Dredd is the new cinematic incarnation of the popular character, Judge Dredd, a police officer in a dystopic future where “judges” are judge, jury and executioner and have to freedom to kill criminals on the spot. The last Judge Dredd film starred Sylvester Stallone and had a negative reception from fans and critics, but “Dredd”, i feel that the audience will find this interpretation more like the original character. The film is a triumph.
Expectations were low after the negative reception of the aforementioned Stallone version, but after ten minutes, I had nothing to worry about. We are introduced to Dredd, a brilliant Karl Urban, suiting up for a normal day and out on patrol, a call comes in about a car filled with bad guys. A chase and gunfight ensures which ends with three of the four dying in a crash while the fourth dying a painful looking death.
Whilst on the subject of violence, it should be pointed out that this isn’t a kids film and anyone who doesn’t like their violence gory, should steer clear of this film. This is a violent film, which is one of the good points about it, people are exploded, heads are melted, throats are bashed in and people are skinned alive.
As the story goes on Dredd is tasked to take a rookie Judge, Anderson; Olivia Thirlby, out in in the field. Bit a routine call to a rundown tower block could prove to be their last, as the criminal overlord of the building, Ma Ma; played by Lena Heady, alerts every criminal on the building of their presence and puts a bounty on their head, leaving Dredd and Anderson with the task of getting out the building alive.
The plot is similar to The Raid, in which I mean it is very simple, but it is in the execution in which the brilliance lies. The focus of the story is only based around four or five characters and because of the size of the budget, the action takes place in the one location. Because of this, there is character development than expected, granted, not much. With a budget this little, when compared to other blockbusters, it was expected that the film would have been a bargain bin DVD, but with colour palette that includes green and brown along with CG shots of Mega-City One, it is clearly shown that this a messed up world.
Not being a fan of 3D, I wasn’t too thrilled to learn that Dredd would only be in 3D, but it works in this film. The fictitious drug, slo-mo, makes the user feel as if time is going a lot slower than usual. When the drug is used on screen, its great to look at. Whether its droplets of water or shards of glass, everything moves slowly out of the screen and shows 3D at its best.
To conclude, the simplicity of the script and the quality of the narrative, makes Dredd a thoroughly entertaining watch and one of my favourite films of the year. Highly recommended.
4/5