Dredd Review

Name : Dredd

Year : 2012
Genre : Action / Sci-Fi
Director: Pete Travis
Main Cast : Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby and Lena Headey
Based on : 2000 AD comic book
Warnings : ultra violence, drug use, sex/rape

I recommend it to : sci-fi, visual effects and 3D lovers, geeks, comic book lovers, M gamers, post-apocalyptic stories fans, visual thrill seekers
I do NOT recommend it to : your grandma, children, people with a weak heart or stomach, I wouldn't recommend to go see it as a romantic date or with your parents.

 OFFICIAL TRAILER ( link)



Review : Possibly the coolest thing about Dredd is the refreshing presence of two strong female characters - aspiring-Judge Anderson and violent drug-lord and clan-leader Ma-ma. There is no love story between Anderson and the the legendary Judge of Mega City One - Dredd, which makes the film even more refreshing, since we get a heroine who is more than just a love-interest with a gun. The quality of the visual effects is just stunning and I would recommend this film to all 3D lovers, who can handle their gore well. Another great plus is the booming electronic soundtrack which accompanied the tense action scenes of the film, which also contribute greatly to the visual thrill, which is Dredd.

The story of the film is quite simple - in a future America, Mega City One stretches from Boston to Washington DC and constitutes of a world of violence and criminal rule. Andreson is on her final assessment to become a Judge, some type of law reinforcement agent, who has to power to dispense "judgement" on sight (judgement which most often being death.) So, heavily armed and armored, the angle-faced heroine sets off on her first day with one of the most bad-ass Judges in town - Judge Dredd as her examiner.

Dredd is a rather antisocial character. He makes up for the lack of words with punches. He shakes the ground when he walks and never takes off his helmet. Despite never being able to see his face, Dredd ended up growing on me during the film in the way that a massive, rubber-clad, ultra-violent teddy-bear might.

Anderson is also quite special - a mutant with psychic powers, she could have been the young female Charles Xavier, but regrettably she only remembered to use her powers when it was time to see how much the enemies wanted to rape her. She missed several good opportunities to use her powers in combat or defense, but in the type of stunning 3D action film that Dredd is, story logic doesn't matter too much.


If Anderson was the cute little angle, then Ma-ma was the twisted, dark devil. Former prostitute, turned gang-leader and drug-lord, practically everyone in Peach Trees was her bitch. Broken, used, angry, violent and way beyond redemption, Ma-ma is feared with a good reason. When faced with the two Judges entering her territory, she throws everything at them without a glimpse of remorse.

However Dredd lives up to his reputation and Anderson shows what she's really made of. The sentence is ALWAYS death!

Favorite Scenes : Ma-ma taking SLO-MO in the bath tub, splashing her hands in the water and watching droplets fly in 1% normal speed, all the while glistening like diamonds - a truly beautiful scene!
Favorite Characters : Anderson and Ma-ma - the kick-ass female characters of the year!
Favorite Quote : "The sentence is death," Dredd
What I liked the most : the gorgeous graphics, flawless 3D, the extreme colour correction and the slow-motion footage
What I liked the least : the ultra-violence and the sex/rape scene - a bit too much for my gentle soul

Ratings 

Review by Alq

Photos are Property of Leonsgate, Reliance and DNA, 2012