Caught by the Fuzz

Rating: 8/10 (10 February 2007)

So here we have it, the eagerly awaited follow-up from the same team that brought us Shaun of the Dead. But whereas Shaun (hereafter shortened to SOTD) drew its inspiration primarily from zombie films (more specifically, George Romero's "Dead" films), Hot Fuzz throws its net a bit wider, taking in every buddy-buddy cop action film made in the last 20 odd years and combining it with a very British perspective. Think Midsummer Murder spliced with Bad Boys 2 and you should have the rough idea.
Through a series of quick cuts we are introduced to Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg), an outstanding officer in the London police force, a super cop with an arrest record 400% higher than anyone else. In fact he's so good, he makes everyone else look bad. So Angel is packed off to the picture-perfect village of Sandford, alone save for his beloved Japanese Peace Lilly. On arrival Angel finds it difficult to adjust to village life, constantly on the look out for crime in a place where there hasn't been a murder for over 20 years and the police station is so quiet that the staff spend most of their time eating cake and ice-cream. He also finds himself partnered with over-eager constable Danny Butterman (Nick Frost), the son of amiable Police Chief Frank Butterman (Jim Broadbent). Danny is obsessed with action films and believe's that Angel is his chance to live out his dreams of car chases and gunfights.
With the set-up completed within the first 15 minutes it's on with the plot as people start to die in a series of grisly "accidents". Angel is suspicious but no-one believes him apart from Danny. With the body count rising though, the two need to work together to find out what's going on or could it be that Angel is just wound too tightly for country living? Pegg and Frost have been doing their double act for so long it's become second nature and it's nice to see them playing (slightly) different roles. Just like SOTD, they are ably supported by a cast of familiar faces from British film and TV. It's good to see Timothy Dalton having so much fun, playing the sinister Mr Skinner with a moustache-twirling relish. Other standouts include Paddy Considine and Rafe Spall as the Andy's, two detectives who spend most of their time verbally abusing Angel and Danny.
The film is packed full of references, which I'm sure will take multiple viewings to catch. There's some inventively gory scenes which are sure to make everyone a bit more careful around churches and model villages, though they are a bit too obviously CGI. It's a shame that the action doesn't kick into high gear until the final third but with the plot not going down the most obvious of routes and since I was laughing all the way through I can't really complain. The film is a success in it's attempt to create a "British" action film, combining adrenaline-fuelled action with the mundane and everyday.