REEL CRITIC:’Hot Fuzz’ a spot-on parody of action films

“Hot Fuzz” is a deadpan caricature of the over-amplified, high-throttle, cop-action movies produced by, among others, Jerry Bruckheimer.

Directed by Edgar Wright, who co-wrote the script with star Simon Pegg, this new action-satire film merrily wreaks screen havoc as well, if not better, than most Bruckheimer productions. That you have to squint to notice any difference between the two is to the fault of those movies and the credit of this one.

Nicolas Angel (Simon Pegg) is a hot-shot London cop banished to the sleepy village of Sandford because his high-testosterone super-cop methods overshadowed and embarrassed the rest of the force.

As noted by his superiors, Nicolas is far too efficient to remain in London because his productivity is 400% higher than the rest of the force. So, it’s off to Sandford, where police work consists of chasing runaway swans and every violent death is written off as an “accident.”

Nicolas is partnered with the affable Danny Butterman (Nick Frost), who is an action-movie freak, but is not very learned in the ways of a real cop. Soon a series of “accidents” sets off Nicolas’ natural cop inclinations. We know these aren’t accidents as a Shrouded Figure has been roaming around town, beheading a variety of Sandford citizens.

Essentially, “Hot Fuzz” is an action movie like “Bad Boys II” or “Beverly Hills Cop” transposed, almost literally, into a quaint, quiet English village, which is where its many laughs are derived.

Nicolas Angel is cut from the same celluloid of a thousand hard-boiled, loner cops like Dirty Harry. He is a highly efficient law-enforcement machine out to solve the crime that no one believes has occurred. He’s the fish-out-of-water cop come to town to set things right. He’s the bull-headed cop who doesn’t know when to stop. In other words, he’s a thousand clichés who, thanks to the agility of the filmmakers, never becomes a one-note joke.

All of this is hysterically funny as the cast goes about its work in a serious way. It’s as if they have no idea they are in a comedy, which, of course, is one of the many reasons why “Hot Fuzz” works so well as both parody and action film. Instead of a series of jokes strung together to make an acceptable running time, there is a real story being told.

Not to mention that this movie’s look is equal to, if not better, than of many modern action films.

“Hot Fuzz” is a film unique unto itself delivered to you by the same writer-director, much of the cast and, for all I know, the same crew as the equally gut-busting funny, “Shaun of the Dead.”

This is a knowing comedy that manages to skewer the action genre while also clearly giving it a lot of love.

Without a doubt, “Hot Fuzz” is not only one of the funniest movies you’ll see this year, it may also be the best action film of the year.