Dredd 3D Review

11th Sep 2012

Author’s note: As of writing this review; Dredd 3D is still playing in theatres across the UK. Out of consideration for those that have not yet seen it, and wish to; this review has been kept as spoiler free as possible, but may contain frequent and extensive comparisons with Sylvester Stallone’s 1995 cinematic interpretation of Judge Dredd.

This was, in my opinion inevitable.

Only a mere seventeen years on from the aforementioned 1995 adaptation, we get a second attempt at putting the much beloved and seminal 2000AD character on celluloid. Why so long? Who knows, but I’m very happy it’s finally here, even if my ‘approach with caution’ alarm was clattering like a demented trip hammer after seeing the trailer.

OK, so a quick look at the production credits reveals the fact that British director Pete Travis’ film has a veritable arsenal of good things going for it on paper. Simply in terms of personnel, it looks very promising. Besides the significant presence and (hopefully), influence of original Dredd creators John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, we have screenplay duties being handled by acclaimed British writer Alex Garland (The Beach, 28 Days Later, Sunshine etc.). Not a bad state of affairs right from the off methinks. Personally, I like Garland’s writing very much, so his involvement here is a big plus for me. Now, If you’re starting to notice quite a few British names in significant positions within this movie (and we can consider Ezquerra as honorary in this respect), you’re right. This also bodes well, as long as they can exert enough influence. This would be in stark contrast to the Stallone film, which despite the efforts of British director Danny Cannon (and again, Dredd creators Wagner and Ezquerra), felt 100% USA made. Now, there may well be folks out there saying “But Dredd is supposed to be USA made, he’s American etc etc” and may cite the location and nationality of Mega-City One, and Joseph Dredd respectively, to uphold that notion. Well, they would be missing a key ingredient. Judge Dredd (and 2000AD in general), has always had a uniquely British feel, and sensibility. It’s not Marvel or DC, and shouldn’t be treated like them. This is not Americana. This perspective is a very important filter through which Dredd is created. The Stallone clunker took a dump on all of that, and more. In fact, when hearing about Dredd 3D; I hoped and prayed that Judge Dredd (1995) would have been studied very closely by the new movie’s producers. Hopefully used as the perfect example of what ‘not’ to do when attempting to adapt the character to the big screen. It seems they did. Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t hate the 1995 movie, in fact I’m one of seemingly very few folks who saw the good in it, and still enjoy it as a (massively flawed), guilty pleasure. However, as an adaptation of the original comic book character; it was an abject failure, an abhorrence, and deserved all the scorn, derision and disappointment fans of 2000AD (as well as everyone else who saw it), poured all over it. There would be many people who would say that as long as Travis’ movie avoided everything that the Stallone donkey brought to the table, then it cannot possibly fail. Naturally, it was never gonna be as simple as that, but despite that reality check, in many ways, that is indeed what the new film does.

Case in point: Question zero zero zero one would be: Does Dredd take his helmet off in the new movie, and show his face? Answer: Hell no! – Good start boys, good start.

So, Karl Urban stars as Dredd, and as I continue to inwardly digest his performance (which, due to the aforementioned helmet rules; the poor guy had to deliver with nothing but body-armour, mouth, and stubbly chin), and ponder it over and over; it makes more and more cinematic sense. I think he was really good, if not quite the right body type I always have in mind for Dredd. I was not a rabid 2000AD reader as a kid, but I did buy the comic fairly regularly throughout the late 70s and early 80s, and enjoyed many of the original and indelible characters, and stories that appeared there. Strontium Dog, the ABC Warriors, Tharg et al. They all impressed and entertained, but it was Judge Dredd that intrigued the most, and had the gravitas and authority (literally), to pull me back as often as it did, and hold it all together. When thinking of [comic book] Dredd (as I remember him), and Urban’s take; I cannot help but be impressed and unexpectedly won over. This is actually a key factor of the whole movie i.e. I wasn’t expecting too much out of it, and didn’t much like the trailer either; however the movie delivered a surprisingly solid, tight, watchable, and well executed package.

How the hell did that happen?

I have often commented that movies with massive insane budgets in excess of maybe $120 million, are almost always hamstrung, and rendered toothless, impotent and overtly safe by the very magnitude of that production purse. People putting up that kind of money, don’t want filmmakers to take chances, push boundaries, or challenge audience’s expectations…….unless you’re Christopher Nolan with two Batman smash hits under your belt of course. Hence the tendency towards 12A (PG13) certificates, predictable stories, simple well worn good and bad character types, and diluted kiddie friendly popcorn action. This can still be done really well (Avengers for example), but oranges are not the only fruit. I believe that sometimes, a smaller budget, intelligently utilised, with the right story, can produce a far more adventurous and satisfying end result. A result that perhaps appeals to those with more visceral appetites, both in terms of concept, and execution. With this in mind, Dredd 3D comes to the table with a paltry budget not much more than half that of the 1995 movie (around $45 million), and you can safely say that, with that little money to play with; the movie definitely had to it all to do, and an awful lot to achieve and overcome.

So how does it do?

Well, you needn’t worry folks, as cleverly, the writers decided to stay confined, tight and scoped in, rather than overreach themselves, and allow the obvious budget limitations to damage audience’s reception and perception of the film. Travis and co do not try to create too complex a story and/or too expansive a vista. Consequently, we get instead what amounts to a simple snapshot of perhaps a slightly worse than normal day in Joseph Dredd’s crazy life as Mega-City One’s most feared Judge, and very little else. It’s a standalone film, no real arc, no massively complex back-story, no ponderous, exposition heavy scenes to shoehorn in and awkwardly explain away, no romance, no sex, just action, peril, and death. The film presents the world of Judge Dredd in a succinct and easily digestible way, and doesn’t linger too long doing it. I’m not even going to bother with a synopsis of the plot, as it’s refreshingly simple and direct. There’s a powerfully connected and ruthless baddie (an almost unrecognisable Lena Headey), and a shitty situation for our heroes to resolve.

Go!

You don’t have to have read the comic to know what?, who?, where?, when, or why? You simply check in with Dredd from scene one, and ride this filthy meat wagon all the way to the end of the movie’s nice lean 95 minute run-time, no fat here, just muscle, gristle and blood. The only thing that can be sited as any kind of moving arc is the character of rookie cadet Judge Anderson (an effective Olivia Thirlby).

Now, readers of the comic will know all about Judge Anderson, as she is a long standing, and highly regarded major character. To my reckoning, the movie presents her as a kind of hybrid of the original 2000AD Anderson and the short lived re-imagined version that appeared in the 90s DC comic book (Legends of the Law). Here, she’s a cadet (as in the DC comic), being field tested and assessed by Dredd. Psi-Division (the law division that the 2000AD comic character is a key member of), doesn’t yet exist in this reality. Her character undergoes some development, and she gets some great scenes. She is a natural counter to Dredd, and that’s all you need. Hopefully; should a sequel appear (and I hope it does), Anderson will feature prominently in it.

So there you have it. This movie effectively comes out of nowhere, with little to no real fanfare, a cautiously small budget, but it is shot in proper ‘Real 3D’, it’s not a conversion job, and it has no 900lb gorilla getting to screw around with the character’s established lore (or should that be the LAW?). It comes with a full fat 18 certificate, is violent and bloody as hell, and ruthlessly efficient. It packs a modest punch in terms of visual dazzles, but you never feel too short changed (a clever trick). What it does have is plenty of style, verve, visual flare, and a fit and strong leanness about it; plus a propulsive thrust that feels pretty damn good to ride on. It makes every dollar go very far indeed and doesn’t worry that it’s presenting the viewer with a Mega-City One that is devoid of robots, mutants, flying vehicles, and other budget hogging bells and whistles that the comic book features in abundance. Doesn’t really matter, and you really don’t have time to sit around thinking about it. Would it be nice to see a $120 million dollar Judge Dredd film with all that FX hungry crap in it? Yes, maybe. But not at the expense of losing this movie’s visceral edge, its economy of motion, or that vital adult rating.

I’ll take my Judge Dredd pretty much, just like this thank you.