Julian S
HOT FUZZ takes the trio’s game up a notch after SHAUN OF THE DEAD—with more depth, sharper shocks, bone-dry humor, and enough explosive action to satisfy both cop movie junkies and horror heads.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
04/08/25
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Joshua H
That was the last thing I ever expected for a police comedy but I'm glad that this exists. This one of the most stupidest, dumb but also incredibly hilarious movies out there. I am so happy I've watched this. It generally made my day.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/29/25
Full Review
Betsy S
A film that deserves to be talked about more than it is. Some may say that Shaun of the Dead is the best of the 'Cornetto Trilogy', but this film in my opinion, takes the gold medal by far. British Comedy at its finest, Hollywood blockbusters have nothing on this gem.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
03/17/25
Full Review
Tatianna T
Hot Fuzz is an action-packed comedy directed by Edgar Wright, who manages to capture humor in a unique way. The directing style of quick cuts and suspenseful implementation of sound effects was impactful and helped connect emotions. Edgar Wright created meaning in every shot; his use of camera angles captured hints of what could happen in each scene. His camera work encapsulates the intensity of the scenes with fast cuts. Color played a major role in this movie, with a consistent blue tint distributed through the entire visual composition. The color symbolizes the films tone, enhancing the narrative.
Another important element is music. There were times when the music was overwhelming and distracted the audience from small details captured in the camera angles. Although the music was overwhelming, the dynamic use of volume, both high and low, was needed. The sounds of footsteps and cups clinking help viewers feel like they are in the film.
Beyond the immersive sounds, the script and costumes further bring the characters to life. The script and costumes fabricate personalities for each character and help in understanding the roles being played. Beyond the costumes, the character of Sergeant Angel is given short lines, he created a pretentious tone with his delivery of short, witty quips. Each actor portrays their character in different ways with their mannerisms. Sergeant Angel uses little emotion throughout the movie, which gives his character a cold personality; this helps build the story of Hot Fuzz. Simon is a police officer who takes his job seriously; he does not let anything get in the way.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
03/14/25
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Aiden G
Before 2010, director Edgar Wright had yet to reach the status of a filmmaker he is considered today. While his success from 2017’s Baby Driver was well deserved, an upcoming Wright in 2007 for Hot Fuzz showcases the fundamental positives of his styles that would be translated to 2017 incredibly well, but also lackluster qualities that eventually diminish the shine of an otherwise deserving British Academy Award-winning film.
For only his third directorial opportunity, Wright’s conveyance of script, storytelling, and themes is considerably first-rate. He manages to sell an otherwise dramatic and overzealous plot through strong, interconnected themes of comradery and adept dialogue that allow the viewer to appreciate said themes and story. However, the superb acting of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Timothy Dalton, and the many other constituents of the large cast enables this appreciation to take root in the first place. Being of the comedic buddy cop genre, Pegg and Frost’s characters have copious amounts of screen time. Surprisingly, never once do their scenes get stale or boring. The well-implemented jokes between their two characters, along with excellent line delivery, combine to make the many scenes containing these partners refreshing and undoubtedly funny.
With a film about cops, the characters' costumes seem to be well-made and believable; however, there are few scenes with close-up shots of the uniforms, making critiquing and appreciation difficult. While the camera work throughout the movie is not bad, nothing exceptional stands out. There are a variety of angles throughout with some lighting distinctions—mainly considering indoor scenes with shadows and warmer tones. Moreover, color seems to be nothing to write home about. While there are no cinematic marvels to be had in terms of cinematography, it gets the job done beyond a doubt.
Tuning into a more positive note, the sound design is certainly noteworthy. With that, one moment comes to light with a long, narrow, and blurred shot of Pegg’s character Angel stomping down a hallway, whose steps echo and reverberate beautifully, at the film's beginning. This brilliance, while an uncommon spectacle cinematically, is not solely present in the first minute of the film’s sound design.
Even with a great soundstage, the music and score of Hot Fuzz get overbearing when constant samples of it can be heard through seemingly all two hours of the film. With this, the atrocities for which the editing of Wright’s third directorial piece commits only amplify the cloudy and flustered music. While Wright seemed to master the art of quick cut-style editing techniques in Baby Driver, his 2007 creation lacks the refinement and impressive implementation characteristic of the 2017 movie. In Hot Fuzz, the cut from one action to another is commonly achieved with these abrupt, unclean transitions that make the viewing experience and flow of the film less desirable. Special effects such as explosions and gunfights—which are plentiful in this action film—are also affected. An over-reliance on quick cuts and the effects it has on other aspects of the film robs it of vital positive qualities. Even so, Hot Fuzz is still an enjoyable comedy that demonstrated Edgar Wright’s strong potential in 2007—whose limits would be reached and/or exceeded nearly a decade later.
6.4 out of 10—slightly above average.
It is not a masterpiece in any way, but a fun watch regardless.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
03/13/25
Full Review
Rowan L
When exploring Edgar Wright’s creative vision and direction of Hot Fuzz, it translates well to an audience that this is a satirical comedy. This vision is brought to an audience on a silver platter through comedically timed lines, quick camera cuts and slow zooms, and the personality of specific characters like Danny—played by Nick Frost.
Throughout this movie, there are many captivating moments, but some get lost in the fuzz. Before this movie jumps into its first scene, it opens somewhat chaotically. Attacking audiences with police whistles, sirens, and flashing white lights, perhaps attempting to put the audience on their toes from the get. Aside from that—early on in the movie—some exceptional things can be recognized, such as the long and far camera angle of Sergeant Angel walking down a highly contrast-lit hallway, aided by the specific sound design of his squeaking shoes. A remarkable feather in this movie is its sense of realism; when noticing the settings such as the police station, grocery store, and village all of these places feel lived in. The blue and yellow-tinged scenes, along with the serious religious themes approached in a dramatic and unserious tone, helped turn up the comedic value of this movie. It’s obvious Wright wanted this film to feel like an action and suspenseful film at times, and the specific colors of scenes and specific character costumes helped him accomplish that.
While there are many positive things to note in this film though—in many moments—things tend to fall flat. Which may be caused by the frequent bad acting or the trickle of dad jokes left throughout the script. Though this movie, at times, does an exceptional job of introducing realism often there are scenes that feel out of touch. Along with not contributing to the comedic effect. The over-the-top special effects, CGI during explosions, death scenes, and the paper-crumble reminiscent bone cracking throughout the film tended to interrupt and ruin some high-tension scenes that take away from the impactfulness and comedic value within the story. Many times throughout this film, the overacting and chaotic editing can be a lot for an audience to digest, which can lead to visual fatigue—admittedly, at times, I did experience it. Though this movie did have some lows, it ended on a high note. Rolling into the credits playing the song, "Here Come The Fuzz" by Jon Spencer and the Elegant Trio. Making a clever callback to the movie’s title.
Overall, this film wasn’t horrible. This could be a good movie for an audience who may not be familiar with Edgar Wright’s work, but for audiences who may be more versed, I wouldn’t recommend this novice film. My rating of this film is a lackluster 5/10. My recommendation lies with Wright's newer works; a better pick may be his 2017 film Baby Driver. With a decade of experience filling the gap between these two films, I can confidently say almost any other film of Wright’s after 2007 will be a significantly better watch.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
03/13/25
Full Review
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