One of my favourite films, Hot Fuzz is, put simply, a masterclass. From its taut script to its superb acting to its incredible action and direction, the film fires on all cylinders.

One of the most appealing aspects of the film is its script. Like all good films, Hot Fuzz benefits from a re-watch, allowing the viewer to see the pieces of the puzzle being put together with the benefit of knowing how the film ends. But Hot Fuzz is unique in the tightness of its script. It’s difficult to put a number on it, but it feels like practically half of the lines in its opening two acts were dedicated to setting up the finale in some way, from an innocuous echoing of ‘the greater good’ to a set-up about the church roof needing repairs to the immortal ‘Fascist – Hag!’ exchange. It is immensely gratifying to tot up all the ways in which the film foreshadows its last act. This time around, new references I caught included an early suggestion that the doctor can ‘deal with it’, as well as an imitation of the camerawork of Bad Boys II when Nicholas and Danny come together for the final battle. This constant set-up and payoff make the film feels extremely coherent and rewarding.

I also enjoy the film’s coding of Danny as a romantic partner to Nicholas, parodying the endless array of tedious love interests that films like this usually feature. There are lines about Nicholas being unable to switch off and being married to the service (taken almost directly from Nicholas’s ex-partner Janine), as well as the slow thawing of their initially frosty relationship. This reaches a crescendo when the two are at Danny’s house, where Danny romantically promises to ‘show [Nicholas]’ the way to switch off: cop films. This relationship forms a solid core at the heart of the film, as we see Nicholas become more relaxed and Danny more professional.

Edgar Wright’s unique visual style must be complimented too. His is rapid-fire camerawork, able to convey plot progression and locational differences in a couple of quick shots. This is the best kind of direction, able to deliver exposition in the frame instead of in the script. A lot of thought has gone into the crafting this film, which, amusingly enough, differentiates it from a lot of the blockbuster action films that it parodies. One touch that stood out to me was the absurd number of weapon cocking sound effects that were played as the police approached Somerfield.

And it’s that final Somerfield battle sums up the joyous absurdity of Hot Fuzz – a deadly battle in the heart of one of the most benign and parochial supermarkets. This idea behind this film is absolutely unique and its execution is pitch-perfect. It’s my personal favourite of the Cornetto Trilogy – perhaps because I saw it first, though I do think it’s funnier than Sean of the Dead – and it certainly deserves its status as a classic film.