Theatrical
Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg saw great success with their 2004 film, Shaun of the Dead. They haven’t been slacking off since that film’s release, though, and have had their new film, Hot Fuzz, released in the United States by Universal’s Rogue Pictures. I watched it tonight with a packed house in Sherman Oaks, Calif.
In the film, Pegg plays Nick Angel, a man born to be constabulary. After acing all his training and becoming something of a one-man taskforce, the department realizes he is showing up the rest of them and ships him off to sleepy little Sandford, where nothing seems to happen at all.
Angel the supercop rounds up a dozen or so collars his first night in town, much to the chagrin of locals who understand being a little looser with the law. Just when you think the film will devolve into a “boy, Angel just needs to learn to lighten up a bit” sort of film, everything is turned on its head when real crimes start happening in the small town, and Angel is the only one who notices what’s going on. Lest you forget this is a comedy from this description, I assure you the British dry wit is evident throughout.
First, the bad news: This film is long, especially for a comedy. Five minutes easily could have been shaved, leaving us with a much spunkier film.
That said, the editing of this film is top notch. It keeps your eyes firmly on the screen and gives you scant time to look about the theater at the people surrounding you. The sound design deserves note, too. Rarely has a comedy, even a police-themed comedy had this explosive of a mix. This film definitely will make a fine holiday HD DVD release for Universal.
Next, the writing astounds. There are so many jokes and quick one-liners that you’d be hard-pressed to keep up with them all. The acting is spot on, as well. Pegg nails Angel. His comic timing is perfect, as are his mannerisms. A perfect example is when he is forced to impersonate the village idiot, who is only heard uttering one syllable. Nick Frost is in perfect form as the well-meaning but somewhat-inept son of the burg’s inspector. The supporting cast is great fun, too, including Martin Freeman, Timothy Dalton, and Bill Nigh, among others.
This is a great film to see in a packed theater. There were numerous bursts of laughter and applause throughout the film in the packed auditorium in which I watched it. It bodes well for Pegg, Wright, and moviegoers in general.