Chinese Whispers - Dredd 3D

Improvements Are Coming

So I have a few reviews that I have stored up on my iPhone's Notes app, so I thought I'd get them published and free up some space (as well as stop being a lazy reviewer). Consider this a DVD review if you want, it might be just a few years too late to be relavent...

Let me start by saying my expectations for Dredd were not high. The trailer looked cheesy as hell, plus I really wasn't a fan of the Sylvester Stallone film, Judge Dredd, that was released in the mid-90s.  

For one: he took off the mask, which Judge Dredd never does. 

Two: the perpetual engine of lowest-common-denominator Rob Schneider (derp-de-derp) was second billing. Might as well cast Adam Sandler or Martin Lawrence in drag.

And Three: he takes off the f##kin' helmet, man!

Adapted from the 2000 AD comic strip, Judge Dredd, Dredd takes place in a vast, dystopic metropolis called Mega-City One that lies in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.  Dredd is a Judge, essentially a police officer with the powers of judge, jury and executioner.  He and his rookie partner, Judge Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), are forced to bring order to a 200-storey high-rise block of flats and deal with its resident drug lord, Ma-Ma (Game of Thrones' Lena Headey).

I know, it sounds incredibly schlocky, cheeses and like a bad 80s exploitation film, right?  That is the film's strength, more than it's weakness.  Whereas most films would try and include some kind of hidden message or heartfelt sentiment somewhere in these exploitative 96 minutes, Dredd just delivers non-stop action from the start.  And it does it so well.

Written by Danny Boyle-collaborator, Alex Garland, who had previously penned screenplays such as 28 Days Later... and Never Let Me Go, the film's dialogue is realistic, the characters are relatable and yet the Die Hard-meets-Robocop situation is so incredibly over-the-top, but it all balances so well!

Karl Urban doesn't overdo the menace as the titular Dredd, like I had feared. He mostly has to turn his head, growl and then grimace, but he does it remarkably well.  Olivia Thirlby (the best friend in Juno) provides a decent supporting role, adequately annoying Dredd at occasions as well as utilising her convenient and unbelievable psychic powers.  The only disappointment is villainous drug lord Lena Headey who is all but wasted in the penthouse suite of the Peach Trees tower block.  With the raw emotion and sly wit she displays in Game of Thrones,  she could have been a female Hans Gruber, controlling villainous hordes from behind a desk of drugs and money.  Yet she is demoted to scowling and threatening nameless grunts with knives. Disappointing.

The film was originally offered to Duncan (son of Bowie) Jones, who I think would have made an amazing director but Pete Travis does a decent-enough job.  He delivers an interesting visual experience when the drug 'slo-mo' is utilised but there might have been a few slow motion scenes that could have been sacrificed.  Yet again, there is no need for the film to be made in 3D and it looks perfect in 2D, so no need to shill out for the 3D version at home.

This hyper-violent, self-satirical film may not be for everyone as the blood and over-the-top violence honestly took me by surprise.  However, it fitted the tone of the film so well, as well as gave a great re-introduction to the character of Dredd, with Stallone and Schneider nowhere to be seen.

My friend Tim is a big campaigner for the commission of a sequel to Dredd, which is getting more attention and gaining more steam every day. Since the film failed to recoup it's budget, it will probably be Kickstarted sooner than later, so I highly recommend you brush up on the original!

Rating - 8/10

Until next time folks, thanks for reading!

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