Out with the old in with the new, the new law that is and his name is Dredd. Putting on the helmet and out to steal a better sense of law, Judge Dredd is back on the big screen and streets of Mega-City One to hand out justice to the masses. A new drug swamps the city streets and Judge Dredd is eager to kick start a crackdown after encountering a minor crime while at the same time he finds himself training the new flunky recruit and psychic, Anderson. Giving Anderson first pick of which call to respond to, she chooses the killing and skinning of three men in 200 floor slum, Peach Trees. Inside and finding a minor drugs exchange occurring, the judges set about bringing down the law until that is Ma-Ma the self imposed ruler of Peach Trees finds out. Sealing the whole complex into an emergency shut down, the judges find themselves in the deep end with no way out and a war waged against them by the lowest of the low and none of them are fond of the law. Dredd and Anderson have to make their way up, floor by floor to bring justice to the complex and show Ma-Ma what the law really looks like.
Karl Urban is the law as Judge Dredd and acting via chin alone most of the time, shows that he has one heck of a chin to act with, Helmeted the whole film Dredd is still a character with some hidden depth behind the bad-assery and Urban shows how to do it right. Taking a different path from Stallone and yet still giving the core dynamics of the character yet with a better portrayal Urban gives enough of a kick that will hopefully spring a sequel in the near future. Olivia Thirlby plays the rookie Anderson and while she may not be the powerhouse of physical pain like Dredd, her character is more compassionate and still has scenes where she reveals she's got serious judge potential much like Thirlby in showing though not the heaviest role in acting she gives he film a character to care about between the explosions. The third and final cornerstone of acting and role comes from Lena Headey as Ma-Ma, while she's given us her mean side before as the dark and brooding queen in Game of Thrones, Headey brings an even more sinister character to life with Ma-Ma the frightening face of rebellion against the law in a fantastic flourish.
This is how a reboot is done. Getting rid of Hollywood for an independent British run, replacing an action star who varies in degree of acting with a lesser known name though still an equal and more importantly staying loyal to the character instead of insane and stupid clone/brother story lines. This is is how you show the Law as what it is. The tongue in cheek look at law through the eyes of one of 2000AD's most popular character Judge Dredd, is done justice in this reboot with a hint of story but more focus on the high octane action and the irony of the character and his ideals, enough to the extent where you can let the straight forward narrative slip past. All characters deliver something to the world whether it be Dredd's own unique style of lawgiving, Anderson's innocence and somewhat different approach to justice or Ma-Ma's own take in fighting for the rights of her people/self. Dredd is a film that relies on action yet is so engaging and entertaining you forget that at the core that's all it is, instead you pick up on the subtler messages regarding the films context of justice and the irony of Dredd himself. For the older teens it's a festival of crazy violence, for the more in tuned it's a critique on justice and to everyone it's brilliantly entertaining film making with something to offer most audiences above 18 and if you're over that age Dredd is certainly one not to miss.
9 / 10
FIN.
Karl Urban is the law as Judge Dredd and acting via chin alone most of the time, shows that he has one heck of a chin to act with, Helmeted the whole film Dredd is still a character with some hidden depth behind the bad-assery and Urban shows how to do it right. Taking a different path from Stallone and yet still giving the core dynamics of the character yet with a better portrayal Urban gives enough of a kick that will hopefully spring a sequel in the near future. Olivia Thirlby plays the rookie Anderson and while she may not be the powerhouse of physical pain like Dredd, her character is more compassionate and still has scenes where she reveals she's got serious judge potential much like Thirlby in showing though not the heaviest role in acting she gives he film a character to care about between the explosions. The third and final cornerstone of acting and role comes from Lena Headey as Ma-Ma, while she's given us her mean side before as the dark and brooding queen in Game of Thrones, Headey brings an even more sinister character to life with Ma-Ma the frightening face of rebellion against the law in a fantastic flourish.
This is how a reboot is done. Getting rid of Hollywood for an independent British run, replacing an action star who varies in degree of acting with a lesser known name though still an equal and more importantly staying loyal to the character instead of insane and stupid clone/brother story lines. This is is how you show the Law as what it is. The tongue in cheek look at law through the eyes of one of 2000AD's most popular character Judge Dredd, is done justice in this reboot with a hint of story but more focus on the high octane action and the irony of the character and his ideals, enough to the extent where you can let the straight forward narrative slip past. All characters deliver something to the world whether it be Dredd's own unique style of lawgiving, Anderson's innocence and somewhat different approach to justice or Ma-Ma's own take in fighting for the rights of her people/self. Dredd is a film that relies on action yet is so engaging and entertaining you forget that at the core that's all it is, instead you pick up on the subtler messages regarding the films context of justice and the irony of Dredd himself. For the older teens it's a festival of crazy violence, for the more in tuned it's a critique on justice and to everyone it's brilliantly entertaining film making with something to offer most audiences above 18 and if you're over that age Dredd is certainly one not to miss.
9 / 10
FIN.
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