The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear 1991

In a breathtaking twist at the White House, President George H. W. Bush makes a groundbreaking announcement that the nation’s energy strategy will be shaped by the insights of Dr. Albert Meinheimer. This bold move sends shockwaves through the coal, oil, and nuclear sectors, which are predictably outraged by Dr. Meinheimer’s ambitious vision to champion renewable energy, threatening to unravel their established empires built on fossil fuels. In the midst of this upheaval, Jane Spencer, now separated from Frank Drebin, finds her evenings consumed by her work at Dr. Meinheimer’s research facility. It is here that she encounters a shadowy figure exiting in a van, and her concerns deepen when a maintenance worker inadvertently sets off a catastrophic explosion connected to a sinister clock.

The following day, Frank reunites with Jane at the site of the explosion, his arrival punctuated by a tension-filled dynamic as he meets her new partner, Quentin Hapsburg, a powerful executive at Hexagon Oil. As the day unfolds, Frank and his boss, Ed Hocken, engage in lively banter at a blues bar. Jane joins them but quickly leaves after a fiery argument with Frank. Meanwhile, Hapsburg secretly gathers energy industry magnates, revealing his cunning plan to alter Dr. Meinheimer’s important speech, substituting it for one that advocates for greater dependence on fossil fuels. To execute this deception, he introduces Earl Hacker, a doppelganger for Dr. Meinheimer, who is intended to deliver the altered address.

The intrigue escalates when Dr. Meinheimer is abducted by Hapsburg’s henchmen and rendered incapacitated in a dimly-lit warehouse. As Jane recounts her earlier sighting of Hector Savage, the suspicious figure she noticed previously, Police Squad initiates a pursuit that culminates in a tense showdown at a nearby residence. During negotiations with the authorities, Frank decides to take matters into his own hands by commandeering a SWAT tank, inadvertently allowing Savage to escape. This reckless act leads to unexpected chaos when the tank crashes into the city zoo, setting animals loose.

That evening, at an extravagant gathering, Frank observes Dr. Meinheimer’s bewilderment upon reflecting on their prior encounter, despite the expert’s claimed photographic memory. Seeking answers, Frank pays Jane a visit at her apartment, lingering feelings between them surfacing, though he departs before she can fully acknowledge them. Unbeknownst to her, Savage has stealthily invaded her home, intent on eliminating her forever. Frank’s timely arrival foils the assassin’s plans, allowing Jane to reconnect with Frank, who is as lovable as he is clumsy.

As dawn breaks, Police Squad gears up to rescue Dr. Meinheimer from captivity. Frank’s attempt to infiltrate the warehouse is thwarted, and he finds himself bound alongside the doctor. Fortunately, they are soon liberated by the squad and head to the Press Club Dinner to thwart Hacker’s machinations. Jane agrees to help them access a barred door, but Hapsburg intervenes. In a clever twist, Frank, Ed, Nordberg, and Dr. Meinheimer dress as mariachi performers to blend into the gala.

Ed’s ingenuity leads to Hacker’s capture, prompting a furious reaction from Hapsburg, who takes Jane hostage and flees. Undaunted, Frank pursues him to the rooftop, where he learns of Hapsburg’s nefarious scheme involving a nuclear device poised to wreak havoc. Frank confronts Hapsburg, only for Ed to intervene again, resulting in Hapsburg tumbling through a window.

Miraculously, Hapsburg survives the drop, only to be met with a gruesome fate at the claws of an escaped zoo lion. In the thrilling climax, Frank and Jane work together to disable the bomb while Ed and Nordberg rush to evacuate the partygoers from the ballroom.

In a final stroke of luck, Frank inadvertently triggers the bomb’s disarming sequence by tripping and unplugging the power cord just in the nick of time. The President himself lauds Frank’s heroism and offers him a prestigious role leading a new Federal Bureau of Police Squad. However, Frank declines this honor, choosing instead to propose to Jane, who joyfully accepts, promising a future filled with love and laughter.