Hot Fuzz

First it was taking the piss out of Night of the Living Dead and now it’s Bad Boys II and Point Break. Yes, this shit (that’s "silk” to all of the American television audiences out there) is about to get hilarious. Returning for a second go at parodying genre films, the team of writer/director Edgar Wright, actor/writer Simon Pegg and actor/funny man Nick Frost serve up an action spoof that eyes buddy cop films and the quaint English countryside for its inspiration. Pegg plays Nicholas Angel, the greatest cop in England, who is unfairly taken from his fast-paced London precinct and promoted to the quiet, crime-free village of Sandford to save his underperforming co-workers from embarrassment. Teamed up with bumbling upstart partner Danny (Frost), Angel slowly realises that the "living statue” is far from the biggest threat this idyllic town has to contend with. A string of "accidental” murders and disappearances begin to occur and the crime-fighting duo are forced to uncover the truth — while jumping in mid-air with guns a blazing, that is! Hot Fuzz is a fast-paced, drawn out thrill that’s filled with never-ending laughs and some unexpected gore, which Wright can’t seem to live without. Best of all is its ability to exploit every cliché that old-fashioned Englishness exudes and even more so, the exaggerations that action/buddy cop flicks sweat and bleed: unbridled machismo, rounds and rounds of ammo, explosions, melodramatic "guy love,” numerous climaxes and a wayward goose. It’s brilliant really, and is easily the funniest movie of 2007 so far. The bonus features are no joke, however. Wright and Pegg have a ball in the commentary. They’re helpful in pointing out "goofs” to "annoy the people on IMDB,” as well as the many cameos ("Cate Blanchett uses only eight percent of her talent”) and that Danny’s extensive DVD collection actually belongs to Wright and his brother (interesting note: they needed clearance for the movie clips from Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze and the Swayzedog’s stunt double). Plus, Pegg admits in order to skid in the supermarket chase they spread KY Jelly on the floor — fascinating! The outtakes are actually hilarious for once. Pegg, Frost and the cast take adlibbing to new heights (the man-love montage we’ve been waiting for is included), while even their fuck-ups are hard not to giggle at (check the potty mouth on Timothy Dalton!). The deleted scenes aren’t spectacular but standouts include another Point Break reference and some closure on Danny "jumping” the fences. "The Fuzzball Rally” is a video diary that takes the film on the road, as Wright, Pegg and Frost travel to the U.S. to promote Hot Fuzz prior to its release. They excitingly visit the Exorcist steps in DC, push a pitch for a film called Podcast and Nick fulfils his dream of flushing a birthday cake (from his girlfriend) down the toilet — twice! "Hot Funk” is a cheeky series of clips that prepares the film for American television viewing: the shoplifting teen is now "funk ugly,” P.I. Staker is revealed as "pee taker,” the doctor is a "motherhugger” and for some reason, "shit” is now pronounced "silk.” Plus: Danny’s notebook appears again for more illustrated violence, "Fuzz-o-Meter” and storyboards.