Edgar Wright is a fantastic filmmaker who has made several incredible movies in the last few years. However, some would argue that his best work came in The Cornetto Trilogy, before he crossed the pond to start working in the US. After breaking through with his phenomenal sitcom Spaced in the late 1990s, he then went on to make three movies along with two of the main characters from Spaced.
Together with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, he made three iconic comedy movies that each adopted their own sub-genre. Although there is nothing linking these movies narratively, they all share a similar tone in their respective scripts, similar filmmaking techniques, and a similar cast. These three movies have since been lovingly dubbed “The Cornetto Trilogy,” due to the iconic ice cream cone appearing in each movie.
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Although the entire trilogy is beloved by Edgar Wright fans, debate still rages on to this day with regard to which of the three is the best. In order to help settle this debate, the movies will be ranked from worst to best below, with detailing why each movie sits in each position.
3. The World’s End
The World’s End is the final movie in The Cornetto Trilogy and it sits within the sci-fi/comedy sub-genre. The Cornetto flavour that The World’s End would be, is mint. This is because the mint green color of the ice cream cone’s packaging matches the extra-terrestrial green motif of an alien invasion.
The film boasts a cast of British icons, such as Eddie Marsan, Paddy Considine, and Martin Freeman. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are also great in the movie, so why does it belong in last place? It certainly isn’t an egregiously bad movie.
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With that said, it is up again some very stiff competition and frankly, it just comes down to The World’s End being the weakest of the three. It is simply the least memorable and the least rewatchable of the three. There doesn’t seem to be quite as much heart in The World’s End in comparison to the other two movies it is up against and thus it just falls short.
2. Shaun of the Dead
This is where things get controversial. Shaun of the Dead is the first film in The Cornetto Trilogy and it features some iconic, quotable lines, a cast including the likes of Bill Nighy and Peter Serafinowicz. If this movie had a flavour, it would be the strawberry cornetto, due to the red color resembling the amount of zombie bloodshed throughout Shaun of the Dead.
As great as the film is, the main reason that it doesn’t earn the number one spot is mainly owed to the fact that out of the three movies, Shaun of the Dead is the closest to being an outright parody film. The title’s obvious riff on Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead movie, – which was released around the same time, – is just a little too on the nose.
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It also features a much sadder conclusion than the movie in the number one spot, which arguably reduces its re-watchability somewhat. Shaun of the Dead falls into the horror/comedy sub-genre and it is still a great watch, despite the fact that it is not Edgar Wright’s best movie.
1. Hot Fuzz
Hot Fuzz is not only the best movie in The Cornetto Trilogy; it is also Edgar Wright’s greatest work and is possibly one of the finest feature-length comedies ever released. Everyone is at the absolute top of their game here including; Bill Bailey, Timothy Dalton, Jim Broadbent, and the fantastic Olivia Colman.
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These are also the greatest performances that Nick Frost and Simon Pegg put in across the trilogy and they are both in the same movie! Danny Butterman and Nicholas Angel’s chemistry is palpable whenever the two are onscreen together and their relationship as colleagues and friends is sold beautifully.
Hot Fuzz is also Edgar Wright at his most Edgar Wright in terms of the filmmaking techniques seen in the movie. From that iconic crash zoom cinematography to the snappy editing that has become synonymous with his films, this is Wright at the peak of his creative powers and it is a joy to witness.
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This is the middle film in The Cornetto Trilogy and it falls into the comedy/action sub-genre. Hot Fuzz’s cornetto flavour would be the original, due to its cool blue packaging matching the blue of the police force in the UK.
What film of the Cornetto Trilogy is your favorite?
And that is our ranking. Do you agree with our order, or do you feel that The World’s End deserves more love? Let me know over on Twitter @danboyd95 and be sure to follow FandomWire for more entertainment coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
