Shaun of the Cops

Rating: Null/10 (29 December 2015)

Posted to an idyllic small town whose denizens believe that their low crime rate is due to being lax when enforcing the law, a workaholic city cop discovers something sinister afoot in this police spoof from the makers of 'Shaun of the Dead'. The film has received some flack from those insistent on comparing the two films, and 'Hot Fuzz' does pale in comparison without the urgency or sense of real danger that made the earlier film so dynamite - but it is still a solid comedy with great flashy editing. The film derives a surprising amount of humour from Nick Frost copying things that lead actor Simon Pegg has earlier said but mixing up the words, and zany touches that initially just seem odd (the swan) lead to some big laughs later on. The film also gives Timothy Dalton his best role since leaving the James Bond franchise as a condescending local business owner with something up his sleeve. What really sets 'Hot Fuzz' apart though from the myriad of other spoofs out there is the darkly comical turn it takes in its final third with a grisly solution to a series of local murders Pegg that starts investigating (hilariously, the villagers keep insisting that they are accidents even when foul play is obvious). Adding a little extra depth, the filmmakers also throw the workaholic nature of Pegg's character on the table, questioning what he may be missing out on by dedicating his life to his job. The film never plucks too deeply into the character, but there is ample characterisation for one to be able to appreciate the film as a study of man examining his job dedication in addition to a laugh-fest.