Hot Fuzz (4K UHD Review)

Reviewed by: Tim Salmons
Review Date: Feb 20, 2020
Format: Blu-ray Disc

Director

Edgar Wright

Release Date(s)

2007 (November 5, 2019)

Studio(s)

StudioCanal/Working Title/Rogue Pictures (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment)

Film/Program Grade: A+
Video Grade: B-
Audio Grade: A
Extras Grade: A-

Review

The lasting impact of Edgar Wright’s Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy continues to have repercussive effects on comedy. Starting before the Judd Apatow wave of films dominated pop culture and ending after their reign had waned, the Cornetto films struck a perfect balance between paying homage to the filmmakers and genres of the past, but also crafting characters and universes that resonated beyond their satiric and reverential confines. Equally effective as horror (Shaun of the Dead), action thriller (Hot Fuzz), and sci-fi drama (The World’s End), they are in a class all their own, spawning many imitators in their wake. But none have come close to their quality of writing, acting, filmmaking, and most importantly, repeat value.

In Hot Fuzz, constable Nicholas Angel (Pegg) is the finest cop the Metropolitan police force has to offer, but his superiors (Martin Freeman, Steve Coogan, and Billy Nighy) believe he’s outperforming the other officers. Feeling the need to balance the scales, they promote him to sergeant and reassign him to the small country village of Sandford, a perennial winner of the prestigious “Village of the Year” award. Upon arrival, he meets constable Danny Butterman (Frost), a simple-minded but dedicated officer with an obsession for action movies. The two become partners and friends as Angel teaches him how to be a more effective cop. But not long into his stay, murders begin occurring around the village. The local law enforcement—unaccustomed to such things—continue to label them as accidents, despite Angel’s insistence they’re not. So it’s going to take Angel and Danny’s skills to uncover what’s really going on in Sandford. The film’s extraordinary cast also includes Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton, Paddy Considine, Edward Woodward, Billie Whitelaw, Paul Freeman, Kenneth Cranham, Stuart Wilson, Rafe Spall, David Bradley, Bill Bailey, Lucy Punch, and Olivia Colman.

Hot Fuzz was shot photochemically on 35mm Kodak film using Arricam and Arriflex cameras and lenses. It was finished as a 2K Digital Intermediate at the 2.35:1 aspect ratio, upsampled and graded for High Dynamic Range (HDR10 and HDR10+ options are also available on this UHD disc). Universal has used the same master as previous releases for this upgrade, meaning than no new scan was performed. Sadly, this film could have used a bit more TLC. It features only a minor boost in detail, but appears a tad softer than it should. It’s also a bit flatter, but less bright than its 1080p counterpart. The HDR pass brings out many of the reds and yellows, giving them a deeper quality, but other hues are a bit more questionable. The image is clean and free of any major debris other than minor speckling. It’s not a bad 4K presentation, but it needed better treatment.

The audio is included in English DTS-X, with French, Spanish, Japanese, and Portuguese 5.1 DTS-HD options, as well as subtitles in English SDH, French, Spanish, Japanese, and Portuguese. Whatever faults the video may have, the audio excels. It’s a rollicking soundtrack that’s incredibly active at all times and in all of the surrounding speakers. Dialogue exchanges are crisp, the score and music are absolutely pulsating, and the variety of sound effects—from the tiniest bit of rain to the largest explosions—offer incredible immersion. Bass is frequently active, giving all of the gunfire in the third act the weight it needs. It’s a solid surround experience.

This package also includes the previous Blu-ray release of the film, presented in 1080p, and the following extras are included on each disc:

DISC ONE (UHD)

Audio Commentary with Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright
Audio Commentary with Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Rafe Spall, Kevin Eldon, and Olivia Colman
Audio Commentary with Edgar Wright and Quentin Tarantino
Audio Commentary with Kenneth Cranham, Timothy Dalton, Paul Freeman, and Edward Woodward
Audio Commentary with Andy Leafe and Nick Eckland

DISC TWO (BD)

Audio Commentary with Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright
Audio Commentary with Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Rafe Spall, Kevin Eldon, and Olivia Colman
Audio Commentary with Edgar Wright and Quentin Tarantino
Audio Commentary with Kenneth Cranham, Timothy Dalton, Paul Freeman, and Edward Woodward
Audio Commentary with Andy Leafe and Nick Eckland
Deleted Scenes: Opening – with Optional Commentary (SD – 1:13)
Deleted Scenes: Traveling to Sanford – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:35)
Deleted Scenes: The Station Tour – with Optional Commentary (SD – 2:02)
Deleted Scenes: Pub Lunch – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:44)
Deleted Scenes: The Grassroots Approach – with Optional Commentary (SD – 1:16)
Deleted Scenes: A Slow Afternoon – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:39)
Deleted Scenes: Meet the N.W.A. – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:35)
Deleted Scenes: Traffic Duty – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:47)
Deleted Scenes: Lonely Angel – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:48)
Deleted Scenes: The Fridge Magnate – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:28)
Deleted Scenes: Fence Jump – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:45)
Deleted Scenes: Crockett & Tubby – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:43)
Deleted Scenes: Webley’s Farm – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:39)
Deleted Scenes: Night at the Crown – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:45)
Deleted Scenes: Hoodie Fight – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:51)
Deleted Scenes: Point Break – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:26)
Deleted Scenes: Investigating Merchant’s Death – with Optional Commentary (SD – 1:22)
Deleted Scenes: A Fete Worst Than Death – with Optional Commentary (SD – 1:26)
Deleted Scenes: Angel on the Case – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:56)
Deleted Scenes: Prime Suspect – with Optional Commentary (SD – 0:50)
Deleted Scenes: Sandford Castle – with Optional Commentary (SD – 1:27)
Deleted Scenes: Epilogue – with Optional Commentary (SD – 1:10)
Outtakes (SD – 10:22)
Easter Egg: Fence Jump Outtake (SD – 0:26)
We Made Hot Fuzz (SD – 29:34)
Video Blogs: Simon Pegg Talks Training (SD – 1:31)
Video Blogs: Edgar Wright Introduces Hot Fuzz (SD – 1:57)
Video Blogs: Meet Nick (SD – 2:37)
Video Blogs: A Big Day on Set (SD – 1:34)
Video Blogs: Police Station Tour (SD – 2:31)
Video Blogs: Edgar’s Supermarket (SD – 2:19)
Video Blogs: Kiss & Make-Up (SD – 1:51)
Video Blogs: Pub Action (SD – 2:23)
Video Blogs: Wells Nights (SD – 2:27)
Video Blogs: Work Out (SD – 2:03)
Video Blogs: Wet Fuzz (SD – 2:28)
Video Blogs: Fete Day (SD – 3:05)
Video Blogs: It’s a Wrap (SD – 3:02)
Featurettes: Art Department (SD – 4:44)
Featurettes: Friends & Family (SD – 5:11)
Featurettes: Cranks, Cranes & Controlled Chaos (SD – 5:30)
Featurettes: Here Come the Fuzz (SD – 4:18)
Featurettes: Return to Sanford (SD – 11:07)
Featurettes: Edgar & Simon’s Flip Chart (SD – 14:02)
Featurettes: Simon Muggs (SD – 2:08)
Featurettes: Sergeant Fisher’s Perfect Sunday (SD – 1:07)
Poster Gallery (11 in all)
Photo Gallery (37 in all)
Plot Holes: Crush the Messenger (SD – 1:22)
Plot Holes: The Notebook (SD – 0:59)
Plot Holes: The Big Bang (SD – 1:01)
Special Effects: Before & After – First Ka-Boom (SD – 0:38)
Special Effects: Before & After – The Aftermath (SD – 0:23)
Special Effects: Before & After – Grisly Fete (SD – 1:01)
Special Effects: Before & After – Shear Horror (SD – 1:17)
Special Effects: Before & After – Farmageddon (SD – 0:40)
Special Effects: Before & After – Flying Astra (SD – 0:42)
Special Effects: Before & After – Inspired Demise (SD – 0:35)
Special Effects: Before & After – Final Ka-Boom (SD – 1:01)
AM Blam: Making Dead Right (SD – 10:29)
Dead Right – with Optional Commentary by Edgar Wright or Simon Pegg & Nick Frost (SD – 40:12)
The Fuzzball Rally Uncut – with Optional Commentary by Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Joe Cornish (SD – 1:11:09)
The Man Who Would Be Fuzz (SD – 0:34)
Hot Funk (SD – 3:43)
Danny’s Notebook: The Other Side (SD – 0:21)
VW Blogs: 4 Cars (SD – 5:29)
VW Blogs: Meet the Makers (SD – 3:25)
VW Blogs: Join the Fuzz (SD – 3:50)
VW Blogs: In for Questioning (SD – 5:07)
VW Blogs: On Duty (SD – 3:36)
iTunes Blogs: Podcast 1 (SD – 4:19)
iTunes Blogs: Podcast 2 (SD – 3:34)
iTunes Blogs: Podcast 3 (SD – 4:16)
iTunes Blogs: Podcast 4 (SD – 4:20)
Theatrical Trailer (SD – 2:33)
UK TV Spot #1 (SD – 0:33)
UK TV Spot #2 (SD – 0:33)
Director’s Cut Trailer (SD – 0:59)
Storyboard Gallery: Extreme Service (11 in all)
Storyboard Gallery: Administrative Decision (4 in all)
Storyboard Gallery: Hard Goodbye (1 in all)
Storyboard Gallery: Tough Distance (19 in all)
Storyboard Gallery: Deep Evening (7 in all)
Storyboard Gallery: Sudden Morning (16 in all)
Storyboard Gallery: Village Force (10 in all)
Storyboard Gallery: Avian Breakout (4 in all)
Storyboard Gallery: Maximum Running (12 in all)
Storyboard Gallery: Sham Drama (9 in all)
U-Control: Fuzz-O-Meter
U-Control: Storyboards

As you can see, all of the great extras from every previous release of the film are present, including the fantastic audio commentaries, but there is nothing new. Also included in the package is a Digital Copy code on a paper insert.

Universal’s debut of Hot Fuzz on UHD is not perfect; a fresh transfer would have been appreciated. But as a budget 4K release, it’s still a nice package with decent picture, strong audio, and quality extras. Highly recommended.

- Tim Salmons

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