Director: Pete Travis
Writers: Carlos Ezquerra (characters), Alex Garland(screenplay)
Stars: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby and Lena Headey
Way back in 1995 we hade Judge Dredd starring Sylvester Stallone and to be honest it was never one of my favourite comic book adaptations, so when the news came that Dredd was coming back to our screens I wasn’t overly sure, but after seeing several screen shots of the movie I was intrigued.
So last night I went and checked out the latest version of the comic book to film adaptation, this time starring Karl Urban as Dredd with Olivia Thirlby as his rookie, Anderson and Lena Headey as the villain Ma-Ma.
Staring off with a voice over from Dredd and on to the introduction of Dredd himself, but this time in proper Dredd fashion, we don’t see his face and he never removes his helmet.
Ma-Ma (Lena Headey) has taken over the Peach Trees a block in MegaCity One, Dredd (Karl Urban) and Anderson (Olivia Thirlby) are trapped in the building when it goes in to lock down and the two are hunted down by Ma-Ma’s gang to kill them, so the truth has to be found out about what she is actually doing in the building and how to stop her and survive the onslaught.
Dredd The Film The Character Deserves!
Right from the start of the film you just know that this is going to be something spectacular with its modern day, but, futuristic look and it’s has more gritty feel that the Stallone version, it’s also darker and how you would expect the Dredd universe to feel, even down to Dredd’s uniform, which looks like it isn’t just for show.
The building that they are in is nicely designed and the action sequences are superbly set, the thing to really look out for is when characters take the slo-mo drug, all the filming is slowed right down with great effect as droplets of water and even blood splatter in some of the scenes is nicely floating around in slow motion in a 3D universe, mind you, this would even look good in 2D.
I personally think that this is the film that Dredd deserves, just forget the awful Stallone version from 1995 and see how Dredd should be in a movie, it’s not the perfect movie, but film are rarely perfect, but the running time of the film isn’t massive and it does fly by, it’s an exciting film that, doesn’t really go over the top with the CGI and the 3D is there, it’s not pushed in to your face, it’s just there for depth, which works very nicely.
There are probably die-hard fans of the 2000AD comic books that will pick me up on things and say something wasn’t right, but I’m not a massive reader of the comic, I have read little some years back, so I do have some recollection, but Dredd for me is an exciting film that I thoroughly enjoyed right from the start to the finish.
Dredd 3D – Official Trailer
Overall Thoughts For Dredd
Action packed, exciting and fun, it may not be for everyone’s liking, but I loved it. It’s great to see a film that has brought the character to the big screen in a way that I’d hoped they would have don in 1995, but sadly they didn’t. Go see Dredd if you love comic book adaptations, action movies and just want a fun night out.
Related articles
- More Dredd Goodness Online with Motion Comic and More! (dreadcentral.com)
- Was not prepared for Judge Dredd role: Karl (indiavision.com)
If you enjoyed reading this post, then please remember to post a comment, Subscribe to my RSS feed.
What a terrible film that was: I reckon that the loyal fans deserve much better than this travesty that has the nerve to call itself a DREDD film! Do the film-makers honestly think that we are going to put up with this pile of over-blown nonsense?
I reckon that the time has come to let Mr Garland et al know what true DREDD fans really think of him and this cobbled-together excuse for a storyline…
Your film sucks, Sir!
Yep, I’ll say it — Except for the 3D which was nice to look at, there is almost nothing to recommend it -apart from that excellent cinematography and the choice of actors- but that aside, what honestly is there about this story that’s even half-way related to the Dredd we know and love, eh? except his helmet, the way he talks and moves and the things he does?
But, apart from: the cinematography/casting/the-way-Dredd,-looks,-sounds,-moves-and-behaves,- there is nothing of merit for the fan or the casual viewer unless you count the powerful and relatable character-arc that Anderson goes through, the brilliantly-bit with Langley Kirkwood and of course the role played by Lena Headey ( but that doesn’t count because she’s brilliant in everything, isn’t she?). But, if you leave out all that,- then what is left, except a more-or-less typical, gory, action flick with an engaging premise which is so utterly uncompromising in execution that it powerfully llustrates exactly how lame and safe the rest of the genre has become? That’s what you’re left with, isn’t it?
“What’s wrong with a Dredd film that’s a ‘gory, action flick with an engaging premise which is so utterly uncompromising in execution that it powerfully llustrates exactly how lame and safe the rest of the genre has become?’”..you say?
Well I’ll tell you what’s wrong…
No flying cars!
Where were they? I have never been so disappointed in my life! I go to a Dredd film to see one thing and one thing only and that’s some cars with no wheels and air in between the vehicle and the ground… All this ‘story’ and ‘art-direction’ and ‘character-development’ and ‘genuine excitement’ and ‘pushing the envelope of Action Sci-Fi towards an art form in itself’ may fool some of the others but it wont fool a true fan of the comics.
The cars must fly or we don’t buy.
All joking aside, while there is minutae to quibble and quander …almost all the fan-base can see that this film’s an absolute cracker.
Twitter: TechInitio
This movie wasn’t very appealing to me, but after reading this article i think i might watch it anyway. 3D might be a good idea for watching this, it seems very well-edited.
Rashmi Sinha recently posted..How to Back Up Your Site
Twitter: kark007
Well what could I say? Well first off I’m pleased that the character I grew up with as a teenager finally got a film of high standing instead of being unintelligible rubbish like the 1995 Stallone.
Not only this the film took me into the world of Mega-City One like an issue of the 2000ad every week did and left me hooked for an hour and thirty five minutes.
Karl Urban and Oliva Thirlby’s acting dramatized complemented Alex Garland’s script perfectly and kept myself and the cinema riveted to the end and screaming for a sequel or contemplating another viewing.
To all out there Watch it and do yourself a massive favor.
Twitter: yeremiakpan
Hi Karen,
I am not one for comic adaptations, but you have piqued my interest and I will have to seek this movie out. Great review, by the way…
Twitter: BlazingMinds
Thank you for your kind words, hope you enjoy the film as much as I did
Twitter: m_ali_hafiz
I am not a fan of this kind of movies, but your post title catches my attention and now you have encouraged me to watch it
Thanks Karen for the will written post