Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsForget the 90's, this is the first proper Dredd film
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 February 2013
Anyone who remembers the first time they bought Judge Dredd to the big screen will know what a train wreck it was. The makers of that film misunderstood what character Dredd was and gave us a film where he takes his helmet off, wisecracks and gets the girl at the end. They didn't capture the grim crime-ridden cesspool that was Mega City One and they gave us comedic relief in the form of Rob Schneider. Thad film was a mash-up of poor action, poor scripting, muddled plot and a complete lack of grit. I don't think it was Sylvester Stallone's fault - he wasn't the right choice for the role.
I suspect that a vast number of the people who saw the 90's Dredd may have been put of a new interpretation of the Lawman based on that film. And it's no wonder as the film not only alienated fans of the comic but it also made for a mediocre experience for newcomers.
This time we were promised a grittier and more serious take on the material. Dredd would be an uncompromising force waging war on the criminal underbelly of Mega City One. And that's basically what we got. We see Dredd in action pretty much right from the start when a small gang of criminals are driving erratically through traffic whilst under the influence of Slo-Mo - a new drug that lets it users experience a state of euphoria for a few minutes where even the passage of time to have slowed down dramatically for those under the influence. This is the new drug of Mega city One.
And so begins what is essentially a day in the life of Mega City One's toughest and most dedicated law man. He is partnered up with a new rookie Judge called Anderson, whom despite having failed her Judges entry exam she is deemed worthy of a final practical assessment due to her strong psychic abilities. As Mega City One is so rife with crime that the Judges cannot respond to every incident they must use their judgement to choose the most serious crime to respond to. Having picked a triple homicide at one of the Mega City Blocks which is run by a crime lord called Ma Ma we get to see the pair in action up against all manner of criminal low lifes who live in the block. After a quick drugs bust on an apartment they find one whom Anderson thinks had a hand in the grisly triple homicide and Dredd decides he needs to be taken in for questioning. It is implied that the questioning process will get answers from him. As they leave the building is placed on complete lockdown, trapping the judges with their suspect inside the block. With no way in or out its a tense fight for survival between the Judges and a small city sized block rife with criminals.
Dredd is a very gritty film. The violence levels are almost off the scale (it's comparable to Stallones 2008 Rambo film). The film gives us a visual glimpse of what Slo-Mo users experience leading to one exceptionally graphic gunfight between drug users and the Judges. The films creators have gone a long way to demonstrate how peoples skin and bodies reacts to the impact of gunshots and explosions which may or may not put off a few people. There is also a very high level of implied violence where a vicious act is described and we get a brief bloody flash of it, which makes the film feel even more bloody and violent than it already is. If you're cool with the idea that it's just entertainment and special effects then you'll be okay watching Dredd.
The plot of the film is pretty straightforward, with no real surprises or unexpected twists. That suits the film well as it is a character driven story and the main point is that you want to see the Judges in action, not solving some conflicting personal dilemma. Karl Urban gives us the Dredd we should have on-screen. A single minded and dedicated dispenser of justice. There are no shades of grey with Dredd - You're either innocent or guilty and if you're the latter then he's the man to deal with it. He's been doing his job for many years and he's seen it all. We get no character development with Dredd, and nor should we. You can't portray someone who is essentially a single minded hammer of justice as indecisive or prone to whims or compassion. Stallone's take on Dredd started off meaning well but later tried to make him more and more human as the film went on. Karl Urban plays him like Clint Eastwood in one of his early Sergio Leone films, with a gravely, rasping voice to match. And he never takes his helmet off.
Judge Anderson is the opposite Dredd's personality. Although she understands the ideal that Dredd personifies in a crime ridden city, she is younger, less experienced and more compassionate. It is through her that we get an introduction to the lives of Judges by being thrown in at the deep end with her. Dredds vast experience gives him an unflinching and emotionless process of decision making when it comes to justice; and no matter how great a character he is I think the film would be less interesting if it just concentrated on him. The character development is wisely focused on the doe eyed Anderson and Olivia Thirlby plays it perfectly.
Lena Headey plays the crime lord Ma Ma, an ex-prostitute with a scarred face who has ruthlessly murdered her way to the top of the criminal pile in the block. There is no vanity or Bond Villain genius to this character. Only greed and a similar single minded ruthlessness to Dredds when it comes to decision making. She is where she is because she is always willing to do what's necessary to show who's in charge.
Dredd is not a complicated film by any means, but the simplistic plot serves as a perfect vehicle to not only introduce us to the word, but also to give us a quick and effective storyline for plenty of gory action. The gritty, urban setting shows us how far society has fallen with most of the population living in giant slum-like tower blocks. There are too few Judges to deal with the crime and the criminals are more akin to Mexican Cartels than Italian Mafioso, which is why the cold and calculated violent justice that Dredd dispenses never seems to be too far out of place. He is simply the unstoppable and incorruptible force that at times feels absolutely necessary for dealing with the vermin in the city. If you like action films and don't mind plenty of gore then give it a shot - you won't be disappointed. This film is low on one liners, high on adrenaline and doesn't have a dull moment in it. A perfect balance of simple plot and loads of gunfire in the name of entertainment.
I've heard talk of this film being very similar to the Indonesian action film The Raid: Redemption. Whilst the plots are remarkably similar, both films feel very different. The Raid has a lot more action and fighting, whilst Dredd is a lot more gorier. It's worth watching the two as they are both fine films but I can't see one being a direct rip off of the other. If you want to make comparisons then another film about someone getting stuck in a building full of criminals is Die Hard, and even that will have it influences in earlier films.
![Dredd (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray) [2017]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51txJ9pb5zL._AC_US60_SCLZZZZZZZ__.jpg)
