Edgar Wright Movies Ranked
2. Hot Fuzz (2007)
Hot Fuzz focuses on a London detective’s relocation to a village in rural Gloucestershire. It is a hilarious blend of buddy action comedy and a send up of sleepy British villages. The 2007 film, along with the other two entries in the Cornetto Trilogy, boasts an incredible cast of British actors, including Timothy Dalton, Jim Broadbent and Olivia Coleman.
Earning its spot so high on this list due to it being the most quotable of the trilogy and arguably the funniest, this uniquely British but universally lauded comedy has become a cornerstone of British films for many, managing to successfully build on the groundwork laid out by Wright with Shaun Of The Dead.
1. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Shaun of the Dead is a groundbreaking film for a number of reasons, not least because it put Edgar Wright (and lead stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) on the map.
Building off the cult success of ‘Spaced’, Shaun Of The Dead is a very intelligent film that leaves plenty for the audience to digest and never feels slight despite its 90 minute runtime.
Putting the relationship of Shaun and Liz at the forefront of the narrative works well and means that the film never falls into an all out zombie send-up as might be expected. There are clear nods to the works of George A. Romero and some neat callbacks to ‘Spaced’, the movie proving to be the birthplace of tropes and creative decisions that can be found across Wright’s well-received trilogy.
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Shaun of the Dead is a brilliantly acted film and is a perfect example of the natural chemistry between Pegg and Frost, as well as the blend of humour and humanity found in the screenplays of all of Wright’s movies.
It may have been Wright’s first feature release, but due to its influence on the films to come and how unique of a take it offered at the time, Shaun of the Dead is the very best release of this talented director’s career.
Written by Christopher Connor
But what do you think? Would you have ranked things differently? What’s your favourite Wright film to date? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to follow @thefilmagazine on Facebook and Twitter for more insightful movie lists.
Updated to include The Sparks Brothers and Last Night in Soho 14th October 2022. Originally published 28th June 2020.
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