"Forget it Nick... it's Sandford"

Rating: 8/10 (13 May 2007)

I have not seen "Shaun of the Dead" and can't compare the two but I am sure that "Hot Fuzz" is screamingly funny. The contrast between the first hour of a gentle comedy and the second part with the outrageous twists and turns and bizarre jaw-dropping events is hilarious by itself. The idea of keeping the picturesque sleepy charming village of Sandford the safest and the most perfect place in the country no matter what even if not original was clever. Two main characters, Simon Pegg as Nicholas Angel, the finest cop London ever seen but could not take too long and Nick Frost as Danny Butterman, Angel's partner in Sanford, the loyal Sancho Panza to Angel's Don Quixote, are great together because the film took its time to develop their relationship and to make them real and interesting enough to root for them. There are not just the references to and the parodies of the big budget American actions flicks. No, if you look closer, you'll find the homage even to a Woody Allen's film and to the works of John Waters -"Serial Dad", anyone? The acting is universally good and for me the movie that stars Jim Broadbent, Martin Campbell, Steve Coogan, Bill Nighy and my favorite Mr. 007, Timothy Dalton is definitely worth watching. Oh, I almost forgot - there is a very compelling performance by a swan!
IMO, the creators got a little carried away in the final part and made it a little too long but "Hot Fuzz" is still one of the funniest comedies I've seen in a long time and I don't remember the last time I was laughing in the theater so hard and so loud.