[audio:/podcasts/pdm16.mp3]
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Story:
A city cop tries to bring professionalism to a sleepy little town that turns out to be not that sleepy. Graphic violence ensues. The tagline says it all: “They’re bad boys. They’re die hards. They’re lethal weapons. They are…HOT FUZZ.”
Detective: Nicholas Angel (and his partner Danny)
Release Date: February 2007
Writers: Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg
Source: Original screenplay.
Mystery Analysis:
Detective as protagonist?
Jenny: Yes, introduced right off the bat, his POV all the way through the movie except for the murderer’s skulking scenes.
Lani: Yes, and he’s active from the beginning, god bless ‘im.
Murderer as antagonist?
Jenny: Yes. It’s Murder on the Orient Express, the Whack-Job Countryside versionl
Lani: Yes. All fifty-four of them.
Conflict created by mystery/murder?
Jenny: Yes.
Lani: Yes, not that we know it until 40 minutes in.
Fair play with all the clues given?
Jenny: Yes. The movie is absolutely larded with clues disguised as jokes.
Lani: Yes, we’re given everything the detective is, and only one or two things more – witnessing the crimes – but that’s okay.
Solved using deduction, not luck?
Jenny: Yes. We know what Nick knows and we’re stunned when Nick is stunned.
Lani: Yes; Nick comes to everything on his own, using clues given.
Everything pulls together in the end?
Jenny: Yes. There are no loose ends in this movie.
Lani: Does it ever. They may have been self-indulgent in this movie, but one thing you can count on Simon Pegg to do is tie up all the loose ends.
Story Analysis & Ratings:
Jenny says: 5 Pops
Mystery: 5, Craft: 4, Suspense: 5, Romance: 5, Comedy: 5
Lani says: 5 Pops
Mystery: 5, Craft: 4, Suspense: 5, Romance: 5, Comedy: 5
6 responses to “Hot Fuzz”
Finally! A good one, and done right! That I actually like and watched 3 times! Huzzah!!!!
I don’t mind the slow-seeming start to the movie, oddly enough. Heck, Timothy Dalton’s being so charmingly obvious from the getgo that you know something is going on.
I feel the same way. Okay, the end was too drawn out, but I like that beginning. I like all of it. Funny and a good mystery–I did not see the cult thing coming–so now I’m much more cheerful. Comic mysteries were depressing the hell out of me.
One of my favorite movies! Glad you both enjoyed it too 😉
This is off topic but I saw it and thought the PopD peeps would appreciate it. This is the product description for “When Harry Met Sally” off of Amazon:
“Two Manhattan careerists take 12 years to figure out they love each other.”
Just me or did they manage to make a totally charming and wonderful movie sound totally dull and boring? That takes talent, right?
In other news, I LOVE Hot Fuzz. Saw it in the theater several times, as I recall. And I still remember the first time I saw it where I didn’t know not to look when they kill Tim Messenger. I also love the black humor in this. “Ow. This really hurts.” You’re laughing like crazy and you feel so awful but you don’t care. Definitely humor and mystery done right.
This is why you should never let anybody write your blurbs for you.
I’m so happy that you liked this movie. I think it would have broken my heart.