Topic: Dredd 3D - a WB review!

[Wookie-Balls]

Dredd 3D...

I saw this on Friday night here in the UK and what a blast (literally) it was!

As a kid I was more into SW and Dan Dare than Dredd, although I bought a fair few progs over the years. I was disappointed by the Stallone film - it seemed more like a Demolition Man 2 than the Judge Dredd I knew. Well the wait for a decent film based on the character is over!

As the years progressed and I settled into my career I took a renewed interest in Dredd and his bastard son Robocop (Also being rebooted.)

Shot on a tiny budget Dredd 3D finds our established 'bad a$$' judge being assigned to baby sit a Psi recruit called Anderson (played by the lovely Olivia Thirbly.) Anderson is in danger of washing out - but the Hall of Justice is keen to secure her psychic powers.

Dredd and Anderson go to investigate a triple homicide in the mega block 'Peach Trees' which is controlled by the gang matriarch 'Ma Ma' who produces a lethal narcotic called "Slo Mo."

The judges turn up and pretty soon all hell breaks loose!!

The awesome - Karl Urban and Olivia Thirbly totally dominate their
reparative roles. Dredd's lid NEVER comes off and KU channels Clint Eastwood for the law man's voice. OT plays Anderson with panache - just the right side of tough and attractive. Brilliantly there is not the tiniest spark of romantic interest between the two leads - which for me is a breath of fresh air.

The character design of the judges looks great - and believable - which is very important when bringing a comic book to the big screen.

The level of violence is up there. Thankfully some very realistic gore is balanced out with bleak, dark typical 2000AD humour.

The script cracks by - the film is short at 90 mins, but never drags. If you ever taken part in FIBUA or MOUT training then the creeping through corridors will bring back memories!!!!

Now if you've seen "The Raid : Redemption" there are apparently quite a few similarities. The Peach Trees script by  Alex Garland has been floating about for a few years, therefore in terms of genesis Dredd
perhaps came first. However I guess if you want this film to have maximum
impact then perhaps (like me) you might want to hold off on the Raid until you've seen this dark little picture.

The 3D is some of the best out there - it's beautiful when coupled with the 'Slo Mo' vision and the business end of a Law Giver!!

My only complaints? I'd love to see a bit more of Mega City One (the budget didn't stretch to much of that) and the Law Master bikes could do with a little more ummmph!

Hopefully the positive buzz surrounding this flick will open the doors for a higher budget (but equally well written sequel.)

If TDKR was a full on WWF theatrical battle then Dredd 3D is a dirty, nasty prison shanking with a homemade blade...

4.5 WookieBalls out of 5!!

GO SEE IT NOW!!!

[Tamer]

Wow, sounds pretty good. I will have to give it a look see.

[The Spectre]

I am really looking forward to seeing this as I am a HUGE Dredd fan!

[zedhatch]

Been a huge dredd fan for years.  I even argue the Stallone Dredd film had great deal of potentail (They even could have gotten away with removing the helmet if they had waited until he was put in prision, but beside the point).

Everything I have read says this is the Dredd film eveyone wanted the first time, lets hope so. 

[ShamanLogRay]

I have to agree with Wookie Balls!
To all 2000ad & Judge Dredd fans out there!
If you have been unsure about seeing 'Dredd' after Stallones heresy, then worry not! 8 /10!!!
Consider Dredd as set in an almost pre 2000ad Mega City 1, the slums are real slums and this gives it even more gritty realism!
Joe Dredd is the real deal! No face shots! The helmet doesnt come off and he gives it the full Dirty Harry!
Anderson is having her first day, there is no PSI Dept yet and ok she isnt sex on a stick yet and every pubescent teenagers fantasy,
 but she is very cute and lacking her usual confidence, but she becomes a Judge as the film progresses & she has plenty of time to grow into her 2000ad confident & sexy persona!
Roll on the proposed sequels 'The Cursed Earth' and 'Judge Death' I say!
This film if a success in the USA, will hopefully receive a bigger budget next time and allow it to grow!
The input from Wagner and Ezquerra brought this Anti Hero to life, at long last as he was meant to be!
Drokk it was good!

[Mr. Black]

Karl Urban owns Stallone's Dredd from this side of the galaxy to the other and back again. Saw this one two weeks ago and I too had a great time. Dredd 3D does what it's supposed to do: bring a no-nonsense in-your-face 1.5 hours of bloody, violent entertainment. No romantic BS on the side and like Ray said, appropriate tempo control by slowing down the scenes involving Slo-Mo.

Lena Headey was great as Ma-Ma, as well. Man, she really looked messed up like that. Glad we'll soon see her again as the devious Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones

Like I said, Urban portrayed Dredd very, very well. Man, I'm still wondering they used some sort of dentist's tranquilizer to keep his mouth like that all the time And man, Dredd has some extremely sick ways of finishing off his enemies....