Hot Fuzz Review

Well after my pant wetting anticipation I've gotta say that Hot Fuzz was a little disappointing. Most of the most quotable lines were inspired by/transplanted from Spaced and Shaun, there's over reliance on the (admittedly large) amusement to be garnered from the word 'cunt' and most of the funniest bits were shown in the trailers. I disagree with most reviewers that the film starts well and gets worse. The beginning is exposition heavy and misses some opportunities for 'action man in wallace and gromit' hilairity but as the relationship between Danny and Nick builds the film gets better and better. As Empire said Nick Frost takes this movie and runs away it, chomping screen as he goes, Danny is instantly loveable as a big teddy bear but also as your mate who has the biggest DVD collection and is always willign to be laughed at. For me the best thing about this film is the brilliant homages, like Shaun it loves the films its lampooning, nods to Point Break, Goodfellas, Bad Boys (1 and 2), Chinatown and Revenge of the Sith are perfectly weighted and never over played. Wright (and Pegg, who I'm sure gets involved in a fair bit of the directing) know that the camera circling two slightly uncool British bobbies Bruckheimer style is enough, the audience is clever enough to get the joke without beating us round the head with it. The never mentioned but but often alluded to romance between Danny and Nick is perfect, never explicit (a lesser, 'Scary Movie' style, US version would have had them kissing at some point), but suitably homoerotic.

As you can see the more I think about it the more I like this film, the sopporting cast is fantastic, especially Tim Dalton and Paddy Considine, some of the jokes are brilliant and honestly three days later I can't remember any of the rubbish bits and I the good bits keep playing.

So in 'probably-could-have-predicted-this-the-moment-they-annouced-the-film' conclusion - Hot Fuzz is great, you'll be quoting it for years to come, it'll take a privileged place in your DVD collection, you'll watch it with mates on post pub evenings and you won't be able to stop saying 'By the power of Grayskull' but, its not as good as Shaun. Bring on the next one I say.

I have only one link today and it is this - a trailer for run, fat boy, run - which is an upcoming flick starring Simon Pegg and directed by David Schwimmer... so its kinda apt. Actually while you're at it go to the Apple Trailers site and watch the trailers for 300, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and Simpsons... they is all good.