Last night I was lucky enough to see one of the first full screenings of Hot Fuzz. While I'm going to write a proper review nearer the release date (16th Feb in the UK, 13th of April in the US), but it's fresh in my mind and I need to write down what I thought of it.

Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost. I've been following these guys since episode one of series one of 'Spaced' the UK tv comedy that brought them to everyone's attention. 'Shaun of the Dead' is one of my favourite films of the last couple of years, so obviously my anticipation for 'Hot Fuzz' was also quite high. Wright (writer/director) and Pegg (writer/lead) did not let me down, I never expected them too, and i'm glad that preconception wasn't shattered.

At one point while I was sat in the cinema, I had to take a little step back and say to myself "Am I actually enjoying this as much as I think I am?"… then the film would hit me with the punchline of a joke they'd been setting up for 12 minutes (without you realising) and I'd know..yes… I am enjoying it that much.

It's difficult to describe how good 'Hot Fuzz' is, without gushing like a total fan-boy but It really is great. I don't want to over-hype it, but as a point of reference; Shaun of the Dead was Edgar and Simon's love song to 'Dawn of the Dead', 'The Evil Dead', 'Day of the Dead', and 'Night of the Living Dead', 'Hot Fuzz' is their new album of songs dedicated to 'Bad Boys', 'Bad Boys 2', 'Point Break', 'Commando', and 'The Wicker Man'. That was one of the things that was so great about 'Shaun' and is equally true of 'Hot Fuzz', the films are littered with movie references both obvious and subtle, If you get them you're loving it, but if you don't there's enough jokes to make you love it anyway. 

While sat there last night there was at least one occasion where I picked up on a line that was a movie reference, and myself and perhaps five other people in the audience got it and chuckled, but then the film hits you with something so obviously funny the entire crowd erupted in laughter, and there-in lies the genius.

By this point you might be able to tell, I enjoyed the film. In fact I predict despite the fact it's so early in the year, 'Hot Fuzz' is going to make my 'Top 10 of 2007' list. It really is that good. A full action-packed review will arrive in February, but until then let me just leave you with one very small detail (non-spoiler); there's a scene near the end (the point at which the film turns it up to 11) where Simon Pegg flying kicks a granny in the face. I nearly wet myself.

Check out the Hot Fuzz trailers here 

and read some of our other posts about the film here