The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear

Name: The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Released: June 28, 1991
Duration: 85 min
Rating: 65
Cast: Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley

1991

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 48 Ratings

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7.2

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7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 48 Ratings

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Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell Of Fear

Now Playing: Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell Of Fear

Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: June 28, 1991 | PG-13

Starring: Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley

Summary: Lieutenant Drebin discovers that his ex-girlfriend's new beau is involved in a plot to kidnap a scientist who advocates solar energy.

Director: David Zucker

Genre(s): Comedy, Crime

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 85 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Jay Carr

My only complaint about Naked Gun 2 1/2 is that it doesn't give you enough time to finish laughing at one gag before the next one comes along, cracking you up all over again. Naked Gun 2 1/2 is high-flying low comedy, 90 minutes of sublime nonsense that only the devoutly humorless could hate. [28 June 1991, p.69]

John Hartl

This is the swiftest, funniest, most lunatic comedy to date from the team that created "Top Secret," "The Naked Gun," "Ruthless People" and "Airplane!" [28 June 1991, p.23]

Owen Gleiberman

it’s consistently funny and inventive. Read full review

H.J. Kirchhoff

If there were an ounce of pretension in this, it would be unbearable. But it is clear that nobody in the film takes it seriously, and that everyone is having fun, and you just can't help having fun with them. [28 June 1991]

John F. Kelly

A bit of advice: Get to "The Naked Gun 2½" on time and plan to stay till they turn the lights back on. The opening and closing credits alone are almost worth the price of admission. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

The Naked Gun 2 1/2 is at least two-and-a-half times less funny than its hilarious 1988 progenitor. But even if the laugh machine isn't operating at top efficiency, it still cranks out a few choice bits of irreverent lunacy. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

A feeble sequel to The Naked Gun that's about one and a half rungs down from its predecessor and a good four or five down from Airplane! Read full review

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User Reviews

Kai82

Aug 15, 2020

The rare case were the sequel is equally good or even better. They master using tropes, stereotypes and abstruse situations to create a great comedy. It is again a parody of police movies and the story is about green energy and shady businesses. Leslie Nielsen is again Frank Drebin who getsThe rare case were the sequel is equally good or even better. They master using tropes, stereotypes and abstruse situations to create a great comedy. It is again a parody of police movies and the story is about green energy and shady businesses. Leslie Nielsen is again Frank Drebin who gets trough many of the most hilarious situations without losing his seriousness. This alone works so well. The other strength is the humor and writing by Zucker / Abrahams / Zucker. They took care that all jokes work. Practically you don't stop laughing as the satire, parodies and humorous nonsense takes over. The later parodies or spoof movies were just a line of gags put together without much care. Here it is like organically grown. With that I mean that non of the jokes is out of place. They all work really well and are creative for the setting and world building. The cast is also great and return to their respective roles. Priscilla Presley, George Kennedy and O. J. Simpson are so funny and entertaining. For the new cast we have Robert Hapsburg who is a great villain and Richard Griffion who does an excellent job in his 2 roles. I will also praise John Roarke who is an incredible President Bush. Overall this is a firework of gags and entertainment from a time were comedies or spoof movies were really good. A must recommendation see if you enjoy this kind of humor.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

gracjanski

Apr 22, 2020

Another classic movie with Leslie Nielsen full of funny scenes. You need to focus to get all the humour, just like in the first movie.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

eva3si0n

Mar 17, 2022

The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell Of Fear classic sequel. There is good black humor, the comedy is absurd too. You can recommend to anyone who liked the first part.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

amheretojudge

Mar 7, 2019

The Same Amount Of Bullets.

The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell Of Fear Zucker's another bourgeois case is more genuine than we usually get in such crime detective films. I have been scratching my head over the years to understand what makes this large scaled tomfoolery a success. From thisThe Same Amount Of Bullets.

The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell Of Fear

Zucker's another bourgeois case is more genuine than we usually get in such crime detective films. I have been scratching my head over the years to understand what makes this large scaled tomfoolery a success. From this installment of the franchise I could make my truce with believing that these guys are just aware of every possible angle a joke can be viewed from. This is how they are drawing their major laughs. So smooth and so smart is their vocab, utterly convincing in their benign ideologies, you HAVE to nod along with them.

And these are not just few chuckles or pity laughs, but to a point where you find yourself on floor, hoping for them to stop this stupidity and also wanting for more. The commitment on expressing those hilarious written words on screen is something that should come in handy in this genre. Always improvising and keeping true to their loud character developments and arcs of the film- it sounds preposterous to point that out- but it is true. Everytime you think that they are just goofing around, they are fooling you.

There is always that one piece of note that helps them end on a satisfying note, in here it is a workaholic Leslie Nielsen sacrificing his work for Priscilla Presley. The supporting cast are often the butt of the joke but it's their blatant fumbles and ignorance that helps Nielson repeat his mistakes. Gags that soars above all are a thrilling dancing number, a sensual spoof encounter between lead characters, an old lady beaten unknowingly by Nielsen, all the given speeches in the film and him attempting to uncuff himself. The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell Of Fear frankly smells funny, hold on to your seat, this sequel respects the childishness of its prequel.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

MattBrady99

Aug 17, 2021

Roger Ebert was right about Leslie Nielsen, he was "the Laurence Olivier of spoofs".

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

imthenoob

Dec 12, 2019

The plot kind of takes away from the comedy a little bit IMO. It's still a fun movie to watch but nowhere near as good as the original.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MATM

Apr 22, 2021

This movie really isn't good, but I will admit that it had me chuckling many times. I give it a D, just don’t bother.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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