Hot Fuzz 5/5 reviewed by Mike

Sometimes, you go into a movie with high expectations. In that case, even if the movie is good, you leave disappointed if the movie fails to live up to those high expectations. Hot Fuzz, however, is the complete opposite. I thought it was going to be good. But I haven't left the theater this happy in quite a while.

From the makers (and some of the cast) of Shaun of the Dead, this movie works on two levels: being simultaneously a parody of, and love letter to, the over-the-top action movie genre. I dare say that this film does what "Team America" did, but does it even better. That's saying a lot my friends. Edgar Wright (director, writer) and Simon Pegg (the star, who also has a writing credit) must have studied action movies. This movie nails it on the head, turning mundane tasks into fast-cutting, camera-spinning full blown action explosions. When the action really heats up, it gets even more poignant (read: ridiculous), managing to make every line a brutal stab (or heartfelt embrace) to every ridiculous action movie ever made.

The story is fairly predictable (with the normal "action" twists, made even more ridiculous by the setting), following a tough as nails cop who is reassigned to work in a stupidly peaceful small country town where he feels like he is wasting his time. But then, murders start happening, and, well, it just gets freakin' hilarious. All the actors do a brilliant job at their parts (especially Tim Dalton, with the creepiest mustache smile ever), intelligently making fun of their stereotypical counterparts without doing the normal thing of falling into self-parody. Plus everyone's British, which makes the whole thing funnier. The movie's pacing is quick, and the wit is sharp, and jokes are embedded in every nook and cranny of the framing, camera work, music, sound effects, writing, and acting... absolutely bloody brilliant in every possible aspect of the craft.

If there's anything bad to say, it's that the film is pretty long. Although, there was really only one moment where I started getting bored, and right about when that happened, a very old woman got jump-kicked in the face, and I was right back in the action.

American comedy writers should study films like this. Go kick off the summer movie season with this gem. I just might have to see it again.