Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg teamed up again to bring us another amusing Brit-Com, one that this time skewers the American Cop, Horror Thriller, and Action movies. It even makes Timothy Dalton the mustache twirling bad guy.
Well, when I was up in Boston I went to see the film with my lovely girlfriend, and well, she was half asleep from exhaustion though she still got the movie 100%, we laughed our heads off.
Even though it was British and the dialogue was a tad…unfamiliar.
Nicholas Angel (Pegg) is a good cop- no wait, he’s the best cop London has to offer. In fact he’s so good, he makes everyone else look bad by a 300% margin. So what do you do when you’ve got the best person on your team? You chuck him out in the middle of no where so everyone else can be equal again…kinda reminds me of Maryland public schooling. He ends up in some backwoods uber-peaceful town, with nothing to do and no crime to prevent. All the cops are inept and eat cake for punishment, and the world as Nicholas knows it is gone. He gets no respect and is treated like a washed up has been, even though he’s clearly more talented than everyone around him.
What’s worse is bizarre accidents start occurring around the town, and only his partner, once again played by Nick Frost, believes him. Too bad he’s a bumbling idiot who’s father is the captain. A few people die, then disappear for good, and the cops completely ignore it. A plot is uncovered, a town secret revealed, and then one good, gun-hating cop decides he has had enough, and goes OVER THE EDGE WITH EXTREME VIOLENCE. This movie spoofs at least 5 genres in just an hour and a half and every attempt is a successful, spot on mockery but still remains fresh and entertaining.
Utilizing a familiar spoof mechanic the film delves deep into what could end up being bad Police Academy territory, however it decided to make a daring move and incorporate one thing many movies are forgetting these days: Characters.
This film, with not only zany antics (one of his missions is to catch a missing swan), but deep and moving character drama, especially between the two leads, is a hallmark example of that USA channel slogan “characters welcome.” Here is a case in which they really, really are. Nicholas Angel- rightly named and played by Simon Pegg with an edginess and perfectionism that really almost feels method based, is our hero-who-can’t-turn-it-off.
The polar opposite of his character from the brilliant character-driven zombie comedy (how often do you see THOSE?), he’s always in cop mode, morning noon and night and refuses to give up his hard-ass ways. His partner played by Nick Frost is a great buffoon of friendly warmth and feel-good messages. Together they…KICK A LOT OF ASS.
The end of the movie may feel tacked on to some, but its the perfect full circle in a story that built up to the moment of truth- in this case a big frigging gunfight- quite momentously. Throw in some of the best on-screen kills seen in years, laughs ranging from light chuckles to giant guffaws, and you’ve got a tastefully scripted, tightly shot, and brilliant paced action comedy. With character.
This film undoubtedly strikes a pose, and damn well near perfect, gets a **** out of ****
In any case, Hot Fuzz is one of the best films of the year so far, and I encourage everyone to go see it. In celebration, here’s a link to an interview “vs.” between the film’s director, Edgar Wright, and Hollywood action revolutionary Shane Black.
So if you’re dying to see a movie this weekend, please go support intelligent, witty, and downright hilarious humor. Even with one of the biggest summer blockbusters of all time just released last weekend, this is what is REALLY worth your nine bucks.