Media Diary 1 'Review'

For my review I have chosen a text which sets the bar for the standard of comedy films in the U.K. the box office hit that proved that the acting duo that is Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, were not a one hit wonder with the gruesome comedy 'Shaun of the Dead'.
     'Hot Fuzz' is a film which revolves around 'Nicholas Angel' (Simon Pegg) - a hot shot police officer from London who is reassigned to a dreary post in a small town called Sandford. Nicholas attempts to settle down in the quiet life however a series of deaths in the town convinces Nicholas that there is a murderer in Sandford. The entire police department is against him in this, his new colleagues shrug the incidences off as 'accidents' and tell him it's due to him being used to London's busy police role. When the truth finally comes to light Pegg and Frost ensue on the classic police chase and standoffs with comical twists.
    This movie is brimming with comedy and impressive special effects. Car chases and explosions all take place in this dreary setting creating the irony of which most the film bases it's comedy on. The cinematography puts emphasis on the drama in parts of the film, the lighting behind Pegg when he assumes his 'hero' role at the end of the film, horse and all. The dark scenes where we see the supposed death of Pegg create a horror effect and reinforce the gruesome scene in which Frost stabs Pegg.
    This movie has themes of heroism and sexism, these are evident throughout the movie with the final scene showing Angel on a horse chewing a toothpick, the typical cliche of the hero on the horse. Constant banter between the female police officer and the rest of the force show the sexism as the banter is quite blunt, this reinforces the notion of this town being 'behind the times'.