An Efficient Parody of Police Blockbusters, Lighter Than Shaun of the Dead

Rating: 7/10 (17 February 2017)

Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright get together to continue the work they started with 2004's Shaun of the Dead, this time dropping a parody of cheesy police action flicks. Like its predecessor, it works on a satirical level, but also as a standalone - albeit one with far less heart than we saw in Shaun. Pegg plays Nicholas Angel, a straight-laced London constable who's so fanatical about his job, the top brass worry they'll look bad by comparison and ship him off to the minor leagues. There he partners with Frost, a slobbish underachiever, and swiftly uncovers a vast criminal conspiracy. Fuzz relies heavily on one-liners and sight gags, which are generally pretty effective, but lacks a real emotional hook. That makes for an entertaining two hours, if not for endless re-screenings. The best work comes from the supporting cast, with Timothy Dalton leading the pack as the town's squinting, scheming, mustachioed mastermind grocer. And, of course, Paddy Considine and Rafe Spall are downright show-stealing as the two Andys, resident detectives more concerned with needling newbies than cracking cases. I could've done with a lot more of those guys. A good film, with some big laughs, but no more than that. It's tough to avoid constant comparisons to the team's preceding effort, which isn't a fair match.