Dredd 3D

Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, Wood Harris, Domhnall Gleeson

Dir. Pete Travis
Scr. Carlos Ezquerra, Alex Garland & John Wagner

After the absolute debacle that was 1995’s Judge Dredd, it’s not surprising that no one has touched the comic book franchise until now. But with a legion of loyal fans, fans who tend to be men in their 30s and 40s with plenty of disposable income, Dredd and his fellow Judges were always going to appear on the big screen again. And, damn, it was worth the wait. Dredd 3D is ultra-violent, ultra-stylised and awfully good. There was even cheering and whooping in my screening. I’m already looking forward to the next instalment.

Set in a futuristic America, where daily violence and hardship is commonplace, the police from the Hall of Justice have the authority to act as judge, jury and executioner. Judges, as they are known, are uber-cops. And Dredd (Urban) is the most uber of them. Teamed up with a rookie with psychic abilities (Thirlby), Dredd takes on Ma-Ma (Headey) and her gang who deal in the reality-altering drug, Slo-Mo. Explosions and generally a lot of violence, along with a pleasing smattering of super-dry humour, ensue.

Dredd is both super ambitious and utterly unambitious. Each in perfect measure. As mentioned, taking on Dredd again after Stallone managed to mangle the character so utterly was a risky venture. And to do so in pricey 3D, with an 18 certificate and an unknown lead took some guts. But there is certainly a market for Dredd alongside the shinier Captain Americas and Iron Mans. Where Dredd is unambitious is its storyline. A snappy Future Reality 101 lesson and we’re into the action. And the action itself is confined to a single building block with a suitably evil villain and her henchmen. This simplicity suits the action and the mood very well. It’s bloody and violent and grimy and very effective.

The 3D, as much as it pains me to say, isn’t bad. Not overly gimmicky but, when it is, it’s pretty effective (mostly in portraying those high on Slo-Mo). I’m unconvinced that outside the Slo-Mo moments it adds a great deal, but it wasn’t too distracting.

There is, of course, a wonderful New Zealand connection that comes with this flick – Dredd himself. And Urban does a truly splendid job. Acting within the confines of a helmet that he (thankfully and faithfully) doesn’t remove, his strong jaw and serious scowl are perfect. He utilises the pause and tilt of the head to great effect. It would be so easy to descend into hamminess (see Stallone or, for that matter, don’t), but Urban manages to deliver Dredd’s signature lines with authority and subtlety. And his drier-than-dry comic delivery is spot on. Thirlby, as the rookie Anderson, is nowhere near as annoying as she has the potential to be. In fact, she does a great job as the very human face of the film. Headey is absolutely horribly wonderful as drug baroness and criminal queenpin Ma-Ma. And a very good turn from Gleeson, son of Brendan, as Ma-Ma’s troubled computer nerd.

Dredd is certainly not for general consumption. I had to hide behind by hands a couple of times. But if you can stomach it, see this film. This is how comic books should be adapted. It doesn’t try to be more than what it is. And what it is, is very entertaining indeed.

------------------------------

Judge Dredd: In case you have forgotten, this block operates under the same rules as the rest of the city. Ma-Ma is not the law... I am the law.