Released in 1991 as the second movie in the popular comedy series, "The Naked Gun 21/2: The Smell of Fear" brings back the clumsy but good-hearted police detective Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) for another crazy case that could affect the whole country. Directed by David Zucker and keeping the same silly humor as the first movie, this sequel makes fun of environmental issues and greedy corporations while delivering the same fast jokes and straight-faced comedy that made the original so loved.
"The Naked Gun 21/2: The Smell of Fear" was a massive hit that proved sequels could work when done right. Made for just $23 million, the film earned an incredible $192 million worldwide - that's more than eight times what it cost to make. The movie became the 10th highest-grossing film of 1991 in America, beating out many big-budget blockbusters with nothing but smart comedy and Leslie Nielsen's perfect timing. This huge success showed that audiences were starving for good laughs and helped make Nielsen one of the biggest comedy stars of the '90s.
With Nielsen once again playing his character completely seriously even when the most ridiculous things are happening around him, the film mixes love story problems with wild action scenes and physical comedy that makes you laugh out loud, creating a great follow-up that works both as a funny parody of cop movies and as pure entertainment.
The Story
The movie starts with President George H.W. Bush announcing that America's new energy policy will be based on recommendations from Dr. Albert Meinheimer, a scientist who wants the country to use clean, renewable energy instead of oil, coal, and nuclear power. This makes the big energy company bosses really angry because they'll lose tons of money.
Meanwhile, Frank Drebin's old girlfriend Jane Spencer is working late at Dr. Meinheimer's research building when she sees a suspicious guy leaving in a van. Soon after, there's a huge explosion that destroys part of the building. The next morning, Frank shows up to investigate the bombing and runs into Jane again. But here's the awkward part - Jane now has a new boyfriend named Quentin Hapsburg, who works for an oil company. Frank gets super jealous and starts acting weird around them.
What Frank doesn't know is that Quentin is actually the bad guy! Quentin is secretly meeting with all the energy company leaders to plan something terrible. They've found a guy named Earl Hacker who looks exactly like Dr. Meinheimer, and they're going to kidnap the real doctor and replace him with the fake one. The fake doctor will then tell the President to keep using oil and coal instead of switching to clean energy.
The bad guys kidnap Dr. Meinheimer and tie him up in a warehouse. Meanwhile, Frank and the police are trying to catch Hector Savage, the bomber Jane saw that night. During the chase, Frank accidentally drives a police tank through someone's house and crashes into the city zoo, which lets all the animals escape into the streets. This part had me laughing so hard because you see elephants and zebras just running around downtown!
At a fancy party, Frank notices that "Dr. Meinheimer" doesn't remember meeting him before, even though the real doctor has a perfect memory. Frank gets suspicious and goes to Jane's apartment to ask her about it. While he's there, Hector Savage breaks in and tries to kill Jane in the shower. Frank saves her by shoving a fire hose down Savage's throat and filling him with water until he explodes like a balloon! It's gross but hilarious at the same time.
Frank and the police figure out where the real Dr. Meinheimer is being held and go to rescue him. But Frank gets caught and tied up too. Eventually they escape and rush to a big dinner where the fake doctor is supposed to give his speech. Frank, his boss Ed, and his partner Nordberg dress up like a mariachi band to sneak into the building, which is one of the funniest scenes in the movie.
They catch the fake doctor and make him confess, but then Quentin grabs Jane and runs to the roof. It turns out he's planted a small nuclear bomb that will kill everyone in the building! Frank chases him up there and tries to get the code to stop the bomb, but Ed throws Quentin out the window. Amazingly, Quentin bounces off an awning and lands safely on the sidewalk - but then one of the escaped lions from the zoo comes out of nowhere and eats him!
Frank and Jane try to disarm the bomb but can't figure out the code. With just seconds left, Frank accidentally trips over the power cord and unplugs the whole thing. The President gives Frank a medal and offers him a big promotion, but Frank says no and proposes to Jane instead.
My Thoughts
I have to say, this movie had me cracking up from start to finish. Leslie Nielsen is absolutely perfect as Frank Drebin - he delivers every ridiculous line with such a straight face that it makes everything ten times funnier. My favorite parts were when he's trying to be serious but everything around him is completely insane.
The relationship stuff between Frank and Jane felt real even though everything else was crazy. You can tell they really care about each other, but Frank is so jealous and awkward that he keeps messing things up. Priscilla Presley does a great job as Jane - she's not just there to look pretty, she actually has good chemistry with Nielsen and gets some funny moments of her own.
Robert Goulet is wonderfully slimy as the villain Quentin. He's so obviously evil that it's funny how long it takes everyone to figure it out. And Richard Griffiths playing both the real doctor and his evil twin is brilliant - you can barely tell them apart, which is exactly the point.
What I loved most was how every single joke is set up perfectly. Like when the lion eats Quentin at the end - earlier in the movie, Frank crashed into the zoo and all the animals escaped. So it's not just random that a lion shows up, it actually makes sense! The writers were really smart about connecting all their gags.
The action scenes are hilarious because Frank is supposedly this great cop but he's actually terrible at his job. When he drives the tank through the house, or when he's trying to sneak around in the mariachi outfit, everything goes wrong in the funniest possible way.
Some of the jokes are pretty silly and might seem dated now, but honestly that just adds to the charm. This movie isn't trying to be sophisticated - it just wants to make you laugh, and it definitely succeeds.
Comparing this to the prequel
I've seen the first Naked Gun movie, and while both are great, I think this one might actually be funnier. The first movie had to spend time introducing all the characters, but this one jumps right into the comedy. Every scene has multiple jokes, and they come so fast that you might miss some if you're still laughing at the previous one.
The movie reminds me of old cartoons where characters can survive anything and the most ridiculous things happen without explanation. But unlike modern comedies that rely on being mean or shocking, this movie is just pure silly fun that anyone can enjoy.
Final Thoughts
"The Naked Gun 21/2: The Smell of Fear" is exactly what comedy should be - smart enough to surprise you but simple enough that you don't have to think too hard. It's the kind of movie that makes you feel good after watching it, like you just spent 85 minutes with your funniest friend.
The movie works becausee everyone involved is completely committed to the bit. Nobody breaks character or winks at the camera - they all play it totally straight, which makes the ridiculous situations even funnier. Leslie Nielsen in particular never cracks a smile, even when he's saying the most absurd things.
If you want to watch something that will make you laugh out loud and forget about your problems for a while, this is perfect. It's not trying to change the world or make deep statements about life - it just wants to entertain you, and it absolutely delivers. I found myself rewinding parts just to catch jokes I missed while I was still laughing at the previous ones.
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