It’s Judgement time
Pictured: Karl Urban as the formidable Judge Dredd. Photo: Lionsgate
Dredd 3-D was a hit with fans of the comic book series, and for once was a film that was rated appropriately.
The movie theatre is surprising quiet when we sit down, it is in that moment that I realise that’s it’s probably because no one sat down is under the age of eighteen. It’s a different experience to watch a film that is from the comic book world but takes age ratings seriously.
Many comic book adaptations have been slated by critics for being too “Woolly” and not representing the darker side of our favourite superheroes and vigilantes. This is not the case with Dredd.
The film is a lot more hard-hitting than its predecessor. After being the first 18-rated film to top the box office since 2012, it’s no surprise that it is at a far higher standard than the first Judge Dredd film – which memorably starred Sylvester Stallone.
The film is set within Mega-city one, one of the vast sprawling cities in the Dredd universe. The opening credits are voiced over by Dredd himself, Karl Urban (known for Eomer in The Lord of the Rings) and set the tone for the rest of the film.
Most of Dredd takes place within a single tower block, run by the notorious SLO-MO drug dealer Ma-Ma (Lena Headey, Cersei in Game of Thrones). Headey plays a brilliant Mega-City villain, remorseless and incredibly violent, she encompasses everything evil should be. Dredd has to fight her reign, accompanied by Rookie Judge Anderson, played by Olivia Thirlby, a new Judge with the ability to read minds.
The film has everything that a “dark” comic book adaptation should have; heart-stopping car chases, explosions, an appropriately twisted villain. Urban is a convincing Dredd, never taking off his mask.
It is however incredibly violent, if you aren’t used to it, the gore can perhaps be surprising and a little uncomfortable, with graphic murder, sex and death scenes – hence its age rating.
The 3-D element of it is used effectively, the sequences of SLO-MO (the tantalizing drug which makes time move at a fraction of its usual speed) are beautiful.
As remakes go, Dredd is probably one of the best I’ve ever seen, and a film that I will definitely be watching again.