Hot Fuzz

A quick etymology lesson for those confused about the title of this movie: the term "fuzz" is used to describe policemen - sorry, police officers - because the word "fuzz" originally meant a man's very short haircut. Back in the good old days, police officers were well-kempt, stoic law enforcers. Now ... well, that's enough of social commentary.

Hot Fuzz is the latest movie by the trio that brought you the brilliant zombie homage Shaun of the Dead back in 2004. This time, Edgar Wright (director), Simon Pegg and Nick Frost pay their tributes to cop movies. Nicholas Angel (Pegg) is an exceptional member of the London Police Force - sorry, police service. He is so good at his job (his arrest record is 400% higher than any other police officer) that his superiors decide to promote him - to a village far away from London. Angel is exiled to Sandford, a quaint little village in the countryside, where they have been nominated as village of the year for several years running. The Sandford crime rate is so low that the only things for police officers to do is catch underage drinkers and find lost swans. Or are they?

Hot Fuzz stays true to the formula of a cop/buddy movie - Angel is the excellent, disciplined cop and Danny Butterman (Frost) is the overweight, bumbling sidekick. Almost as soon as Angel arrives in peaceful Sandford, a series of grisly murders begins to occur. Angel suspects homicides and conspiracies, but everyone around him believes them to be nothing more than accidents and coincidences.

This movie will entertain and appeal fans of both cop movies and British comedies. Hot Fuzz capably combines both genres to create one of the best cop comedies - copedies? - in years. In recent summers, cinemas have been proliferated with brainless, action-intense movies. It makes perfect sense that with British wit and humor added into the mix, a brilliant movie of equal parts humor and violence is born. Hot Fuzz is also a good example of great storytelling - a lost art, these days - because it starts out at a slow pace, builds up the tension and leaves you breathless during the climactic gun-war scenes. And, of course, there's the brilliant British banter that's superbly delivered by an excellent ensemble cast.

It's a shame that Hot Fuzz is being released in Malaysia right smack dab in the middle of the already congested summer blockbuster season (it comes out a week before Transformers). But if you're feeling disenchanted with stale franchises and mindless summer flicks, treat yourself to an utterly brilliant copedy. Keep a watchful eye for scenes taken from other cop movies - most notably, Bad Boys II and Point Break. Wright, Pegg and Frost have masterminded yet another brilliant (hey, that's the 4th time!) homage that everyone should watch.

Director Edgar Wright Cast Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton Runtime 121 minutes Opens 21 June