Dredd (2012)

Genre : SF/Action
Country : USA

Cast :
Karl Urban : Judge Dredge
Olivia Thirlby : Anderson
Lena Headey : Ma-Ma

Director :
Pete Travis

Summary
The future America is an irradiated waste land. On its East Coast, running from Boston to Washington DC, lies Mega City One - a vast, violent metropolis where criminals rule the chaotic streets. The only force of order lies with the urban cops called "Judges" who possess the combined powers of judge, jury and instant executioner. Known and feared throughout the city, Dredd is the ultimate Judge, challenged with ridding the city of its latest scourge - a dangerous drug epidemic that has users of "Slo-Mo" experiencing reality at a fraction of its normal speed. During a routine day on the job, Dredd is assigned to train and evaluate Cassandra Anderson, a rookie with powerful psychic abilities thanks to a genetic mutation. A heinous crime calls them to a neighborhood where fellow Judges rarely dare to venture - a 200 storey vertical slum controlled by prostitute turned drug lord Ma-Ma and her ruthless clan.

My opinion

How the fuck are we gonna stop this guy?
"Call 911."

Connoisseurs of the eponymous comic know that Dredd is rough, raw and contains brutal violence scenes in a gray and dark society where there is no future for the average person and crime rules. Judge Dredd reigns in this petty and aggressive society with a strict and ruthless brutal hand. The figure Dredd can be seen as a Robocop-like person with anabolic inflated muscles whose face is covered by his helmet all the time so we can only see a bitter grimace with somewhat frightening-looking razor sharp teeth. He's blunt,rude and there is no room for negotiation. That's my vision on the comic.

And this movie corresponds accurately with the description of the comic as described earlier. Compared to this movie, Judge Dredd from 1995 with Sly is the Walt Disney version. The latter is terribly soft, clean, bloodless and suitable to watch with the complete family. This version on the other hand is full of action and straight-in-your-face violence with accompanying gore pictures and bloodshed. I admit, the story isn't really the epitome of subtlety and far-reaching inspiration. Dredd is accompanied by a mutant who is a rookie (the only notable acting performance) and send to a crime haven with three suspicious suicides. Turns out it's actually an ordinary execution in the drug scene where a certain Ma-ma rules.

This Ma-ma ensures, with the help of another mutant, a lock-down of the big mega skyscraper Peach Trees, to prevent a gang member being taken for questioning. What follows is a race to the top floor and confrontations with all local gangs (which I thought no longer existed) and eventually ends up in a end-fight with the supreme boss Ma-ma. Nothing earth shattering but the whole film is infused with action and ultra-hardcore violence. The slow motion images look "stunning" and gives a clear picture of the impact of the new "Slow-mo" drug.

The only minuses were:
- The fact that the corrupt judges knew they were going after the famous Judge Dredd, means that they should have known that he was accompanied by the rookie Anderson who had some psychic powers. The judge who went after rookie Anderson could have figured out that Anderson would know immediately what the plan was. Kind of silly.
- The end of Ma-ma could be better portrayed. A Slow-Mo free-fall with a spectacular splashing end. That would fit better into the overall picture of this movie.

You can't say much about the acting performance of Karl Urban. Any nitwit with a good posture and grim face could play this part. The only thing shown throughout the movie was the lower part of his face.