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Rating: 4.25 out of 5
I remember watching the 1995 version of Judge Dredd starring Sylvester Stallone. That movie is one where you have to watch because it is literally straight from the comic book to the big screen. It is over the top, the acting is hilarious, the storyline is okay, and still, it is entertaining. Hearing Stallone and Asante say the word “law” is hilarious. It is a true comic book movie. Actually, it is all comic book.
Now few were probably wondering why in the world you would make a remake of the famous lawman. He is a judge, jury, and executioner. If the 1995 version was terrible, why make another one, and would it have the same atmosphere. Well, the remake went above expectations in my eyes and delivered a gritty, violent, and by far entertaining film. Karl Urban delivers as the lawman who does his job and keeps on moving.
The world as we know it has completely changed. Most of the United States is an irradiated wasteland. On the East Coast lies Mega-City One, a city that runs from Boston to Washington, D.C. Mega-City One is a vast and violent metropolis that inhabits more than 800 million residents and has 17,000 crimes reported daily. The place is freaking crazy to live in. Law and order are upheld by urban cops known as “Judges,” who possess the combined powers of judge, jury, and instant executioner. A new drug called “Slo-Mo” has taken hold of the city and affects the user by slowing down their perception of time to 1% of normal. Judge Dredd (Urban) is tasked by the Chief Judge (Ajola) with evaluating new recruit Cassandra Anderson (Thrilby), a powerful psychic who failed the aptitude tests to be a Judge. Dredd will have final opinion on whether Cassandra can handle being a judge or not and gives her 24 hours to prove herself. On the job, a terrible crime involving three men skinned and dead calls them to a neighborhood where fellow Judges rarely dare to venture – a 200 story vertical slum controlled by prostitute turned drug lord Ma-Ma (Headey) and her ruthless clan. Dredd and Cassandra capture one of Ma-Ma’s top lieutenants. Not wanting to risk her business, Ma-Ma overtakes the compound’s control center and offers a bounty for anyone who can kill the judges. With absolutely no way out, Dredd and Anderson must fight for their lives and stop the ruthless crime lord once and for all.
Yo! I’m not going to lie to you, but I thought this movie was freakin’ fantastic. It was entertaining, engaging, the right length, and not the over-the-top action-filled comic book film before. This version was far more gritty and violent, and it worked. For starters, Dredd in this version wasn’t this larger-than-life judge that everyone feared. In a population of 800 million with the length that one has to cover, he was just another lawman, and that worked.
What makes this film work so well is the story. I love the way it was presented. Two judges doing their job, and then when Ma-Ma sees they can crush her empire, she shut down the whole facility. The entire atmosphere around this is spot on. It is dark, intense, and seems like a no-win situation. The only escape is to fight your way up 200 stories and kill the final boss to get out. It is like a video game but far better. Watching Dredd and Cassandra try to navigate their way out and to survive is a heart-racing effect. You see that no one really helps them on their mission. Like all law movies, there are always cops that are corrupt and try to stop the law from being dispersed. Gone is the cartoony world with insane motorcycles, robots, and guns. The gun is the same, but the weaponry seems far more legit. There are no giant robots that seemed so far out there that it’s laughable.
The drug “Slow-Mo” seems freakin’ addictive and mind-numbing. Just think about slowing time down to an absolute crawl. Shit will mess up with your mind. The way the movie shows its effects with everything slowing down and having this sparkly effect to it is incredible. It looked like it took every drug on the planet and was like, we will make this drug so insane that you want some more no matter what.
The atmosphere of the world and how it is presented also adds to this film’s overall effect. The world isn’t a safe place anymore. Shit, 800 million people living in an enclosed area would make anyone crazy. Then people live in these giant structures would make anyone go mad. This works because when the building is shut down, it is terrifying, creepy, and downright dangerous. No light nor sun is getting in the building, and it seems miserable to live in.
Many might find it too violent, but I think it is what makes this film really work. When you are fighting for your life, you have to get violent. Is the machine gun scene outrageous? Hell naw, what drug kingpin doesn’t have a machine gun lying around. In a place with gangs, there will be violence. Hell, the whole skinning scene wasn’t that bad. If you have seen Scarface and the chainsaw scene, then you can handle this one.
The presentation of Dredd wasn’t all cartoony. I thought this was one of the best aspects of the movie. In the 1995 version, Stallone was larger with his square jaw, and he just looked like a cartoon. Urban was way more grounded, and he seemed to never yell. His voice was stern and authoritative, but he wasn’t this overbearing figure.
The acting was spot on for each character. Each person didn’t overdo it. Karl Urban as Dredd was spot on. Urban played Dredd as a person who is feared and administers justice with an extreme lack of prejudice. The dude plays no games, and whatever the lawbook says, that is what you are getting. One of the things about this performance that stands out is that Urban never takes off his helmet. This requires Urban to convey emotion without using his eyes. He makes it work because you never know if he is surprised, angry, or whatever. Through this, Dredd comes off as an average man just doing his job. Olivia Thirlby as Cassandra Anderson was just right. She is the complete opposite of Dredd and has more emotions and caring. She is also extremely cute. She wants to be a Judge, but she seems out of place since she has the powers to sense other’s thoughts and emotions. With that, she is the right complement to Dredd. Lena Headey as Madeline “Ma-Ma” Madrigal was insane. I like her character in the sense of her background and how she became who she was. I love how she is ruthless and doesn’t take shit from anyone. Even though she is a drug dealer, she is still a powerful woman that controls many.
Dredd is a great action movie that shows what the 1995 version should’ve been. Gone is the comic book/cartoony feel. That has been replaced with a gritty, violent, and fast-paced action film. It is extreme and fast-paced as the film is non-stop action. Have fun watching the law being dispense.
