Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) plays a overly zealous London super cop. He's had 400% more arrests than any other officer; he was first in his training class; and has done every training course imaginable. He is so good in fact, that he is making the rest of the force look substandard. As a result he is transferred to the quiet town of Sandford, where crimes are usually a vicious mix of swan stealing and underage drinking.. Angel is partnered with the boyishly enthusiastic PC Danny Butterman (Nick Frost), who represents the complete opposite of him - he's inexperienced, naive, prone to bending the rules for "the greater good" and drives while tanked up to the eyeballs. The sleepy town image is shattered when the towns population start falling victim to bizarre "accidents". As the conspiracy unfolds Danny and Angel take on the town from hell, and their mothers, with an arsenal of weapons (WW2 mines included).
Frost and Pegg, who had previously teamed up for the successful "Sean of the Dead", are joined by such actors as Timothy Dalton (Bond, James Bond); Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge / Around the World in 80 Days); Martin Freeman (The Office / Love Actually); and Bill Nighy (Pirates of the Carribean / Love Actually / Hitchhikers Guide / Sean of the Dead). I know Pegg did some weapons training for his role in Hot Fuzz but I am curious what training was needed to play Danny Butterman.. (probably a few months at the local).
Danny cracks me up as the character who constantly says the wrong thing at, you guessed it, the wrong time; who's answer to most of lifes mysteries is found in double print at the bottom of a pint of lager; and the wide eyed awe as he hero worships Angel (To Angel as he presents a serious rendition of what the philosophy of policing is to a group of school children: "Is it true that there's a point on a man's head where if you shoot him his head explodes?").
I really enjoyed this movie - it's has a great cast of British actors; has a very imaginative gore portion (including two truly horrific uses of a church steeple); a quick and funny script; and some really imaginative characters. Definite recommendation!
26.01.2009 19:59
Re-rated based on Ciao's insistence that such reviews are no longer considered "Off Topic"
28.03.2007 16:20
I see you've posted this as a DVD review, but you've not mentioned the DVD. Are there any extras? If so, what are they and are they any good? If you add to this, or if you change it to be posted as a "Film Only" review, which can be done by accessing "edit review" above the review and changing the drop down menu under the "Which format are you reviewing?" question at the bottom, please let me know and I'll re-rate.
20.03.2007 10:35
A nice summary of the film there but I would have liked to see a bit more opinion myself :o)