Hot Fuzz Review: Effortlessly Cool Comedy

Hot Fuzz is a masterclass in comedy filmmaking, with a razor-sharp script and pitch-perfect performances that keep the laughs rolling.

When his arrival triggers a series of seemingly unrelated deaths in the village, Angel and his new partner Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) stumble deeper and deeper into a mysterious conspiracy.

Hot Fuzz came hot off the heels of Wright’s internationally successful Shaun of the Dead, which brought an irreverent style of British comedy to the zombie apocalypse. The film was praised for its dry wit and hilarious line deliveries, which is something that Wright clearly took in his stride with Hot Fuzz. His second feature is absolutely brimming with jokes; even the subtlest, most throwaway lines have brilliant jokes buried within them, which creates a momentum that few comedy movies are able to maintain. This high-paced style of comedy merges perfectly with Wright’s stylish editing and dynamic camerawork: before one scene is over, the next has begun, and it makes the entire film breeze past in the blink of an eye.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have worked together plenty of times throughout their careers, but Hot Fuzz might be their best collaboration yet. Shaun of the Dead is arguably more consistent, and The World’s End is certainly more ambitious, but the heights that they reach in Hot Fuzz are unrivalled. Their line deliveries alone are enough to carry the film to success, but when that’s paired with a genuinely engaging story and a compelling mystery, it doesn’t get much better. It seems that Wright and his co-writing partner Simon Pegg took on board the criticism of Shaun of the Dead being a little too simple and straightforward, weaving a narrative net in Hot Fuzz that catches the audience unaware and effortlessly sucks them into the film’s central mystery. Everything is presented as comedy, but you’re also on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

Edgar Wright is a very unique storyteller: he’s clearly an immense cinephile, and his love for classic cinema shines through Hot Fuzz’s countless aesthetic references and callbacks to other movies, but the way that he writes is also very traditional. He introduces his characters, establishes the central mystery, and then spends every following second working towards the climax. Even scenes that don’t initially seem purposeful become relevant in the final act, and that’s the trademark of a master storyteller – he lulls the audience into thinking they’re merely watching something funny, keeping them unaware that he’s actually building the foundations of an expertly-plotted climax to come.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of Hot Fuzz, at least in front of the camera, is the huge ensemble cast that features some of the most recognizable faces in British comedy. Pegg and Frost’s great performances are just two of many, with actors such as Olivia Colman, Paddy Considine, Timothy Dalton, and Martin Freeman just to name a few. Even in supporting roles, these actors make the most out of every single line and bring Wright’s script to live with passion and a sharp sense of humour. It’s a Who’s Who of British comedians, all delivering some of their funniest work to date. 

Ultimately, Hot Fuzz may not be everybody’s favourite movie in the cornetto trilogy, but it’s almost certainly the most impressive. The way that Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg blends such a hilarious comedy with an intriguing mystery is excellent, and the script is overflowing with sharp wit in every line. It’s perhaps Wright’s greatest achievement as a writer, and while he’s continued to develop his directorial style with ambitious projects like Scott Pilgrim vs The World and Baby Driver, this is his magnum opus from a storytelling perspective.

Hot Fuzz is now available to watch on digital and on demand.

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