is, it would have been a mistake forThe Naked Gunto have an antagonist who was even goofier; instead,Huston plays the role straight, which becomes increasingly hilarious given how wild the film becomes.IfThe Naked Gunis a success, it could spark interest in a sequel, but it may be challenging to find a new antagonist who has the same mix of obliviousness and narcissism that made Huston’s performance as Crane so effective.
Who Does Danny Huston Play in ‘The Naked Gun?'
Given thatThe Naked Gunis a spoof that intends to lampoon cliches within other action films,Huston is cast in the most stereotypical role possible. Huston’s Richard Crane is the epitome of an evil businessman who wants to use his technology to make “lesser” people suffer. Crane plans to use a device (which the film comically refers to as the “P.L.O.T. Device”) to unleash a transmission that will cause people to enter into an animalistic state, wreaking havoc and causing violence. Huston is able to deliver the details of his plan with a straight face, even though it is evident that Crane has not thought through the ramifications of what this might entail. He’s a character who’s described as being so evil that he evenhates the henchmen and co-conspiratorswho work under him. The unsubstantiated anger that Huston adds to the character offers a perfect counterbalance to Neeson, who tries to portray Drebin as someone who genuinely means well.
Huston has a self-serious demeanorthat makes the film even funnier, as Crane doesn’t acknowledge the silly things that are going on in the background. It’s shown in multiple instances that Drebin is highly incompetent and manages to make bad situations even worse, but Crane still treats him as a serious threat. As with many productions byThe Lonely Island,The Naked Gunis filled with visual gags that only audiences that are paying close attention will pick up on. The film wouldn’t feel nearly as smooth if these jokes received unnecessary attention, which makes it even funnier when Crane strolls through these situations acting like it is normal.The Naked Gunalso lampoons the paradox that is inherent to most action movie villains; while Crane has seemingly thought ahead to make an elaborate plan, he also makes obvious mistakes (such as not killingPamela Anderson’s Beth Davenport) that predate his downfall.
One of Liam Neeson’s Darkest Roles Was in a Coen Brothers Western
It’s a bit surprising that it took until 2017 for Neeson to finally work with Joel and Ethan Coen.
Richard Cane Is a Perfect Spoof Movie Villain
Hustonfulfills the legacy of the franchise, as the originalThe Naked Gun: From The Files of Police Squad!featured the main antagonist Vincent Ludwig, played byRicardo Montalbán. Like Montalbán, Huston is an actor who is best known for his dramatic roles, which makes it more subversive when he starts delivering the goofy dialogue from Schaffer. Unlike a film likeDeadpoolorFree Guy, the characters inThe Naked Gundon’t realize that they’re being funny, as the humor comes from their lack of self-awareness. Even though Huston’s dialogue is filled with puns, Freudian references, and comically absurd exposition, he still delivers it with the same gravity that he would have brought toJohn AdamsorThe Aviator. Huston fulfills this task up until the end, in which Crane reveals the justification for his evil plan; the confusing, contradictory argument he makes about wanting to revert humanity to its “natural state” is a hilarious parody of the “villain speech” that often appears in blockbuster films.
Huston was an unexpectedcasting choice forThe Naked Gun,as other co-stars likePaul Walter Hauserand Anderson had at least some background in comedy. The inherent menace that Huston brought to the role helps to make the film’s climax even more effective, as the tension that Crane established is undercut when he is revealed to be a complete coward. Given how quickThe Naked Gunis on its feet and how many jokes fly by, it could have been easy for the role of the main villain to be somewhat thankless. However, Huston brought a self-deprecating sense of humor to the role and perfectly played a character who is not in on the joke.
The Naked Gun
