Hot Fuzz

Hot Fuzz

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	2007 (2007)
Founder	Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Buddy cop action comedy film

Hot Fuzz is a 2007 buddy cop action comedy film helmed by director Edgar Wright, who also co-authored the screenplay alongside Simon Pegg. Pegg features as Nicholas Angel, a top-tier London police officer relocated to a quiet West Country village after outperforming his colleagues, where he starts probing into a sequence of brutal murders. Nick Frost plays Police Constable Danny Butterman, Angel's new partner.

As the second installment and the most financially successful entry in the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy—preceded by Shaun of the Dead and followed by The World's End—the script takes cues from more than 100 action films.

The main filming took place over eleven weeks in Wells, Somerset, with ten visual effects artists working on scenes involving explosions and gunfire. Hot Fuzz premiered on 16 February 2007 in the United Kingdom and on 20 April in the United States, grossing US$80 million worldwide against a budget of $12–16 million. In 2020, Empire magazine ranked it as the 67th-best film of the 21st century.

Plot

Nicholas Angel, recently promoted to Metropolitan Police Sergeant, is transferred to the rural community of Sandford, Gloucestershire, due to his exceptional performance. After arresting Danny Butterman for drunk driving, Angel learns that Danny is both a police officer and the son of Inspector Frank Butterman. Disappointed by the village's dullness, inefficient colleagues, and the Neighbourhood Watch Alliance (NWA)'s prioritization of low crime figures over actual policing, Angel and Danny stop local actors for speeding. When these actors are found dead in what appears to be a staged car accident, only Angel suspects foul play.

They uncover an illegal weapons cache containing a sea mine and seize it. Angel grows closer to Danny as they bond over their shared love of action movies. A mysterious cloaked individual kills land developer George Merchant by triggering a gas explosion; Angel suspects this incident is linked to a recent property transaction.

Local reporter Tim Messenger approaches Angel but is murdered by the same cloaked figure during the village fête. Angel discovers that florist Leslie Tiller intends to sell land to Merchant’s associates; she is subsequently killed with garden shears. Angel suspects Simon Skinner, manager of a rival supermarket whose store could jeopardize the deal, but Skinner has an alibi.

Realizing multiple perpetrators are involved, Angel is attacked by Michael "Lurch" Armstrong, an employee of Skinner. After subduing Lurch, Angel uncovers a secret NWA meeting at Sandford Castle. Led by Frank Butterman, the NWA confesses to orchestrating the deaths as accidents to secure the "Village of the Year" award. Frank reveals that his late wife Irene committed suicide after travellers disrupted their first attempt at winning; since then, he has been determined to win at any cost. Angel escapes but discovers victims' bodies hidden in the castle catacombs. Danny arrives and pretends to shoot Angel before urging him to return to London for safety.

Angel initially complies but returns after spotting action movie DVDs in a local shop. Equipped with confiscated firearms, he confronts the NWA in a gunfight alongside Danny. They convince other officers of Frank’s guilt; Frank attempts to flee with Skinner in a police vehicle. Following a high-speed pursuit and shootout, Angel corners Skinner at Sandford's model village, where Skinner is killed. Frank tries to escape but is attacked by a swan they had previously rescued.

Angel’s superiors request his return to London due to increasing crime rates; he refuses and remains in Sandford. While reviewing arrests, Tom Weaver—the last NWA member—fires at Angel but accidentally hits Danny instead. During their struggle, Weaver triggers the sea mine, killing himself and destroying the police station. One year later, Angel has been promoted to Inspector and Danny to Sergeant. After visiting Irene’s grave, they set off together toward their next assignment.

Development

Director Edgar Wright intended to craft a British police movie, highlighting the scarcity of such films in the UK compared to other nations. Wright collaborated with Simon Pegg over eighteen months to develop the screenplay. The initial draft took eight months to complete, followed by thorough research that included viewing 138 police films and conducting more than fifty interviews with law enforcement officers. The script was finalized after an additional nine months of work. The title Hot Fuzz draws inspiration from the concise two-word action film titles popular during the 1980s and 1990s. Wright aimed for a title devoid of specific meaning, akin to Lethal Weapon or Point Break, while Pegg humorously remarked that many action film names appear as if randomly assembled from adjectives and nouns. Nick Frost agreed to join the cast on the condition that he could name his character, ultimately selecting "Danny Butterman".

Preparation and filming

Toward the end of 2005, Working Title Films conducted location scouting across towns in South West England. Pegg observed that since both he and Wright hail from the West Country, it was appropriate to set an intense action story in places like Frome. After evaluating locations such as Stow-on-the-Wold, the production ultimately chose Wells, which is Wright's hometown, a place he both cherishes and humorously expressed a desire to "trash". To depict the fictional village of Sandford, Wells Cathedral was digitally erased from every frame, with the Church of St Cuthbert serving as the primary landmark; however, the Bishop's Palace remains visible and was used for certain scenes.

While wearing police uniforms during filming, Pegg and Frost were frequently mistaken for actual officers. Additional scenes were shot at Hendon Police College, utilizing facilities such as its driving school's skid pan and athletic track, as well as at the Metropolitan Police Specialist Training Centre located in Gravesend. The flower shop sequence was filmed at Finchley Nurseries near Mill Hill. The concluding scenes took place at the ruins of Waverley Abbey. Principal photography began on 19 March 2006 and continued for eleven weeks. Following post-production editing, Wright removed roughly thirty minutes from the final cut.

Self-references

Wright has mentioned that Hot Fuzz incorporates aspects from his last amateur project, Dead Right, describing it as "'Lethal Weapon' transplanted to Somerset" and also "a 'Dirty Harry' story set in Somerset". He reused several locations from these earlier works, including a Somerfield supermarket where he had previously been employed.

The film contains nods to Shaun of the Dead. For instance, a scene where Nicholas confidently vaults over garden fences while Danny struggles mirrors a similar gag in Shaun of the Dead, though with reversed roles. Frost deliberately glanced at the camera after crashing through a fence to confirm he performed his own stunt.

Characters portrayed by Frost (Danny in Hot Fuzz, Ed in Shaun of the Dead) share an affinity for Cornetto ice cream. Pegg and Wright refer to Hot Fuzz as the second installment in their "Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy", which began with Shaun of the Dead and concluded with The World's End.

Other films

Hot Fuzz incorporates footage from action movies such as Police Story 3: Super Cop, Point Break, and Bad Boys II. Edgar Wright obtained authorization from all actors and stunt performers featured in these segments and compensated for the rights to use images on DVD packaging. The movie satirizes typical action film tropes, with Simon Pegg noting men's fascination with firearms as symbolic representations of masculinity. Nonetheless, Pegg stresses that the film is not a parody but rather a sincere tribute to the genre. It also alludes to The Wicker Man, recognized for its depiction of a strict law enforcement officer portrayed by Edward Woodward.

Pop culture

In 2020, Wright mentioned via social media that the movie’s title seemingly references the 2004 debut album Hot Fuss by the Killers, though he clarified that the title itself "has no particular meaning."

Special effects

To illustrate the explosion at the mansion caused by gas ignition, gas mortars generated large fireballs that engulfed the camera lens. For the climactic scene featuring the destruction of Sandford's police station, a scale model showcased windows shattering, while a miniature version was used to depict the actual demolition.

Following the approach established in Shaun of the Dead, abundant stylized blood and gore were employed to amplify comedic effect. Visual effects supervisor Richard Briscoe explained that exaggeration heightens viewer enjoyment by underscoring the film’s absurd elements. The most intricate gore sequence involved a character’s head being crushed by church debris, created through a combination of a dummy and green screen technology. Over seventy shots involving gunfights received digital enhancements to intensify action scenes, demonstrating how subtle visual effects collectively boost realism and audience engagement.

Promotion

Two initial teaser trailers premiered on 16 October 2006. Throughout production, Wright, Pegg, and Frost maintained multiple video blogs. At the 2006 San Diego Comic-Con, Wright and Frost showcased early footage and participated in a Q&A session to promote Hot Fuzz. They returned in 2007 for further promotion tied to the US DVD release. Early screenings took place on 14 February 2007 in the UK, with the world premiere following on 16 February 2007, featuring motorcycle police escorts and a distinctive blue carpet replacing the traditional red.

Critical reception

According to Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 91% approval rating with an average score of 7.7/10 based on 204 critiques, describing it as a "sharp satirical and highly entertaining send-up" of buddy cop films.

External links

• The Director Interviews: Edgar Wright, Hot Fuzz at Filmmaker Magazine