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And
yes, like any comedian and their ‘brand new act’, the jokes aren’t
quite as good as first time ‘round, it isn’t as well structured and
there’s more dull spots than the back of a man whose just had a series
of moles removed – but you’ll still laugh, and laugh again.
Like Shaun, Hot Fuzz
again takes its cue from taking the piss out of other people’s films.
The former tackled the classic zombie movie; this flips the Hollywood
cop movie on its noggin’ (With Point Break and Bad Boys 2 seemingly the oft-mentioned models).
Pegg
plays the hotshot London copper, forced into a transfer – for making
too many arrests – to a small seemingly peaceful village. Once there,
officer Nick Angel is partnered with the well-meaning but overeager
police officer Danny Butterman (Nick Frost). They don’t gel at first,
but when a series of murders rock the town, they’re forced to mesh
their chalk and cheese together and find the killer.
Much like Shaun, which was part comedy-part horror, Hot Fuzz
isn’t just a straight-up comedy - it’s also swimming in the genre that
you presuppose it to be spoofing; in this case, the action movie. A
fair whack of the movie plays fairly [never significantly] serious,
with the comedy playing somewhat of a support role to well, a plot.
It’s
hard to say whether taking the plot out and just playing the film
strictly for laughs would’ve worked better (they tried that in the
early 90s with National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon 1
- and nobody likes to be reminded of that), or whether there’s
just not a lot of satirising to be done of action movies that we
haven’t seen already. Whatever the case, they’ve given it a good shot –
and the last half hour or so of the film is an absolute goldmine of
fun. A Lethal Weapon of laughs, if you will.
Creatively, it’s
very well done. The cinematography, direction, writing and production
values are terrific – and the use of music (lifted from many an action
movie trailer) is absolutely inspired.
The cast – many of them significantly better known than the Shaun
ensemble – are a hoot. Pegg and Nick Frost are as crazy and amusing as
usual, whilst support players Timothy Dalton (in what could be the best
part he’s had since playing Bond), Jim Broadbent, Edward Woodward,
Paddy Considine, Bill Nighy and Bill Bailey all have their fair share
of good moments.
It could’ve been hotter, but this Fuzz still tickles.
EXTRAS
The Hot Fuzz DVD is real hoot – there are four commentary tracks (one
by the actor and director; another by the people of the fictional town
in the movie, one by the cops themselves, and another by the fictional
police station employees); numerous featurettes (some rather amusing);
outtakes; storyboard and the customary selection of trailers and TV
spots. Conclusion:
Movie 70% Extras: 68%
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