Hot Fuzz

Scott Hardie: “It ruled.”

Most action movies are quotable for all the wrong reasons. Hot Fuzz, a loving send-up of the genre, includes the typical cheesy shine-ons whenever the hero gets the better of his opponent, but it's the offbeat character moments that really bring the laughs. Pegg & Frost have become the mismatched odd couple of modern British comedy, but the humor doesn't come from their differences; their friction ramps up the humorous into the hilarious. The same movies wouldn't be half as good without their friendly banter.

Hot Fuzz delivers what it promises, lots of action and lots of laughs, delivered with an ironic perspective that would be a turn-off if it wasn't so clear how much the filmmakers really love the movies they're spoofing. This movie is to action-comedies what Scream is to slasher films. Take it seriously and you might be disappointed by the obvious solution to the mystery driving the plot, but then, isn't that true of most action movies? It's about the comaraderie, the sound of automatic weapons, and the tongue-in-cheek fetishizing of tough-guy one-liners. It's for anybody who gets a giddy grin at the possibilities inherent in the premise or the cast.

− November 24, 2007 • more by Scott • log in or create an account to reply