Hot Fuzz Rocks
Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost are officially heroes of internet nerds everywhere — and for good reason. Shaun of the Dead is not just one of the most popular cult films of this decade, it was one of the most charmingly entertaining films I’ve seen in years. It was the most pleasant surprise regarding movies that I’ve had in recent memory. It’s hard to say if they topped SOTD with Hot Fuzz, but they sure didn’t disappoint. After walking out of the theater, my friend Justin suggested that Pegg and Frost are like a modern-day Abbott and Costello. While I haven’t seen any of their work (besides the obvious “Who’s On First”), I have seen dozens of entertainers attempting to copy the formula, and I haven’t seen many do it as well as Pegg and Frost. The two are best friends off the set, and it shines through in their work. They fed off each other brilliantly in SOTD, with Pegg playing the straight man, and Frost being the physically comical, immature idiot. They both play variations of these roles again in Hot Fuzz, but they are truly different characters. It’s not like when Will Ferrell just changes outfits, yet continues to pull the same shit over and over. I might go as far to say that I like both their characters more in Hot Fuzz, and if not both, Frost’s for sure.
Without giving too much away, the film is basically about some peculiar murderous happenings in a small British town. The townsfolk all seem amicable enough — almost too friendly — and as a result, the police force is an absolute farce. Nicholas Angel (played by Pegg) doesn’t fit in too well, as he actually attempts to do police work. Basically, the film just builds from there, as Angel and his partner Danny Butterman (Frost) start getting buddy-buddy and at one point even sit down to watch a duo of classic action movies, and Simon Skinner (played by Timothy Dalton, a.k.a. James Bond #4) becomes more and more suspicious. The entire cast does a great job, but Dalton in particular gives a awesome performance.
The one big qualm I have with the film is that it takes way too long to develop and truly kick into gear. (On the other hand, maybe that’s why the last 30 minutes of the film were so goddamn awesome.) The movie just plods a bit in parts — something that Shaun of the Dead never did. I also feel the British brand of humor is more evident in this film than in its spiritual predecessor, which is maybe why I didn’t care as much for the first half of the movie.
But once the movie goes into full-out mode, the action and laughs don’t stop. There’s shots and scenes ripped straight from other action films, there’s lines to rival any movie since Arnold’s heyday, and the payoff to at least one joke will have you laughing until the end of the movie. If you love action movies, comedies, or just want to have a good time at the movies (and especially if you just saw Grindhouse and were disappointed by it), you have to go see and support Hot Fuzz. I just wish they didn’t give away so many of the gags in the trailer and commercials.
8.5/10
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