Before I delve into the review I like to point out I do have
basic knowledge of the comic strip Judge Dredd having read a few issues way
back. I also have seen the 1995 Judge Dredd film as well. I'm not a huge Dredd
fan but I do have some basic idea of the source material in some way. So it may
or may not affect how I will review this film. Also minor spoilers flag is up.
Judge Dredd and his newly assigned rookie investigate an
incident that will put them butting heads with the Ma-Ma clan notorious aho are
notorious throughout for their reality altering drug "Slo-Mo". But in
the radiated wasteland of the Mega City the bad guys reign supreme. With two
judges versus a whole city building load of criminals one could only expect a
virtual slaughter waiting to happen.
Storywise
Dredd is very basic with very little in terms of story twist. Sure the first
few minutes introduced the basic about the world of Judge Dredd and the movies
two main characters but outside of that the film has very little else to offer.
Overall it's just a two Judges versus a building full of criminals and drug
junkies. Just the basic of the basic in that department with just the violence
and the blood dialed up real high.
The
movie is bloody and violent as I think any good Judge Dredd movie should be but
it locks the satirically aspect of the comics and some of its depths. Also one
can't help but compare this to a Mad Maxx version of the movie Die Hard with Dredd
being good old John. Also being two judges verses a clan of criminals the
criminals are mostly stupid and more like cannon fodder most of the time.
As
for character I'm thrilled that they have Anderson this time as she one of my
favorite characters from the comics way back with her special ability. At least
with her the film had somewhat of a character development with Anderson coming
to terms of her abilities and Dredd actually seeing folks not just in black and
white. There's a lot of characters in Judge Dredd from the comics that it could
start its own cinematic universe and I'm glad the film dialed it down as its
overwhelming for those not familiar with the source material. Also Karl Urban as Dredd and
Visually
the movie has a color tone style to it that reminds me of the another post
apocalypse film. It's nice but hardly original. The movie is violent so if you
are the type to get cringes at seeing body parts and guts and blood flying like
some crazy violent anime or horror movie I'd suggest you stay clear of this one.
This isn't for the faint of heart surely. Also the film does do its own thing
compared to the source material but has enough to please most of Dredd fans.
Sadly
its good part is also its flaws. The dialogue and lines are cheesy. The
violence can get rather too excessive at times. The plot is so predictable and
you never really feel the Judges are in that much of a trouble aside from maybe
one or two scenes in the movie. Also I find it funny how they got an issue of
running out of bullets halfway into the movie when they already killed about a
dozen or so criminals who they could salvage ammo and weapons from.
The
movie isn't perfect but it is still way better than the 1995 movie they showed
since this one is less campy and more brutal. With the 18 rating the movie villains
can be despicable and heartless that viewers and audiences will fear and hate. Also
for a high tech dystopian world the bad guys don't have grenades but has access
to giant Gatling units. But hey at least there's a hacker. But I guess those
are small flaws to how entertaining the film is.
Overall
Dredd is a hardcore Judge Dredd film with some really entertaining action set
pieces. Sure it has its flaws and tackles the basic of what the source material
has to offer but it's getting there. It is really bloody and often over the top.
If you are not used to seeing a lot of blood and gore I'd suggest you skip this
one. But hey if this is your kind of thing then Dredd is definitely a film you
should go definitely go see.
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