With shout-outs to genre favorites like “The Stepford Wives” and “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” Edgar Wright’s hybrid of comedy and science-fiction is nearly as memorable as his own masterpiece “Shaun of the Dead.” Along with frequent collaborators Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, both cast against type here and demonstrating surprising dramatic and comedic versatility, the trio’s signature lovable-loser humor finds itself turned on its head, arriving with all the urgency of a long-gestated passion project. Blessed with tremendous support from Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine and a winning Eddie Marsan, the whole thing moves along quickly, on its way to a memorable and surprisingly suspenseful climax. The tone here is more serious than the previous collaborations we’ve come to expect from the Wright/Pegg/Frost comedy trio, but it points towards a maturation of their humor and suggests renewed inspiration for the collaborators.
Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)
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