Hot Fuzz Review: Unnecessary violence in an otherwise smart film

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised while watching Hot Fuzz and can’t wait to see it again. It’s a spoof of cop-n-partner movies, but the spoof is not so over-the-top. Rather the plot is interesting and engaging.

The plot is like this *possible spoilers*: A really good London cop is transferred to an outskirt village because of jealousy. Life is too simple for this life-on-the-fast-lane cop. Till he discovers a spate of murders happening in his little village that are covered up as accidents. With his partner… who happens to be the son of the police chief… the cop uncovers the conspiracy… and arrests all the bad-guys.

But this simple plot obviously misses the understated ‘british’ nature of the movie… it’s really funny in less-obvious ways… and also the character of the central character works because there is no buffonery in him (unlike the old Naked Weapon series or even Hot Shots).

 The violence, especially in the end, is certainly over-the-top and sadly, detracts from an otherwise extremely smart movie. Heads cut, smashed, etc, no longer have the shock value as before and now even a movie like 300 can get a laugh when heads roll.

I feel that if they did without the ‘extra’ violence… and especially reduced the … no wait, wait, wait… I’m totally ruining the spoof. The point of a spoof is that it breaks the genres, and gives an opportunity for a laugh to many people. I guess, I found Hot Fuzz to be interesting enough to rise to become a great movie. Which sadly, it isn’t. It’s only good.

But in the escapist entertainment business, even good, is good enough.

Spiderman 3 review (warning spoilers included)

NOTE: Let me say again, spoilers are included so if you do not want to know the ending of the movie… please do not read further.

Well, you probably saw them too, the “mixed” reviews about Spiderman 3. Basically we were told that the movie is good, and yet a bit dry, too complex, and not as good as Spiderman 2. Well, thankfully, nobody said the it was worse than Spiderman 1 because the first edition was simply awful! Spiderman 2 was a much-much better movie. And I would say that if you prefered Spiderman 2 from 1, then you’ll probably enjoy 3 as well.

Basically, there’s a lot of dialogue and character development, something that strangely action movies need to justify their main ‘action’. Some of the action is cheesy, like James Franco losing his memory (gosh where did they get that idea from… Bollywood?) But the overall pace is steady, and involving.

The easy-paced middle-potions help keep the film together and interestingly it is the action is sometimes distracting. Except, because you know you’re watching a Spiderman movie, it’s gotta have the swing!

Anyway, the movie plot is not so complicated as some people are making it out to be.

Peter Parker/Spiderman loves MJ, but is too self-obsessed with his fame to notice her struggles. He’s going to propose to her, but is basically not ready. That’s the relationship tension.

James Franco, Parker’s friend-turned-enemy-turned-friend-turned-enemy… is still doing the same thing. He’s angry with Parker for “killing” his father, he is not willing to listen to Parker’s explanation… and even Franco even tries to kill him. But when Franco’s butler tells Franco the truth, that his father killed himself (where did the butler suddenly come from, BATMAN???) then Franco joins forces… yes you read it right… he joins forces with Spiderman to defeat the double enemy.

Come to think of it, this part of the movie is really cheesy if you “plot it”.

 Anway, the main villains are Sandman. And a photographer guy who becomes infected with the venom and becomes (we are told) Greed. “Greed” comes in too late in the movie… and basically is a Spidey clone with teeth.

Parker believes that the Sandman is the killer of his uncle, but later we find out that it was an accident… and so Sandman is actually a good guy.  In the end Parker forgives Sandman, and thus allows his redemption. Hmmm. A point to be noted is that Sandman has the best special effects in the movie, perhaps in all the three movies.

The to-be-expected “Aunt” dialogue scenes are ok… and keeping in mind the character developments of the movie, they’re not so bad. But somehow it seems as if the second movie’s revelation that Peter was the cause of her husband’s death has not really sunk in here. She still misses “Ben” but that’s about the only emotion carried over (almost as if the second movie never happened).

Ultimately, the idea that Spiderman struggles with himself is perhaps the most important and well-done part of the film; especially since the black venom stuff actually accentuates the feelings that are already within. Ie. Spidey’s acting “evil” because there is evil inside already. Nice theme.

And finally, the ending… James Franco dies. But it’s not unexpectated since he keeps talking about how he’ll “give his life for his friends”. Well he does. Boo hoo, sniff sniff. Thankfully, there’s no more of that brooding, “I love my friends, and yet I hate them,” for us to bear. If they do make Spidey 4, I’m glad he’s out… unless there’s a resurrection of sorts. Ouch, perish the thought.

All in all, unlike what this “review” might sound like, I actually enjoyed watching the movie and this critique is basically to say that Spidey 3 has some really cool effects, some good character development and some good themes. Sadly, it doesn’t push the movie forward to Part 4. Why it’s sad is that while Part 2 made you want to see Part 3… part 3 now makes you dread Part 4… I wonder with fear, what next? Yet, if you do not compare or look too deeply into the film nor fear the future, Spiderman 3 is actually an engaging movie experience!