Hot Fuzz

Finally got around to seeing Hot Fuzz last night and after careful consideration I would judge it as "Ok".

It is too long, a little uneven and some of the jokes are very obvious (but in fairness you are always going to be disappointed if you go into a film like Hot Fuzz expecting high brow humour). But it is worthwhile, and it is nice to see a British comedy flick that isn't written by Richard Curtis - and also nice to see Timothy Dalton working again.

The problem is that it will inevitably be compared to Shaun of the Dead - and Shaun of the Dead is a much better film. Funnier, more original and more punchy (also with zombies - a big benefit in my book), Shaun of the Dead also has a much more likable lead character. In Hot Fuzz Nicholas Angel is a super cop - a little up tight, sure, but generally brilliant at everything he tries to do. In Shaun of the Dead Shaun is a lazy, drunken ordinary bloke who is drifting through life without realising it. I think most people will find it far easier to relate to Shaun than to Nicholas, and that makes Shaun of the Dead a far easier film to buy into (in spite of the zombie invasion...)

So if you haven't seen Hot Fuzz at the cinema, I would wait until it comes out on DVD.