Customer Reviews

The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After the success of "The Naked Gun", a sequal was immediately written. After a three year interval, Drebin and Police Squad returned. The film is somewhat slow, and is definately not as good as the first. It does have some hysterical sequences and I was surprised when one was left out. When Frank and Quentin confront each other near the end, Quentin never tells Frank to stand "over there". Frank then answers "...where?" Quentin becomes distracted and points the gun to the wall. Frank takes it from him and Quentin repeats this routine on Frank. This scene appears on VHS but must have been left on the DVD cutting room floor.....

Watching this 1991 sequel to Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad, is like opening a time capsule. A slapstick comedy/satire set in Washington, DC, during the Presidency of George H. W. Bush, the plot involves the kidnapping of Dr. Albert Meinheimer (Richard Griffiths), the President's energy czar, who wants to reduce the country's pollution and its dependence on coal, oil, and nuclear power. Working as the Public Relations Director of the Meinheimer Institute, is Jane Spencer (Priscilla Presley), to whom Police Lt. Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) was once engaged (until he was found in a compromising situation with the Queen in Naked Gun I). Jane is now the lover of Quentin Hapsburg (Robert Goulet), who has planned the Meinheimer kidnapping.

Filled with sight gags, one-liners, parodies of other films, stock comedy routines, jokes hidden within the sets (a portrait of Mike Dukakis on the wall, for example), and non-stop action that runs amok, the plot is the least of director David Zucker's concerns. Lt. Drebin (Nielsen), his romance with Jane, and his constant missteps as an investigator serve as the primary focus. Goulet acts the suitably oily villain, and actors George Kennedy and O. J. Simpson, who work with Drebin, are as bumbling as he is.

In the opening scene, a Presidential reception hosted to honor Drebin by President George H. W. Bush (played by John Roarke, who is hilariously realistic), Drebin decks Barbara Bush several times (with Margery Ross, who plays the First Lady as a valiant trouper, always coming up smiling). The setting quickly changes to a strip joint, a bowling alley, and operating room, and eventually includes a bomb site, a blues bar, and a dance-reception before the chases start. Nelson and Winnie Mandela, John Sununu, and Davy Crockett have roles here, and ZsaZsa Gabor and Mel Torme appear in cameos.

The action is wild and wacky, and the gags (both verbal and visual) never cease. Love scenes add romance--or attempts at romance, since those, especially a seduction in which the two people are making a vase from wet clay in an art studio when the wheel goes out of control--are as off-the-wall as the rest of the film. Especially time-sensitive regarding O. J. Simpson, who dominates his scenes ironically in ways that he never did in 1991, when the film was made, Naked Gun 2 1/2 is a hilarious but poignant comedy--the energy problems of 1991 are, unfortunately, not all that different now. n Mary Whipple

Leslie does it again in naked Gun 2 1/2!
The 1 liners & almost cartoon-ish like props & examples in this movie will have you reeling in laughter!
I darn near pissed myself a couple of times!
Defiantely a good movie for comedy lovers!

Leslie Nielsen reprises his role as bumbling detecitve Frank Drebin in this hilarious sequel to the 1988 comedy hit "The Naked Gun". This second venture has Frank investigating a bombing in Washington D.C., only to find out about a plot to sabotage President Bush's (the father) environmental plan and destroy the environment, as organized by criminal mastermind Qunetin Hapsburg (Robert Goulet). It is up to Frank to stop this dastardly deed from taking place. It is also up to him to patch things up with his ex Jane Spencer (Priscilla Presley). This hysterical sequel to "The Naked Gun" brings back all the castmembers from the first one, as well as all the laughs. Another winner for Zucker, Abrahams, Zucker and Nielsen.

This movie is a classic. If you liked the 1st one in the series, or either of the Airplane! movies, or you like slapstic comedy, I HIGHLY reccommend you get this movie. It is every bit as funny as the first one, and I think everyone should own this movie.

THE NAKED GUN: 2 1/2: THE SMELL OF FEAR still makes you laugh. Excellent second feature (which made more money than it's original), you can't go wrong with this on DVD. Widescreen transfer, excellent sound, and once again, group commentary with David Zucker (Director/Writer), Robert Weiss (Producer) and Peter Tilden (Host) - which is still very funny, but not as rapid or as detailed as THE NAKED GUN. There are a few long periods of silence here and there which drop this commentary a star, but by no means detracts from the overall presentation of this DVD. If you already have the first, you'll want the second, and won't stop till you get to the third... so, buy them. An excellent addition to any collection and a must for fans.

This movie is very, very funny. But there are some jokes that go soaring over the top. Like, I wish I could laugh at the idea of O.J. Simpson being dragged through town by a city bus, but I just couldn't shake off the feeling that I felt so sorry for him. And making the bad guy explode by locking a fire hose in his mouth was both disgusting and very disturbing at the same time. But besides that, this movie has funny all over it, especially the ending. And I laughed harder at the credits than I laughed throughout the movie, especially the George Bush sound bite at the very end of the credits. So in short, see this movie, just don't see the either heart-wrenching, disturbing, or disgusting jokes that bumped this movie off the 5-star mark.

Unlike most sequels, Naked Gun 2 ½ goes above and beyond the spectacular first movie. Priscilla Presley just kept getting hotter and more beautiful as the series went on. Leslie Neilson, the modern day king of physical comedy is up to his old hijinx as Lt. Frank Dremond. This time Frank is after the masterminds who wish to bury the thought of clean energy and let the oil companies continue to give us high prices and pollution.

Gags that make the whole movie worth it.....

1. The shower/assassin scene. What a beautiful duet as he adjusts his silencer!
2. The Blue lounge, to include no Black Russians!
3. The Wistler's Mother birthmark. Stays on even with a sander!
4. A dinner with President Bush (watch those doors and lobster claws)
5. The final scene with hanging Barbera!

This is entertainment folks!

This movie is far less era sensitive than its predecessor, and just about anyone should be able to understand the humor behind the Smell of Fear. There is quite a lot of genius to this particular comedy, and the jokes just do not get old. Of the trilogy this film is the best. The title alone is worth a thousand laughs. If you only buy one Naked Gun movie, make this installment that movie. I think that if modern comedies were more like this than we'd have a lot more genuine laughs.

I am a big fan of the Naked Gun series. But was disappointed in this DVD. There where a couple of missing scenes and no extras to speak of, except the trailer. I geuss I just expected more.