What's all the Fuzz about?

"It's like Lethal Weapon meets Midsomer Murders"

When a film is decribed thus, you know not to take it seriously. Hot Fuzz is a doff of the cap to all-action, gun-toting, "Cop-on-the-edge" films of the 1980's and 90's, but with a twist. It's set in the West Country.

Simon Pegg and director Edgar Wright first collaborated on the cult Channel 4 comedy "Spaced", which rapidly became a hit due to it's frequent references to Star Wars and other classic movies. The cinematic feel which Wright gave to the show, using only one camera to film it, also gave it an other-worldly edge.

This success led to 2004's Rom-Zom-Com "Shaun of the Dead" which was a smash hit and made Simon Pegg a household name. As the success built, Pegg was asked if he would throw off the UK and make a career in Hollywood. He replied "I'm not exactly going to run off and film Mission;Impossible 3 am I?" Which, of course, he did.

Hot Fuzz had a much bigger budget than S.O.T.D., but still retains the small town feel, to which Sgt Nicholas Angel must adapt to following his reassignment from London. The story is simple enough - Sgt Angel is making too many arrests for the Met. police and making his colleagues look bad. So he is reassigned to Sandford and becomes shocked at the relaxed attitude to law enforcement. But soon enough, a number of locals meet grisly ends and Sgt Angel and his new colleague, Danny, investigate.

The friendship he strikes up with his partner, played by Nick Frost, is a real treat. Frost stood out in his role of "Mike" in Spaced, playing a gun-loving simpleton, but the character of "Ed" in Shaun of the Dead was thoroughly dislikeable from the first scene, and left staunch fans of Spaced a little flat.

However, in Hot Fuzz, Nick Frost again steals the show. His amiable character, whose life revolves around American Cop films and frequent visits to the pub, coupled with his morbid fascination with Sgt Angel's previous assignments, help the film rumble along to it's hilariously violent climax.

The assembled cast is outstanding, including legends such as Edward Woodward, Billie Whitelaw, Lethal Weapon 3 'baddie' Stuart Wilson, and the fantastic Timothy Dalton as the sneering, conniving Somerfield manager. There are also cameo's from Steve Coogan, Martin Freeman and Bill Nighy.

There are a number of stand out moments, including a gun-wielding Grannie being drop kicked over a wall, a gruesome murder of a pesky reporter and the climactic "battle of Somerfield".

Go see it, it's superb.