Hot Fuzz is a 2007 British comedy / parody film directed by Edgar Wright, written by Wright and Simon Pegg, and starring Pegg and Nick Frost. The film is the second in Wright and Pegg’s “Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy” and was preceded by 2004’s Shaun of the Dead and followed by 2013’s The World’s End, each of them featuring a different flavour of Cornetto ice cream.

London Police constable Nicholas Angel, is a serious by-the-book cop who is over-achieving in his job making his peers look bad. He gets a promotion to Sargent but is transferred to the idyllic village of Sandford, despite his protests. A somewhat dejected Nick moves his belongings to the village, finds the town is generally devoid of any crime, with its local Neighbourhood Watch Alliance (NWA) helping to keep the peace as everyone prepares for the “Village of the Year” award contest. He partners with the slightly dim-witted but enthusiastic PC Danny Butterman, the son of town chief Inspector Frank Butterman – who he arrests on the very first day for drunk driving. Nick is disheartened that his job is to patrol the quiet streets and chase after errant swans, minor disturbances – the most exciting is which he & Danny confiscate a shed full of unlicensed weapons including a naval mine, which has been disabled.

However the town begins to get a series of strange deaths, which are written off as accidents by everyone except Nick. Even Danny seems to be more interested in discussing his love of police action films. Nick’s investigations led him to suspect the local supermarket manager, NWA member Simon Skinner (Timothy Dalton), of the murders, but is rebuffed when Skinner’s alibi is backed up by video footage. He then believes, after chasing a hooded figure who gets away, that there are more than one killer, but the idea is rejected by Inspector Butterman. As Frank goes home he is attacked by a hooded figure who turns out to be an employee at Skinner’s supermarket. Angel subdues the man, then impersonates him over a walkie-talkie to discover Skinner’s whereabouts. He gets to a meeting of the Sandford NWA, Angel confronts the group and tries to arrest them. They confess they are collectively carrying out the murders of any residents who could cause Sandford not to be entitled “Village of the Year.” Inspector Butterman then reveals himself to be the leader of the group, explaining that he is motivated by the memory of his late wife Irene, who committed suicide after her efforts to win that title were foiled by a group of “gypsies”.

The group chase Nick, who also discovers the bodies of several victims of the NWA along the way. When he is about to be caught, when Danny suddenly appears and stabs him, causing the Sergeant to lose consciousness. He awakens in Danny’s car, where the younger Butterman reveals he only faked Angel’s murder to cover his escape. Danny begs his partner to leave Sandford for his own safety. Initially Nick appears to listen to his only friend in the village but he changes his mind and comes back to Sandford, arms himself with the previously confiscated weapons, and reunites with Danny. What follows next is a firefight in the center of the main road after which the two policemen rally their fellow officers and besiege Skinner’s supermarket, eventually forcing Skinner to flee. Skinner accidentally spears himself while the older Butterman crashes his car into a tree after he is attacked by a swan. The culprits arrested, Nick is asked to move back to London but he declines the offer to stay back in Sandford.

As he and the other police officers process paperwork related to their recent activities, one of the townsfolk bursts into the station and attempts to kill Sgt. Angel. As the officers attempt to disarm the old man, though, he collides into the confiscated naval mine and activates it. Angel and the others barely escape the station before it is destroyed. One year later, Angel and Danny are in charge of the Sandford Police as Inspector and Sergeant, respectively.

Much laughs and comedy galore, Hot Fuzz is an enjoyable ride of action & mirth. A must for fans of the Pegg/Frost duo and everyone else who like a light-hearted action flick. 8 outta 10!