Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Moderate
- irreverent
- cartoonish
- witty
- lazy sunday
- comedy marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film to be a tired, derivative parody that mechanically cycles through action-movie references without enough comedic energy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film repeatedly targets Lethal Weapon, Dirty Harry, Die Hard, and The Silence of the Lambs through overt cinematic references.
Jack Colt and Wes Luger are rapid-firing detectives whose investigation unfolds through exaggerated bullets, explosions, and deadpan brutality.
Grieving loner Jack Colt reluctantly joins experienced detective Wes Luger after Luger's former partner is murdered.
The LAPD investigation, cookie factory, and criminal conspiracy recast Los Angeles action-movie locations as comic set pieces.
Films like National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1, and why
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Shares rapid-fire parody, broad slapstick, police-procedural spoofing, and pop-culture references.
Hot Shots! Part Deux
Shares irreverent buddy-cop comedy, exaggerated action, and deliberately cartoonish genre parody.
Loaded Weapon 1
Shares ensemble slapstick, recurring visual gags, and a comic send-up of action-movie conventions.
The Last Boy Scout
Shares mismatched detectives, explosive police action, and self-aware parody of macho crime films.
Movie Details
- Director
- Gene Quintano
- Release Date
- 1993-02-04
- Runtime
- 84 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (848)
Cast
- Emilio Estevez
- Samuel L. Jackson
- Jon Lovitz
- Tim Curry
- Kathy Ireland
- Frank McRae
- William Shatner
- Dhiru Shah
- Gokul
- Tom Bruggemann
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 about?
- A grieving loose cannon and a veteran detective blast through a cookie-factory conspiracy in a broad, reference-heavy spoof of macho police thrillers.
- What is National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 as moderate.
- What did critics think of National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1?
- Critics broadly found the film to be a tired, derivative parody that mechanically cycles through action-movie references without enough comedic energy.
- Which films are like National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1?
- Films with a similar feel include The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, Hot Shots! Part Deux, Loaded Weapon 1, and The Last Boy Scout.
- How long is National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1?
- National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 runs 84 minutes.
- Where can I watch National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1?
- In United States, National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
