"Naked Gun" reboot starring Liam Neeson drops first trailer

We say that not as naysayers regarding this project, frankly. Maybe you can chalk that up to the fact we've really been enjoying "The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast" and this reboot is directed by Lonely Island member Akiva Shaffer. Plus, if there is any franchise that merits, and probably desires, an utter lack of sanctity, it's "The Naked Gun." The original trilogy, starring the late Leslie Nielsen, was packed wall-to-wall with jokes, many of them of the lowbrow variety, and containing not a modicum of self-seriousness. Also, "33 1/3" is kinda bad, so this reboot has a low bar to clear.

Not only that, but Liam Neeson is on board as Frank Drebin Jr., lampooning his own on-screen persona as an action-movie badass of the highest order. As for the trailer, well, it's brief, and it's mostly built around one absurd set piece. All in all, it's...okay. Our interest in the film did not grow nor did it wane. It certainly caught fire online, though. In a day's time it had racked up six million views. Of course, the next step is getting those people into theaters to see a comedy movie. That is a tough task in modern times.

"The Naked Gun" comes out on August 1. Go see it if you care about comedy as a viable theatrical genre.