Hot Fuzz - 05/05/2007

Written by: Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost

This is my first review in over 2 years. Not sure why I'm starting it all up again with this, but I figured it was time.

Plus, I mean, I left off with fucking The Reaper (renamed Venom)... and I can't let that be the last film I review. Jesus.

Seen Shaun of the Dead yet? You should. It's one of the most clever films out there, never minding the fact that it's horror.

Clever is clever. And any screenwriter will tell you that comedy is by far the most difficult genre to write in, successfully.

Pegg, Wright and Frost have worked together since Spaced, a British sitcom. And it's obvious that, not only do they work well together, but they're friends. You can't beat that, when it comes to creating something as amazing, as difficult, as fulfilling as a motion picture.

It's what people dream about. Especially screenwriters. I mean, you can't not ask a screenwriter if they'd want to direct... and who would get to help them. Sheesh!

Hot Fuzz is a tribute to all action. John Woo, Peckinpah, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Leathal Weapon, Die Hard... anything and everything that's ever exploded, been shot a thousand times, and of course the super fast car chase scenes.

Tributes are great, when the homage doesn't get in the way of the film. Sometimes you can see the stolen (and I mean stolen) bits from other movies is lesser films... where the writer lacked the imagination to fill the scene his own way... or sometimes the creators, while wanting to pay tribute, just take too much, and the serious movie fan can pick it out... (snapping fingers) like that.

This film is quite the opposite. It doesn't really borrow from any one film as much as it just eats up the entire genre, cleverly. (there's that word again)

Wright and Pegg have a nice pace going, with great character development and great scenes that only film fans can write. But I think it's the directing and editing that bring this film to life, and gives it its own voice.

Many times when we see a follow up film from a director who created a film we like, it's difficult to see their style come through. Most times it's just cookie cutter shot... and the script is good enough that the film can be shot that way, without their being any style.

Wright has his own style. And it comes through strong in this film. You couldn't NOT know it was the same filmmaker as Shaun of the Dead. And that makes him an important new voice in the game.

Not to mention, have you seen his trailer in Grindhouse? Too, too funny. It's called Don't, and you can view it here. Sorry, it's a crappy copy, but still fun to watch.

This film has some great action, great comedy, dialog... and some really great death scenes. If you dug Shaun, you'll enjoy this movie.

It was a toss up for me, between this and Spider-Man 3. After reading some of the reviews... well, I'll just give SM a wait. Glad I got to see this movie in the theaters, and I'm glad I gave my money to creators who are making original films.

John