Review #987: Hot Fuzz (2007)

Title: Hot Fuzz
Year: 2007
Director: Edgar Wright
Country: UK
Language: English

The "Three Flavours Cornetto" Trilogy is a series of films (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz & World's End) Directed by Edgar Wright, and starring Simon Pegg, that all reference the Cornetto brand of ice cream in some way or another. Wright has said these pictures are somewhat of a "Trojan Horse" as they are genre films (zombie, cop & sci-fi in that order)  that have a relationship comedy smuggled inside them. Wright even re-wrote the script of World's End to make it have similar themes when compared to the other two. 

In this, a skilled London police officer (Simon Pegg) is transferred to a small town that's harbouring a dark secret.

A scene at the beginning of the film shows Nick Frost's bumbling cop character showing the insanely driven Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) a great number of his favourite cop dramas, which include Point Break and Bad Boys II. This scene is important because these films are referenced and spoofed later in the film to hilarious effect. Wright has studied this genre of film and its clear that he has a great time shredding it to pieces.

Normally cringe-inducing routines enhance the film's over the top comedic sensibility. The film’s characters—some commonplace action movie types-- are all well written and do a great deal to enhance the plot. I particularly loved Timothy Dalton as the slimy Skinner,  who Frost suspects is the bad guy because he makes eerie jokes about bashing a woman's brains in. He must be the villain!...or is he!? 

Incredibly well edited, each shot is is connected and incredibly well planned, leading one image to the next in an almost orchestral fashion. Though it has as much explosions as your average Michael Bay film, I ensure you that Hot Fuzz is far smarter and far more entertaining. Few pictures can make a police satire this good.