We have come a long way since Stallone's Judge Dredd in 1995. He was considered as the only option, a good one, at that particular time. The only problem with the result of that movie was the lack of relation towards the comics, referencing nothing other than a PG take on what was considered a production that obeyed the rules of Sly Stallone.
Thankfully the resurrection of Dredd begins at the hands of director (Pete Travis) who not only revives the character, but sticks to the 3000 AD concept that the comics portrayed so beautifully.
The storyline is a simple gritty concept showing the aftermath of a once an inhabitable city, is now run by both law and lawless. The authority that over looks the dead city strings into the hands of judges; a law with no boundaries as the lack of remorse is witnessed using a one man Jury, or a sentence of execution if necessary. As we all know, Dredd (Karl Urban) is one who darkens the days of the drug underworld, patrolling the futuristic ruin of a city he portrays it as. With routine call-outs, it is no ordinary day as Dredd is introduced to Anderson (Olivia Thirlby) a rookie cop assigned to Dredd to carry along side his line of work as he tends to play witness to her dedication by throwing her into the deep end, the worst end...
Ma-Ma (Lena Headey) is the feeder, a wanna-be dictator who overlooks the city from just one of many towers. A scarred and demented human being, Ma-ma controls the residents of her block, a location considered a no-go for the authorities. It is when two bodies are found at the area that Dredd sees this a fortunate day for Anderson as she makes the decision for both to investigate. The decision results in a grim battle against the worst drug mules in the city as the parasites of Ma-ma's block seek to protect an operation, leading to a war greater than Dredd could of expected.
The movie provides a small cast that help deliver a fantastic piece of entertainment. Its comparison to "The Raid" is quite appropriate as it does indeed take place in one building, but trading the martial arts for some straight up gun-slinging proved a delightful result. Not expecting to be wowed by much, Karl Urban's Dredd supplied an element of a dark soul-less body with an over usage of cheesy one-liners topped off with endless violence. The overall character of Dredd was a joy to witness. From the off you anticipate, just like the raid, the closer he gets to the finish-line, the higher you grin!. I watched with glee as Dredd tore through bodies with clever yet hilarious weaponry. The sequences were beautiful to watch as Karl Urban's slow motion concept is highly original introducing it to the scenes when it really mattered.
Fans of the Judge Dredd franchise (can't say I was) would be pleased with this re-hash and more importantly the revamping of the character itself. The writers smartly chose to keep on the helmet as it is a brave move that goes unnoticed because of the jaw-line and personality portrayed on screen. Sticking to apparent comic book logic, this is something I believe the fans and audience wanted to see.
Those seeking a fine storyline full of drama and sensibility may keep their torso in one place. This isn't a taste for everyone. I believe anyone who chooses to see this flick to purposely slate it should not bother. Leave that brain you hide with your skull at home and enjoy it for what it is. If so, you will remember how ridiculously hilarious Dredd truly was, and supposed to be. I find I am opening my mind with these kind of flicks. In order to truly see it for what it is, you have to.
Overall; a fantastic welcoming for a character that was almost forbidden a return to our screens. Karl Urban's Dredd is guaranteed to make you laugh while you hide the shocking face of what you had just witnessed. Strictly 18's! YEEEAH!
7.5/10
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