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< read all 8 reviewsHey...that weren't me.
-
Apr 11, 2012
- by ryguy4738
- posted in Movie Hype
Rating:
**** out of ****
+5
Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) finds himself the victim of "for-the-hell-of-it" logic. An intelligent, fast-talking police officer in London's Metropolitan Police Service; he is one day called into the office of his superiors, where they proceed to give him a lecture on how good he is at what he does, and how his thorough and consistent goodness has led them to make the very tough decision of transferring him to a smaller town, supposedly to spare the embarrassment of the other far inferior officers. Nicholas is to be transferred to the quiet village of Sandford, located somewhere in Gloucestershire. He makes the journey by train and never with a smile on his face. He takes with him only his clothes and his Japanese peace lily. Everything else - including his girlfriend, who he has become increasingly distant from over time - can stay behind. He's ready to start life anew.
Sandford is known for its particularly low crime rate. The officers stationed there have been practically brainwashed over the years to the point where they believe nothing bad can possibly happen in their nice little town. The central office is headed by Inspector Frank Butterman (Jim Broadbent), and the day after he arrives, Nicholas is introduced to the fellow officers. I'll run off some names: Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) - son of Frank and now Nicholas's partner when on duty -, Andy Wainwright (Paddy Considine) and Andy Cartwright (Rafe Spall), Tony Fisher (Kevin Eldon), "policewoman" Doris Thatcher (Olivia Colman), PC Bob Walker (Bill Bailey), and his dog Saxon. Then there is the Neighborhood Watch Alliance; made up of many people, but in particular, a Mr. Tom Weaver (Edward Woodward) and a Mr. Simon Skinner (a fantastically creepy Timothy Dalton).
Nicholas and Danny could not be more different. The former is forever grounded in the reality that a privileged amount of field experience has created, while the latter wishes his life/job were more reminiscent of the action movies that he religiously watches. All the same, the two start to bond over long periods of time; eventually having to spring into action when a series of brutal murders threaten to ruin the reputation and well-being of Sandford. There are a few prime suspects - in particular, Mr. Skinner - but the identity of the killer could be anyone. Clues and red herrings pop up at any given moments, often at the strangest of times. Meanwhile, a swan is on the loose; the Sandford officers are assholes; and both Nicholas and Danny get drunk and watch "Bad Boys 2" late at night.
I could go on and on about a movie like this all day. I've seen it a record number of times, and truth be told, it never gets old. Of course, one might need space after a few go-rounds (and I certainly found this to be the case), but revisiting Edgar Wright's "Hot Fuzz" is a very rich and peculiar experience indeed. There are few like it. I refuse to give too much away in regards to the plot, or the smaller characters that populate it, because I fear this will spoil the film for those who have yet to see it. What I can say is that if you loved "Shaun of the Dead" (Wright's first feature); you'll probably love "Hot Fuzz" just as much. Technically speaking, it's a pretty big step up from the said earlier film, but bigger doesn't always mean better. Nevertheless, here, it just might.
What I love about Wright's screenplays are that (1.) they show his nigh impeccable love for cinema and (2.) they make great use of Frost and Pegg's combined talents as a dynamic comic duo. Here, as in "Shaun", they have great on-screen chemistry; it's to the point where seeing them in individual movies - without each-other - becomes a rather odd experience. Anyways, coming back to the first part; "Hot Fuzz" is like a love letter to not only action movies - but also slashers, horror films (a very gory death scene mimics "The Omen"), and British historical cinema. For instance, it was shot in the same town that Sam Peckinpah's "Straw Dogs" was all those years ago. Also, the story is like the bastard love child of "The Wicker Man" and "The Naked Gun". The proceedings are satisfactory. Since his comic timing is so ingenious, every joke goes down easy; even the crude and profane ones consisting of four-letter words, none of which are too harsh for one to stomach. The in-references to other films are smartly placed, and to notice them all, repeated viewings are absolutely essential. It doesn't get much better than this.
Another thing I adore about Wright; his productions aren't cheap. They're real, authentic, high-quality productions. "Hot Fuzz" is an action-comedy written in over-the-top blood and gore (it's the second installment in Wright's so-called "Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy") and an absolutely bat-shit insane final shootout that takes place in the last twenty minutes. There isn't a dull moment to spare; and I couldn't stop laughing. It was off-the-wall, it was fearless, it was hyper-violent, and it was like an ADD-riddled kid with a good hand at the pen had crafted the thing. That might just be the case. Many shots seem to distantly echo the lost era of cheesy 80's action; and I loved the vibe. The cinematography - which is both moody and stylistic at times - certainly helps to perfect this aspect of the film. Also, the soundtrack - consisting mostly of classic (British) rock) - assists in immersing the viewer in Wright's twisted word of non-stop hilarity.
One last thing; in a film of ironic and undeniably funny names, which one do I like the most? Well, there's a wide variety to choose from. There's...Simon Skinner (wink, wink), Tom Weaver, Nicholas Angel, Rev. Philip Shooter, Martin Blower, Eve Draper, George Merchant, Tim Messenger, Leslie Tiller, and Peter Cocker. That's a lot of ironic and funny names to choose from. After much thought, I decided it might be best to go with Rev. Philip Shooter; since the character generates a hell of a laugh near the end. But Martin Blower was very, very close.
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woopak_the_thrill
May 21, 2012
loved this movie!
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More Hot Fuzz (2007) reviews
Pros: A good flick with some interesting twists Cons: Not hilarious like it was made out to be; excessive gore; long setup The Bottom Line: It's not as funny as I thought it would be (but I was warned), but it still managed to be an oddly decent film. Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot. I recently rediscovered the magic that is the library—free rental on books, music, and CDs. Take that … more
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Compliments (12)
Officer Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is London's top police officer. He's the best at everything he does and in just a few years on the force has achieved more than the rest of the department put together. He's an excellent officer, but is so good that he's making everyone around him look bad. He's given a promotion that virtually exiles him to the sleepy, dreamy village of Sandford. He's assigned Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) as his partner, a junior officer and son of the local police chief, Frank … more
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Compliments (9)
British comedies remain an ilk of their own - smart, sassy, full of quips rendered so quickly that many are lost in the ether that propels the plot, and characters who often are such finely-honed parodies that they make us laugh at ourselves. HOT FUZZ is a fine example and it is a film brimming with a cast of some of England's finest talent who seem to be having as much fun as the viewing audience. Sgt. Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is one of London's finest new policemen, expecting … more
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review by MzJen_2_review.
September 25, 2007
I couldn't help but to laugh throughout this film. The beginning of Hot Fuzz presents us with a cop called Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) who has the best arrest record in his station (400% better to be exact). But while in America this would be a cause for admiration and pats on the back, here it's bad form. He's making everyone else look bad. So therefore he's sent to the country, to a place that has no crime and a place that has won the village of the year competition. Which he later found himself … more
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review by kfontenot.
September 12, 2007
The creative forces behind the comedic take on zombie flicks, "Shaun of the Dead," give us their interpretation of "every action movie ever made" with "Hot Fuzz." Fans of "Dead" will immediately notice headliner Simon Pegg as Nicholas Angel, a London policeman who's excellence in service forces his superiors to ship him to a small country town in order to protect their own reputations. "Dead" fans will also recognize his bumbling sidekick played by Nick Frost. The duo quickly find plenty of trouble … more
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About the reviewer
Ryan J. Marshall (ryguy4738)
Ranked #1
Ranked #1
It's very likely that the only kind of reviews I'll ever post here are movie reviews. I'm very passionate about film; and at this point, it pretty much controls my life. Film gives us a purpose; … more
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About this movie
InShaun of the Dead, it was the zombie movie and the anomie of modern life. InHot Fuzz, Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg set their sights on the buddy cop blockbuster and the eccentric English village. The two worlds collide when overachieving London officer Nicholas Angel (Pegg) is promoted to sergeant. The catch is that he's being transferred to Agatha Christie country. His superiors (the comic trifecta of Martin Campbell, Steve Coogan, and Bill Nighy) explain that he's making the rest of the force look bad. On the surface, Sandford is a sleepy little burg where the most egregious crimes, like loitering, are committed by hoody-sporting schoolboys. In truth, it's a hotbed ofWillow Man-style evil. Upon his arrival, Chief Butterman (Jim Broadbent) partners Angel with his daft son, Danny (Nick Frost, Pegg'sShaunco-star), who aspires to kick criminal "arse" like the slick duo inBad Boys II. When random citizens start turning up dead, he gets his chance. With the worshipful Danny at his side, Angel shows his cake-eating colleagues how things are done in the big city. As inShaun, their previous picture, Wright and Pegg hit their targets more often than not. With the success of that debut comes a bigger budget for car chases, shoot-outs, and fiery explosions. ThoughHot Fuzzearns its R-rating with salty language and grisly deaths, the tone is more good-natured than mean-spirited. A wall-to-wall soundtrack of boisterous British favorites, like the Kinks, T-Rex, ...
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DVD Release Date:
July 31, 2007
Runtime:
121 minutes
Studio:
Universal Studios
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