Hot Fuzz is a sort of hybrid action-comedy, which lies, thematically, somewhere between solid action, and parody/satire; contextually, somewhere between Naked Gun and Bad Boys (or any other film from Bay/Bruckheimer). With only a handful of films under his belt, Edgar Wright is establishing himself as one of the most consistently competent directors going. He has an incredible understanding of every genre he's worked in – Shaun of the Dead blended incredible humor with genuine horror to create a film that seemed to be in a genre nearly of its own. ‘Shaun' succeeded so well as a film, the restrictions within its genre were completely negated. Wright also directed the trailer for “Don't,” which appeared during the intermission between Rodriguez and Tarantino's films in Grindhouse. The trailer seemed torn directly from the 70's, and was perhaps the most faithful trailer to its inspiration. After Wright's trailer, I thought to myself, “I want to see that movie…” The trailer was both hilarious, and showed some incredible potential as an exploitation horror film.

Hot Fuzz is certainly in the same vein as Edgar Wright's previous work, and, when viewed alongside, is just as brilliant. The topic has changed from horror to action, but the films sensibilities are still firmly grounded within the genre of comedy. The film begins on a very farcical tone, and seems much more like a parody - due to its bizarre comedic set-pieces - than the rest of the film. It soon takes a turn into slightly more action based territory when characters begin getting killed by a shrouded killer.

It is these sequences that build the films basic plot – After his exemplary performance on the streets of London, officer Nicholas Angel is promoted to Sergeant in a sleepy little town with an incredibly low crime rate. When a series of murders begin occurring, and are made to look like accidents, Angel must attempt to uncover the truth. This all leads to an explosive climax that pays tribute to all number of action films.

What impresses me most is Wright's handling of the action sequences. While the film begins in quite strictly the territory of comedy, it develops quite slowly until the proverbial shit hits the fan, and all manner of violence is unleashed. The film borrows from any number of American action films, yet never attempts to disguise it. Entire sequences are borrowed, quite literally; specific camera angles and tracking shots are ripped directly from the film's American inspiration. What makes these sequences so outstanding is that they so blatantly imitate films which are talked about, and even seen earlier in the film. The comedic effect is, simply put, brilliant. The action is intense, but never loses its sense of humor, building to a climax which only begins to define ‘ironic.'

While Edgar Wright is certainly an incredibly talented filmmaker, the majority of the success of both ‘Shaun' and ‘Fuzz' is the team of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Simon Pegg is a very talented actor, and a very funny man. He delivers his lines in such a serious manner (when required) yet can underlay every single serious line with a very comedic texture. He is a gifted actor that would certainly be able to hold his own in a non-comedic film. As for Frost, his characters exist purely as a foil to Pegg's seriousness. Frost's characters are purely comical, with little dramatic depth, and nearly every line is a dimwitted or comedically contradictory line. If Pegg's characters are the heart of their respective films, then Frost is certainly their funny bone, and the main reason the comedy is as funny as it is. Pegg and Wright's script is brilliantly written, but the execution certainly elevates the film beyond just funny.

The unique chemistry between the cast and director creates a wonderfully energetic and riotously funny movie-going experience. The humor is lightly offensive, with much gore and even more profanity. I don't believe I've ever heard the word ‘cunt' so many times in one film, and as such can't be recommended to all. For anyone wanting a laugh, however, you could certainly do worse. The execution is perfect, in front of, and behind the camera, and I could have sworn when Nick Frost said ‘Mother Fucker' in as articulate a fashion as he did, I was watching Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys 2. Nick Frost is one of the funniest men in the world, and I encourage everyone to check out his other works, both Shaun of the Dead, and Frost's TV show, Danger, 50,000 Volts, both are hilarious. Also, Wright, Pegg, and Frost all worked together on a British television show called Spaced which is criminally unavailable on DVD.