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Trust Weighted
Good
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108Trust Points
Wick's Review
Summary - OK 2.5
Semi-funny satire of action movies and sleepy English villages. Cliches of each are the coin of this realm: think stumbling drunkards at the village pub combined with heavy weaponry and large explosions. Absurdist in tone, though not completely to the level of Monty Python absurd, the movie’s limited success depends on a well modulated performance by the great comedic actor Simon Pegg.
I realize I’m odd man out in my assessment, since several of my trusted WikPik reviewers gave Hot Fuzz Greats and Perfects. It just didn’t work for me, especially at an interminable two hours in length.
Acting - Good 3.0
Simon Pegg plays the straight-man here, getting his laughs from quiet indignation amid the folly and idiocy all about him. He’s a great talent, but didn’t earn too many laughs from me in this performance, sad to say.
Several other redoubtable British actors turn in respectable comedic performances: Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent and Timothy Dalton included. Dalton delivers a delicious performance as a leading-man character gone bad.
Male Stars - Very Good 3.5
Female Stars - Barely OK 2.0
Female Costars - OK 2.5
Male Costars - Very Good 3.5
Film - OK 2.5
The film seems to be an homage to Bad Boys, which I haven’t seen, though it’s easy enough to imagine what Michael Bay wrought by combining high testosterone stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence with lots of fake explosions. So this British satire can be thought of as Bad Lads. Great idea. Too bad it wasn’t better executed.
Direction - Barely OK 2.0
Dialogue - OK 2.5
Music - Very Good 3.5
Visuals - Good 3.0
Edge - Tame 1.4
Harmless.