Hot Fuzz

The incredibly talented team, Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, who gave us gems like 'Spaced' and 'Shaun of the Dead' are back with one of the funniest action movies 'Hot Fuzz'. Not only does it brilliantly spoof the American action copper films, it also satirizes the English country-life. There are numerous references to films like 'Point Break', 'Die Hard', 'Lethal Weapon' and 'Bad Boys II' and the conversations where they're brought up are hilarious. 'Hot Fuzz' isn't entirely spoof. It's very much got its own sense of humour and the jokes had me rolling on the floor laughing.

The execution is remarkable. It's shot like a slick action film with quick cuts, sharp editing, adrenaline loaded music, heavy sound effects and lots of energy. Not only does this give it the Hollywood action film touch but it effectively contrasts with the calm, peaceful nature of the countryside. The whodunnit suspense element is well built. Even though not much is happening in the first hour, it moves at a very steady pace and there's plenty of comedy to keep the viewer more than entertained.

The unique comedic duo Pegg and Frost are fantastic as always. Pegg excellently mimics the typical action hero copper and Frost does an equally fine job of playing the comic sidekick who's the complete opposite of Pegg's Nicolas Angel. They are supported by an equally great cast that includes the always dependable Jim Broadbent, a pleasant surprise called Timothy Dalton and a comically mean Paddy Considine. Note cameos by Bill Nighy, Martin Freeman, Steve Coogan, Julia Deakin and Cate Blanchett who provide laugh out loud comic relief.

'Hot Fuzz' is definitely among the smartest comedies. It induces hysterical laughter. It's got great action adrenaline. It's got chaos in a calm atmosphere. It's got blood. It's got murder. It's got explosions. It has adrenaline. It's got energy. It has weapons. It's got wit. It's got slapstick. It's sarcasm. It's got a swan on the loose. What's not to love?

Hot Fuzz satirizes American action films in a way that an American satire would not. Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg don't simply spoof the plot threads and the car chases. They know the smaller details of Hollywood's formula, as they exemplify with its continuous references to the scene in Point Break where Keanu Reeves fires his gun into the sky in anger and the scene in Bad Boys II where Martin Lawrence, in a circling tracking shot, says, "S*** just got real." Not only do they tackle those less clear characteristics of Hollywood, they also perfectly portray people who talk about awesome scenes in action movies, hilariously by Nick Frost. The film is brilliantly in precise tune with the American mainstream action adventure.

The irony in this film is that it takes place in the serenely beautiful English countryside. In some ways, the film is very important for Americans to see. It delves very deeply into the conscious social mannerisms of the English, and parodies the timid insular English village life. Perhaps the most brilliant element of Hot Fuzz is the intertwining of a big-budget action film with gimmicks and a desperately fast pace and a quaint, atmospheric English village given the secrets-of-its-own flavor and a Agatha Christie-style expository structure.

The film-making style in and of itself is complicit in the satire. The cinematography and editing is a product of the school of Tony Scott and Guy Ritchie. It's filled with jump cuts accompanied by loud and constantly changing sound effects, occasional strobe, and montages of grainy, bleached out, extravagantly lit shots edited together at machine gun speed. The soundtrack is that of any super-cool action film from Hollywood. This works so well not only as a dead-on impression of Hollywood film-making but also as a hilarious opposition to the English countryside.

Simon Pegg's performance is a work of comic genius. His character is so well-developed as a man of invincible and authentic confidence and incredible drive, a workaholic, a zealot, and also an action hero stereotype. Nick Frost is a great second banana because not only is he the punchline to Pegg's straight line, he's also funny in such a direct, adolescent way, an unlikely comic relief sidekick.

The film's great surprise is a comeback performance from Timothy Dalton. Not only is it a reappearance from the abyss he's been lost in since his two-year stint as James Bond, but also a vindication against all who've continually dismissed his credibility as an actor and doubted his comic ability. He's very funny and one of the film's great highlights.

I've rarely seen a comedy so cleverly written, beautifully directed, atmospheric, or intelligently ridiculous.

Hot Fuzz: The story tells us of an over-active 'policeman officer', Nicholas Angel (Played by the co-star of Shaun of the Dead, Simon Pegg) who is sent to work his duties out in the countryside, to avoid his use of excessive arrests. Suspicions arrive in the town however, as people start getting killed 'accidentally'. Coupled with his rather unprofessional partner Danny Butterman (Similiarily played by Shaun of the Dead star Nick Frost) they get themselves into suspicious circumstances Nicholas Angel fails to ignore.

But what can I say? It's just hilarious! An incredibly funny, witty, intelligent British comedy that manages to bring you to tears with laughter and also offers extremely well directed and executed action scenes! If you liked the likes of Shaun of the Dead, you'll love this, simple as that. I was oddly surprised to find that it was incredibly violent, albeit, in a cartoony way, but it will definitely make you squint. Plenty of cameo's by the likes of the hilarious Bill Bailey and a great cast will make this a action/thriller/comedy hard to forget! Excellent.

London Police Constable Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is a try-hard. He's too good at his job making everybody else look bad. He gets promoted and transferred out into the country. He starts his new job by arresting his new partner Danny (Nick Frost), the son of chief inspector Frank Butterman (Jim Broadbent). Sandford, Gloucestershire seems to be a sleepy little town until a series of murders occurs. Simon Skinner (Timothy Dalton) owns the local supermarket.

Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg mine the plentiful material from cop dramas to bring a dryly funny satirical take on the genre. This has Edgar's quick edit style. Pegg and Frost continue their great chemistry with Edgar for almost a decade. It also serves as a fun whodunnit mystery. It's choked full of big British stars doing cameos. The last act does get overwhelmed with gun action and the guys struggle to maintain the comedy. They took the Bad Boys and Point Break motif too seriously. Overall, this may not be a comedy for everybody but it's a comedy for me.

After Shaun of the Dead, this second pairing of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost was very high on my wanted list, and it didn't disappoint in the least.

Hot Fuzz is crammed full of excellent characters, ranging from the eccentric to the diabolical, and every one gets at least one laugh during the course of the movie and most of them get many more. I don't mean to suggest that this film is wall to wall gags; in fact it is far from it, instead it is just very clever and often very subtle humour that runs continuously throughout the film.

Another pleasant surprise was the wonderfully impressive murder scenes, which were pretty gruesome and definitely stood out from the general vibe of the film, which made them far more involving. As well as the comedy and the murders, there is also a genuine sense of mystery surrounding these events and it definitely makes for compulsive viewing.

Just in case all that wasn't enough to satisfy you, there is a very action packed and explosive end sequence that is so out of place and ludicrous it works like a charm, and simply caps the film off in style superbly.

For me this film was every bit as good as Shaun of the Dead, and its definitely one of the best comedies ever made.

9/10