Film Review: "Dredd" (2012)

"Inhabitants of Peach Trees, this is Judge Dredd… In case you people 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. Ma-Ma is a common criminal; guilty of murder, guilty of the manufacture and distribution of the narcotic known as Slo-Mo, and as of now under sentence of death. Any who obstruct me in carrying out my duty will be treated as an accessory to her crimes... you have been warned. And as for you Ma-Ma... judgement time." This is what’s going down in Dredd. This science fiction action film directed by Pete Travis, written and produced by Alex Garland. The British/South African co-production is based on the 2000 AD comic strip Judge Dredd created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra. Judge Dredd, a law enforcer given the power of judge, jury and executioner in the vast dystopian metropolis of Mega-City One that lies within a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Alongside rookie Judge Anderson, Dredd is forced to bring order to a feared 200-story slum and its resident drug lord, Ma-Ma.

The cast gave intense performances, none more so than Karl Urban as Judge Dredd, the law enforcer given the power of judge, jury and executioner in the vast dystopian metropolis of Mega-City One that lies within a post-apocalyptic wasteland. I enjoyed his performance most of all as his performance was very reminiscent to Clint Eastwood in the Dirty Harry films and might of had a small cue of inspiration from Christian Bale in The Dark Knight trilogy. That dark, gritty performance made the character made the character all the more interesting, intense and realistic. Dredd is a character study, primarily, one fuelled by violence and action, and I can't think of a better way to re-introduce this character to cinema audiences by making him dark, gritty and realistic as all other character films are heading towards in that direction. As Dredd, Urban either has a better character to play than Sylvester Stallone did, or simply has a better grasp on what makes him tick, but the actor continues to distinguish himself as a versatile performer who turns mimicry into emotional meaning. Thirlby, as rookie Judge Anderson, was engaging as she carried the film's emotional story, one of the film's true thrills comes in watching Thirlby effortlessly balance the conflict between a Judge's merciless duties and a psychic's compassionate understanding. Lastly Lena Headey, as the resident drug lord, Ma-Ma, was a dark and intense performance as she epitomised a dark and very realistic evil that reflects modern evil today.

Technically brilliant and gut wrenching, Dredd has action, imagination, and all the elements of a thoroughly entertaining science-fiction action film. The film is nothing more than a dark, gritty and intense piece creation that understands who and what motivates the character than the atrocious 1995 rendition. The film managed to create such strong characters and story that the third-act action sequences cannot compare to other subsequent superhero films.

Simon says Dredd receives: