Number 6: Hot Fuzz.

Edgar Wright’s original Cornetto Trilogy flourishes in its second installment Hot Fuzz. This wacky and out the box caper follows Sgt Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg), a cop who’s married to the force and due to his over the top talent (with qualifications in advanced cycling), he is forced to take a job in the small English village of Sandford as a result of making everyone else look bad. However, after further insight everything in this ‘Village of the year’ contender is not as perfect as perceived and it is up to Nicholas and his bumbling partner of justice Danny (Nick Frost) to ensure everyone gets their comeuppance.

Edgar Wright is truly a director who inspires confidence in his ability. His ambition to juggle genre cliches is pulled off expertly in every piece he masterfully puts to screen. Hot Fuzz certainly does not stray away from what has made Wright a household name in British cinema.  Being a comedy, cop and action hybrid it would be easy to presume that the film struggles knowing what it is. This could not be farther from the truth. Wright purposefully balances badass with satire so seamlessly that the audience feels grateful to be part of this cocktail of genres. This is what has accredited the young directors career as it is a rare commodity to find anyone in Hollywood who can make a spoof, yet still maintain the films integrity in the genre it is spoofing.

It is no surprise then, that Hott Fuzz lives up to both the comedy and action genre demands. In my eyes, this is one of the funniest comedies I have ever seen. The film is easily rewatchable (I must have watched in excess of 20 times) and unlike most, revisiting the jokes is not a task with every viewing unearthing new unknown laughs. Credit has to go to Wright and Pegg for penning such intelligent comedy, that even when resorting to basic slapstick, never feels stupid or unnecessary. This is not a smirk comedy, this is a full on laugh out loud joy. There are absurd moments for instance, the climactic encounter in a ‘Summerfields’ ,but it all feeds into the atmosphere of what is a certainly bold narrative.

As the narrative climaxes and the protagonist scratches the surface of Sandford, the action aspects of the picture is tremendously unearthed. Don’t worry its all for the GREATER GOOD (echo). The filp to kickass is not only well done but also earnt, there is no undeserved suckerpunch change that leads us feeling like we had walked into another movie. The ending can be summed up by the image of Simon Pegg with at least 3 heavy caliber guns, sat on a horse, with tinted shades, post kicking a farmers mother in the face. If that does not scream badass what does. Yes, the action to many may seem comedic, but it can’t be denied that due to Wright’s fresh direction, great pace and thrills are created.

However, it is the chemistry between Pegg and Frost that excels the picture. The Charming bromance is not only a comedic gem, but also a relationship that does not feel forced. We feel emotionally tied to the two, caring for both of them. So much so that the ending is poignant and sombre on the surface. Their banter, in my opinion, is iconic and defines British humour, so much so that the simplest of lines can have such a brilliant effect.

Overall, it has to be said that Hot Fuzz is a comedy of a generation. Many of my friends and I have grown up on this film, quoting almost every line over and over again, with laughs never failing to emerge from every reference. But this film, under the marvellous control of Wright, progresses beyond a cult hit to a wonderful genre blend that is not only good but terrific and for that, Hot Fuzz deserves to be regarded as a timeless comedy.   

My Score: 8.8/10

IMDB: 7.9/10

Rotten Tomatoes: 91%

Did You Know?: When in costume Nick Frost and Simon Pegg often were assumed to be police officers. Many strangers asked them for directions and instead of telling the truth they went along with it. They claimed it made them feel powerful.