Were you worried that you were going to be getting another version of Sylvester Stallone’s ridiculous Judge Dredd from 1995? Well, ease your fears because this time around the film is actually based on the graphic novels themselves. Pete Travis’ Dredd 3D is gritty, bloody, violent, funny and smart all at the same time. A task that we see many movies try to accomplish but fail miserably at.
Set over the course of one single day, we see the veteran judge Dredd taking rookie Anderson out for assessment. Is it a complex plot? No, and it doesn’t try to be and that’s a good thing. But don’t take that as me saying that the script is bad. It’s quite the opposite. Alex Garland (28 Days Later, Sunshine) does a fantastic job with this one. Just like in the comics, you get a straightforward story that doesn’t become lost and confused by stupid side plots and unnecessary back stories. I’m not going to get into the plot of the movie because if you don’t know it by now…. well, that means you haven’t seen a single trailer (which is a good thing in this spoiler-filled day and age).
So, let’s start it off with the action sequences. They are all fantastically shot and pretty damn exciting. This movie is action packed and you’re going to want to see this one in 3D at least one of the times that you see it. Yes, you definitely are going to see this more than once. The 3D sequences in slow-motion are visually dazzling. And calling this movie violent is one hell of an understatement. There’s no friendly Rob Schneider material here. Seeing bullets fly through body parts in slow motion never looked so beautiful, especially with the very well-fitting electronic soundtrack that accompanies the movie. However, the real highlight of Dredd 3D is the performances. Yes. You read that right. The performances!
Karl Urban is the law. After seeing this movie I don’t think I am going to accept any actor in the Dredd role down the line. Hopefully, we won’t have to. Even though we never see his eyes underneath the helmet (a promise that the filmmakers kept from the get go), Urban nails the intensity and determination of Dredd. He delivers a great performance as ol’ Stoney Face, using his mouth and chin alone. And if you were worried about Olivia Thirlby as Anderson you can relax because Thirlby is great. She plays the sensitive, but tough, Psy-Judge brilliantly and the mind-fuck scene between her and a member of Ma-Ma’s gang is definitely one of the best scenes in the movie. Lena Headey is great as Ma-Ma and quite intimidating but definitely could have used a bit more screen time.
Ultimately, Dredd 3D is an ultra-violent thrill ride from start to end that proves that big, action-packed thrillers don’t need to be stupid to leave their mark on the genre. The film definitely has appeal to fans of Dredd’s 2000AD origins and those who have never even heard of Judge Dredd. And trust me on this, pay the few extra dollars and see it in 3D. It’s one of the few movies with visuals that justify the expense. In the end, Dredd 3D is definitely deserving of a sequel and besides, don’t us fans want to finally see the Dark Judges make their way to the screen? I know I do.
Rating: 4.5/5
Dredd 3D is the law (and in theaters) on September 21st!