Hot Fuzz Blu-ray Review
Ultimate Edition
Score: 73
from 3 reviewers
Review Date:
Hot Fuzz Blu-ray is a must-own with its strong 1080p transfer, reference-quality audio, and a wealth of extras, making it a delight for action and comedy fans alike.
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Disc Release Date
DTS-HD MA
Video: 77
'Hot Fuzz' on Blu-ray shines with a stunning Region-free 1080p VC-1 encoded transfer in 2.35:1 aspect ratio, characterized by accurate color reproduction, exceptional detail, natural skin tones, and minimal grain. Blacks are deep, contrasting perfectly with the film's vivid colors and sharp images.
Audio: 75
Hot Fuzz's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix delivers an immersive, room-filling experience with clear dialogue and dynamic sound effects. The soundtrack's bombastic presence, from roaring helicopters to precise gunfire, is backed by a thunderous bass that emphasizes every action scene, making it a reference-quality audio presentation.
Extra: 78
The 'Hot Fuzz' Blu-ray extras are a comprehensive treasure trove featuring five audio commentaries from key creatives and enthusiasts, numerous behind-the-scenes featurettes, video blogs, galleries, deleted scenes, a retro cop film by Edgar Wright, and more, offering deep insights and an exhaustive exploration of the film's creation.
Movie: 73
"Hot Fuzz" on Blu-ray is a technical marvel, featuring an immaculate 1080p VC-1 transfer and an engaging DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The disc is packed with extras, including five commentaries, deleted scenes, and outtakes. The film itself is a sharp, witty parody of buddy cop movies, bolstered by stellar performances and high production values.
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Video: 77
"Hot Fuzz" arrives on Blu-ray with a top-notch 1080p VC-1 encoded transfer framed in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio, showcasing exceptional attention to detail and color accuracy. The British countryside and village settings are depicted with notable precision, capturing the unique quality of British light with natural green fields and stone walls. Skin tones are rendered accurately, reflecting the natural pale British complexion rather than an artificial Hollywood tan. Fine details such as facial pores and textures are distinctly visible, demonstrating the transfer's high quality. Minor film grain is present but unobtrusive, contributing to a film-like appearance without distracting from viewing.
The transfer's color palette is vivid and dynamic, from the bright blue dust mask worn by Jeanine (Cate Blanchett) to the striking yellow crime scene vests in chapter 12. These colors leap off the screen, enhancing the visual experience. The Sandford streets and foliage appear distinct and lifelike, while even the film's gore scenes offer an incredible level of detail. Black levels are generally impressive, though they could be slightly deeper in some scenes, and white levels maintain a natural look throughout.
Contrast is excellent, supported by inky blacks that enrich night scenes without losing detail. There's no evidence of dirt or dust, ensuring that the image remains clean and sharp throughout the film. The transfer delivers a profound sense of depth, particularly in outdoor scenes, maintaining a faithful and high-quality film-like appearance that is sure to satisfy viewers. With a meticulous balance of sharpness and natural film grain, "Hot Fuzz" on Blu-ray stands as reference material for high-definition presentations.
Audio: 75
The audio presentation of "Hot Fuzz" on Blu-ray is a remarkable DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 experience that stands out in its genre. The track sets the tone right from the opening moments with Angel’s footsteps echoing around the room, facilitated by well-utilized surrounds and a bass presence from the subwoofer that adds depth to every scene. The dialogue is impressively clear throughout, even during high-octane action sequences, maintaining a balance that ensures comprehensibility amidst the film's chaotic backdrop. Notable scenes, such as the supermarket shootout, exemplify the track's quality, with bullets ricocheting convincingly and glass shattering with lifelike authenticity. This mix captures the essence of a Hollywood blockbuster, demanding caution regarding volume levels to avoid neighborly disputes.
"Hot Fuzz" delivers a full surround sound experience that is immediately evident from the film's first moments, with sirens blaring and a dynamic soundstage that envelops the listener. The track excels in both its loud and subtle moments, creating an immersive audio environment with cars screeching, helicopters roaring overhead, and trains ripping through with precision. Loud sound effects maintain crystalline clarity, not overshadowed by the aggressive surround sound or powerful volumes. The final act is a veritable sonic feast, with gunshots exploding from every speaker, providing an engulfing auditory experience. The mix provides not only aggressive effects but also realistic background atmospheres during quieter scenes.
The upgrade from a Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 EX to DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 brings a notable enhancement in clarity and emphasis, comparable to the Blu-ray port of "Shaun of the Dead." The track is unapologetically loud, shaking walls and challenging subwoofers through earth-shattering effects. Despite this intensity, dialogue remains crisp and easily understandable, set against a constantly active and lively soundstage. The emphasis on bass is profound, delivering a thunderous low-end that complements every scene, enhancing jump cuts, door closings, and creating an experience that mirrors the film's over-the-top tone. This is an exemplar of audio presentation that brings "Hot Fuzz" to life in spectacular fashion.
Extra: 78
The Blu-ray release of "Hot Fuzz" is an exhaustive trove of extras that will delight any fan of the film. With five engaging audio commentaries headed by the likes of Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright, Quentin Tarantino, and real-life police officers, the supplementary content deep dives into various production aspects with humor and detail. The disk also includes a plethora of behind-the-scenes featurettes, making-of documentaries, video blogs, outtakes, photo galleries, and deleted scenes, all enhancing the viewer's appreciation of the movie's production and creative nuances. The Bonusview section with pop-up trivia and storyboard comparisons is a standout feature for its insightful supplementary content.
Extras included in this disc:
- Audio Commentaries: Five tracks featuring cast, crew, and guest filmmakers.
- The Fuzzball Rally - Uncut: Follows a 10-city promotional tour.
- Bonusview: Includes Fuzz-o-Meter and storyboard comparisons.
- Conclusive: We Made 'Hot Fuzz': Making-of documentary.
- Speculative: Video Blogs: 13 short segments on various production elements.
- Forensic: Featurettes: Eight behind-the-scenes mini-documentaries.
- Photographic: Galleries: Poster and photo galleries in high definition.
- Plot Holes: Hand-drawn comics narrated by cast to fill story gaps.
- Special Effects: Before & After: Insight into F/X work for the movie.
- 'Dead Right': Edgar Wright's first cop movie with commentaries and a making-of feature.
- The Man Who Would Be Fuzz: Humorous outtake with Pegg and Frost.
- Hot Funk: TV-friendly scenes without swearing.
- Danny's Notebook: The Other Side: Flip animations from Danny's notebook.
- VW Blogs: Internet blogs sponsored by Volkswagen.
- iTunes Blogs: Collection of four iTunes-exclusive podcasts.
- Deleted Scenes: 22 scenes with optional director commentary.
- Outtakes: Bloopers and behind-the-scenes fun.
- Trailers: Theatrical trailer, UK TV spots, and Director’s Cut trailer.
Movie: 73
"Hot Fuzz" is presented on Blu-ray with a stellar 1080p VC-1 transfer, maintaining the 2.35:1 aspect ratio, offering crystal-clear visuals. The film showcases remarkable color reproduction, authentic British skin tones, and robust contrast with excellent black levels, ensuring a vibrant and immersive viewing experience. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack complements the visual quality, providing an absorbing mix for action sequences while keeping dialogue clear and precise throughout. This high production value reflects Edgar Wright's adeptness in stretching a modest budget to deliver a film that exudes spectacle.
Narratively, "Hot Fuzz" brilliantly deconstructs the buddy cop genre, elevating it through its clever parody and sharp script. Simon Pegg's portrayal of super-cop Nicholas Angel, paired with Nick Frost's bumbling Danny Butterman, delivers chemistry that drives the film's success. The film revels in its references to action classics like "Bad Boys II" and "Point Break", using them not only as comedic fodder but also as integral plot devices. This meticulous attention to detail highlights Wright's and Pegg's reverence for the genre, steering clear of mere mockery. The film's humor is multi-layered, combining overt nods with subtler cinematic winks, resulting in a richly rewarding experience for both action aficionados and casual viewers.
Moreover, "Hot Fuzz" isn't content with surface-level gags; it intricately ties each event back to earlier plot points, revealing a masterful script structure. The film also benefits from robust performances across the cast, notably Timothy Dalton's charmingly sinister businessman, Simon Skinner. The prop design and set pieces, though not overly grandiose, exude authenticity and support the narrative effectively. While the pacing may feel uneven at times, the film's meticulous construction ensures that even minor tangents eventually contribute to the overall storyline, asserting "Hot Fuzz" as a thoughtfully crafted homage with substantial replay value.
Total: 73
"Hot Fuzz" is a masterful blend of action and comedy, delivering a rollicking homage and parody of the action genre. The film stands out with its sharp, witty script and a robust cast that elevates the material to extraordinary heights. Despite some sluggish moments in the middle act, "Hot Fuzz" maintains a strong narrative momentum, effectively combining explosive action sequences with clever humor. Universal's Blu-ray release does justice to the film's quality, presenting a dynamic 1080p transfer and a reference-quality lossless soundtrack that significantly enhances the viewing experience.
The Blu-ray release of "Hot Fuzz" is packed with an abundance of extras and commentary tracks that will thoroughly engage fans and provide deep insights into the filmmaking process. The exceptional video and audio quality ensure that every detail and nuance of the film's complex layers of humor and action are presented with utmost clarity. For enthusiasts of supplementary features, this release offers an exhaustive collection that justifies spending hours delving into the behind-the-scenes content.
In conclusion, "Hot Fuzz" on Blu-ray is a must-own for both action aficionados and comedy fans alike. The film's ability to entertain through multiple viewings, combined with the stellar technical presentation and extensive special features, makes this Blu-ray edition a highly recommended addition to any collection. Capturing the spirit of classic action films while delivering a fresh and hilarious narrative, this Blu-ray stands out as an exemplary release that should not be missed.
avforums review by AVForumsRead review here
Video: 80
The image is truly a pleasure to behold, with its accurate colour palette rendering skin tones in the pale British way rather than the Hollywood tan....
Audio: 80
There's effective use of the surrounds in the action sequences, most notably in the supermarket shootout where bullets ping off counters and there's a very lifelike quality to the breaking glass windows...
Extras: 80
This eight-part feature contains yet more behind-the-scenes production detail, focusing on set design as well as the varied shooting techniques including the camera grip equipment....
Movie: 80
As a movie, it's a great pastiche of almost every American Buddy Cop movie you've ever seen (and many you haven't), with a witty script that also pays homage to a wide range of films as it playfully swipes...
Total: 80
Blu-ray.com review by Martin LiebmanRead review here
Video: 90
Sandford's brick-laden streets look absolutely fantastic; faces reveal a good bit of texture but could stand to appear a bit more deep and natural; and foliage takes on a distinctive appearance rather...
Audio: 100
Hot Fuzz's final act is littered with gunshots; each one explodes with a full-blown presence, the shots emanating from every speaker and allowing the listener to feel positively engulfed in the mayhem....
Extras: 100
Forensic: Featurettes (480p, 44:54) is an eight-part feature that contains even more behind-the-scenes production materials, focusing on set design, the filmmakers' relatives, and the varied shooting techniques...
Movie: 90
The sets look fantastic and the props appear authentic, but once again it all plays second fiddle to the quality of the script and the performances of the actors, two factors which lend more to the overall...
Total: 90
Besides some sluggish pacing here and there through the middle act, there's little-to-nothing wrong with Hot Fuzz; it delivers a big movie experience on a relative shoestring budget and is supported by...
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 100
Colors are bold and deep, while skin tones are perfectly natural, the only times they go off key is in odd lighting shots (hardly the fault of the transfer if it's a part of the film!)....
Audio: 80
Dialogue doesn't have a problem coming through the sonic barrage, as it is always clear and comprehendible, amazingly....
Extras: 100
The selection of Angel's badge number, discussion on why they can't rewind the film, Bill Nighy anecdotes, stories from cast members exaggerating and making the set impossible to work on (due to hilarity,...
Movie: 80
Once the duo view the films together, they change, in a way, taking on more extreme personalities, leading to one of the most over the top action sequences in cinema, as the entire third act of 'Hot Fuzz'...
Total: 80
The film stays enjoyable no matter how many times it's viewed and re-viewed, with layer upon layer of hidden gags and references....
Director: Edgar Wright
Actors: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman
PlotAn exceptionally skilled but overachieving London police officer is transferred to the seemingly tranquil and crime-free village of Sandford. Despite his impressive arrest record and dedication to law enforcement, his relentless drive to upend every petty crime makes him unpopular among his colleagues, prompting his superiors to move him to a place where his skills would be less conspicuous. In Sandford, he struggles to adapt to the village's relaxed pace and finds little use for his intense policing style. His new partner is a bumbling but well-intentioned constable who idolizes action movies and longs for a more exciting beat.
The tranquility of the village is disrupted when a series of bizarre accidents begin to occur, raising suspicions of foul play. The transferred officer's attention to detail and refusal to accept simple explanations lead him to uncover clues that suggest a darker force at work beneath the town's idyllic surface. His sense of duty compels him to investigate, and together with his naïve yet enthusiastic partner, they engage in unconventional and comical detective work to unravel the mystery. The pair soon find themselves delving deeper into the town's secrets, challenging the status quo, and confronting the resistance of the close-knit community.
Writers: Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg
Release Date: 20 Apr 2007
Runtime: 121 min
Rating: R
Country: United Kingdom, France, United States
Language: English