Hot Fuzz

THE SCOOP
Director: Edgar Wright
Plot: Jealous colleagues conspire to get a top London cop transferred to a small town and paired with a witless new partner. On the beat, the pair stumble upon a series of suspicious accidents and events.

Genre: Action/Comedy/Crime/Mystery
Awards: -
Runtime: 121min
Rating: M18 for violent content including some graphic images, and language.

IN RETROSPECT
Edgar Wright is a queer filmmaker. He likes to make fun out of the different types of genres, and the guilt-ridden clichés that bind most of the films in these genres. Shaun Of The Dead was an exercise in zombie comedy, one that George A. Romero might have disapproved. But hey, it was a big hit with the cinema crowd. Up next, the fertile mind of Wright conceives Hot Fuzz, an action comedy which follows the style of Shaun Of The Dead, making a parody of the buddy cop "Bad Boys" genre with quite often less breathtaking results than expected.

Simon Pegg looks unnervingly right for a Wright film. No one better could have pulled off that kind of clownish look in comic sequences one after another. The first-half of Hot Fuzz is tremendously funny, but loses its comic value deep down in the later half. The editing is fast-paced, and there are several M. Night Shyamalan-esque jolting moments, emphasized through the use of sound. Violence and gore will satisfy most Wright fans, but what may not satisfy lies on the ability of Wright to tell a story.

Hilarious spoofs which are intended to be laugh-out-loud moments become increasingly unfunny. The final twenty minutes is loud, brash, and outrageous, all in the name of entertainment and fun. But the film wears out on the viewer long before that. Hot Fuzz may be unique, but it's not Wright's finest hour, nor is it the brilliant action comedy that it should have been.

SCORE: 7/10
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Last updated: 2010-07-24 11:26:51 by eternality_tan

There are maybe 5 or 6 excellent, superb films which I consider my favorites. Two of them really stand out – «Rocky» & «Hot Fuzz». The thing with «Rocky» is I like them as a whole, as a series, more than as seperate films. So, if one were to ask me which is my «all-time, undisputed favorite of the world» I'd say – «Hot Fuzz».

But, I do not know how to rate or describe perfection. Anything I say here won't do it justice because «Hot Fuzz» is maybe the best film ever made. It could be categorized as a spoof, but the word hommage would be more appropriate. It is the ultimate tribute to all action films worldwide, but especially «Bad Boys» and «Point Break».

Why wouldn't I call it a spoof, although in reality it is? Every film associated with the word spoof is in danger of being underrated. Why is that? Because of «spoofs» like «Epic Movie», «Date Movie», «Meet the Spartans» and the new upcoming «Disaster Movie». Someone who is maybe older may think of odler classics like «Airplane», «Naked Gun» or «Hot Shots». But the truth is, they are nothing more than puny attempts at humor compared to the quality and brilliance of "Hot Fuzz", but still waaaaay better than all the «Movies».

On the other hand, here's some interesting facts about box office performances (total worldwide gross):
«Hot Fuzz» - $80,573,774
«Scary Movie» - $278,019,771
«Scary Movie 2» - $141,220,678
«Scary Movie 3» - $220,673,217
«Scary Movie 4» - $178,262,620
«Date Movie» - $84,795,656
«Epic Movie» - $86,844,745
«Meet the Spartans» - $84,558,676

Funny, ain't it? But in reality, it's sad. Very, very sad.

«Hot Fuzz» spoofs American action films (mostly) in the way themselves could never do. I can't relly explain it, but they just wouldn't. They can't, just like Croatians can't make a non-war drama film, or a good film in general for that matter. Some jokes are more obvious, but most are subtle. None, and I mean N-O-N-E of them seems lame. There are many good comedies, but never have I seen one where absolutely every single attempt at humor is 100% successful. Not only that, but a goddamn genius one. It's like, you're watching it and can't help yourself thinking: «Fuck! This is brilliant. This so awesome! Man, it... it's like the best film ever!» But, in the end, there is only one true answer to why Americans (or anyone else) can't do a film like this? They are not British.

Nicholas Angel is the finest cop London has to offer, with an arrest record 400% higher than any other officer on the force. He's so good, he makes everyone else look bad. As a result, Angel's superiors send him to a place where his talents won't be quite so embarrassing - the sleepy and seemingly crime-free village of Sandford. Once there, he is partnered with the well-meaning but overeager police officer Danny Butterman. The son of amiable Police Chief Frank Butterman, Danny is a huge action movie fan and believes his new big-city partner might just be a real-life "bad boy," and his chance to experience the life of gunfights and car chases he so longs for. Angel is quick to dismiss this as childish fantasy and Danny's puppy-like enthusiasm only adds to Angel's growing frustration. However, as a series of grisly accidents rocks the village, Angel is convinced that Sandford is not what it seems and as the intrigue deepens, Danny's dreams of explosive, high-octane, car-chasing, gunfighting, all-out action seem more and more like a reality. It's time for these small-town cops to break out some big-city justice.

The fim was written by Edgar Wright & Simon Pegg, which makes them one of the best screenwriters in the world. Edgar Wright directed it which makes him one of the best directors in the world. Simon Pegg & Nick Frost are the leading roles which makes them so cool & awesome beyond words. The cast will probably be well known to the fans of their earlier work («Shaun of the Dead», «Spaced», ...). Jim Broadbent is so funny, but the best performance, in my opinion, was that of Timothy Dalton. He just rocked as the owner of the local supermarket, Simon Skinner. I've never seen him in a comedy before, but this certainly proves he has it in him. There are even two cameos – Cate Blanchett as Jeanine, Angel's girlfriend and Peter Jackson as the «Man dressed as Father Christmas» who stabbed him in the line of duty.

The score was done by David Arnold who is probably best known by his score on «Casino Royale». Overall, the soundtrack is no less fabulous than the rest of the film.

«Hot Fuzz» is what they call a grower, a film that becomes better and better the more you watch it. There are so many jokes you'll get only after repetad watching. I've seen it at least 6 times now, and I don't plan to stop there.

«My, my, here come the Fuzz.»

Rating: PRICLESS

RATED PURE GENIUS

- review by Ventilation Shaft

***½
UK

What Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and their note-perfect cast did to suburban London with "Shaun of the Dead", they do to the sleepy country town with their second feature - only instead of zombie attacks, here you get sadistic serial killings. It's a thoroughly straight-faced (though thoroughly nutty) send-up of both the buddy cop action genre and the English countryside murder mystery. At least one of the several climactic showdowns is in itself a little masterpiece of surreal comedy.