A Film with Personality

Rating: 10/10 (23 January 2020)

With Hot Fuzz, Edgar Wright has managed to make a perfect movie. The screenplay, acting, directing and editing all work in tandem to deliver a sweet, satisfying experience that leaves one feeling exhilarated. What makes this film so good is the consistency; the beginning of the movie establishes this break-neck pace that follows the film through every scene. Even quiet scenes still have lots of energy to them, and it really gives the film a personality.
The movie is essentially a parody of over-the-top action movies, and it captures all that make these films appealing, while ditching all the baggage these films carry. This film has a tongue-in-cheek quality to it, but it never treats its characters as lesser-than. The characters all take their world seriously, which makes the ridiculous plot even funnier and makes it easier for audiences to stay connected to what they're watching.
Too many parodies make the mistake of being immature nonsense, making it difficult for the audience to connect at all emotionally to the film. Hot Fuzz however manages to ride the line between dumb and sincere, and so you're left not only laughing constantly at the witty dialogue and editing, but you also feel connected to the characters; a testament to the wonderful screenplay by Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg.
Like other fantastic movies, every scene matters and leads to the next scene. Even the dialogue is critically important; on a second watch it becomes apparent just how much reincorporation of certain elements there are. What might sound like a silly throwaway line ends up coming back later to impact the plot. The characters are also hugely memorable. There are characters who show up for 2 minutes and yet they somehow manage to make a huge impression. This is not only due to the actors being naturally good at what they're doing, but it is also proof of the stellar direction. Edgar Wright knows exactly what he is doing every frame of this film. The entire thing feels so perfectly orchestrated that by the end you can't help but smile at how everything came together.
This really is a wonderful experience and it leaves you awestruck at the power film can have. The editing is so hard to describe but it adds so much to the experience and makes Edgar Wright stand out as a director. It's no wonder he has become a household name among film-fans!