I wanted to focus on one specific director for this week, and the choice of Edgar Wright was an easy one to make for me. His style of directing is so unique and interesting, so much so that I truly feel no other person could execute such bold artistic choices as well as he has. In no particular order, I’ll be discussing 3 of his most well-known movies: Hot Fuzz (2007), Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), and Baby Driver (2017).

1. Hot Fuzz (2007)

Hot Fuzz is the second installment of Wright’s “Three Flavours Cornetto” trilogy- succeeding Shaun of the Dead (2004) and preceding The World’s End (2013). I was very confused by the name at first, but apparently there is a running ice cream joke in 2 of the 3 movies. That’s the only thing connecting the 3 movies plot wise. Anyway…

Synopsis: “As a former London constable, Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) finds it difficult to adapt to his new assignment in the sleepy British village of Sandford. Not only does he miss the excitement of the big city, but he also has a well-meaning oaf (Nick Frost) for a partner. However, when a series of grisly accidents rocks Sandford, Nick smells something rotten in the idyllic village.” (Google)

In my personal opinion, Wright’s films are some of the most enjoyable and thoroughly entertaining to watch. His creativity and humor are such integral parts of his films, so there isn’t ever a dull moment. Hot Fuzz is a really great example of that.

One of the things I noticed fairly quickly into the movie was how likeable the main character, Sergeant Nick Angel (Simon Pegg) was. In the beginning, he is passionate, skilled, and charismatic, so I just waited until the point in the movie where he made a mistake or his ego got the best of him, but that never really happened. Wright’s way of establishing Nick’s backstory is through dialogue, so many times he is just verbally explaining it to another character. He talks about how he puts his profession before everyone and everything else, but the fact that he acknowledges it himself just makes him seem self-aware and willing to change (which he eventually does). The main character is consistently endearing and extraordinarily talented. Normally characters in movies realize their character flaws when something drastic happens or there is a drastic turn of events in the film. This isn’t a bad thing of course, but I just thought it was worth noting. It is part of what makes the movie so pleasant to watch — the fact that you are always rooting for the man character and want him to succeed.

As a fan of British humor, I do recognize that this movie has the same aspects of a typical British comedy, but I do think that it is executed in a fresh and innovative way. There is a lot of of visual humor, and many of the jokes are clever and subtle. The characters are very distinct and memorable, and they interact with each other in hilariously absurd ways. The action in this movie is also one of the highlights, snd wonderfully assisted by the cinematography and Wright’s creativeness. It’s not cheesy or cliché in any way. It is very fast paced, but not rushed, and is actually satisfying to watch.

Overall, Hot Fuzz is super dynamic, which is what is makes it so engaging. It has the thrill of a murder mystery, the excitement of an action movie, and the wittiness of a comedy. I can see all different types of people enjoying this one.

2. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is one of my favorite movies of all time (and a lot of other people’s too- for good reason). Every time I watch it I notice something different, and I return to watch it often. It is just that packed with tiny details.

Synopsis: “As bass guitarist for a garage-rock band, Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) has never had trouble getting a girlfriend; usually, the problem is getting rid of them. But when Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) skates into his heart, he finds she has the most troublesome baggage of all: an army of ex-boyfriends who will stop at nothing to eliminate him from her list of suitors.” (Google)

I think Scott Pilgrim is the best example of Wright’s unique style and talent. For this film, Wright was heavily infused a video-game style, so there are tons of bright, colorful, and frankly unrealistic effects that contrast with the neutrality of the color palette. The juxtaposition of the effects against the seemingly realistic setting is what makes it so captivating. This particular style results in some of the most unique shots I have ever seen in any movie. These factors are all credited to Wright’s talents as a visionary and a director.

Unlike Hot Fuzz, the main character doesn’t really have any redeeming qualities. In fact, at certain points he is pretty unlikeable. I think this movie focuses much more on the visuals and the action than the character development, but it isn’t lacking entirely. I just found myself scratching my head at how he got the girl of everyone’s dreams in about 15 minutes of screen time (probably for plot and pacing, actually). It’s not even like he was a social outcast and secretly a nice guy. He was just a weirdo with an obsession. That is the one issue I have with this movie, although if I’m looking for realism, this might not be the right place to look.

3. Baby Driver (2017)

Scott Pilgrim and Hot Fuzz are drastically different, but they both have the magic and essence of Edgar Wright. For the reasons I stated above they are both pretty special. I know I have spent all of this time praising him, but when it comes to Baby Driver the story kind of changes.

Synopsis: “Baby, a music-loving orphan also happens to be the prodigiously talented go-to getaway driver for heist mastermind Doc. With the perfect soundtrack picked out for each and every job, Baby ensures Doc’s violent, bank-robbing cronies – including Buddy, Bats and Darling – get in and out of Dodge before it’s too late. He’s not in it for the long haul though, hoping to nail one last job before riding off into the sunset with beautiful diner waitress Debora. Easier said than done.” (Google)

I hate to end to end it on negative note, and I know I just wrote many words praising his talents, but this last one does not live up to my preconceived Edgar Wright expectations. Is it a bad movie on its own? Not at all. But compared to the spectacles that are Hot Fuzz and Scott Pilgrim it was a bit of a let down. Maybe he did not have as much creative control as he would have liked or he hit a bit of a rut, as this is his most recent project. Either way, I felt myself wanting more.

It has some artistic qualities towards the beginning, similar to the surreal aspects of Scott Pilgrim. As Baby walks down the street the lyrics of the songs he listens to appear on the buildings he passes. Interesting touch? While this movie does also have some incredible action scenes and a spectacular soundtrack, it has the most commercial/generic feel to it (compared to the previous two movies). I just view it as a slightly better than average action movie.

As a whole, I still definitely respect and admire all of Edgar Wright’s works. Although I was not the biggest fan of Baby Driver, that was only because I had Hot Fuzz and Scott Pilgrim as my references for judgement. I am excited to see what new and exciting magic he can pull out of his brain in the future, though. The sequel to Baby Driver is currently in the works. More excitingly, he is venturing into a new genre- horror! News broke in January of this year that he is directing a psychological thriller starring Ann Taylor-Joy, based on his life in London. The rumored title is Last Night in Soho, but there is no talk of a release date yet. I am looking forward to see Wright’s interpretation of this genre!