In the future, there are no police officers; only judges. These law enforcers act as judge, jury and executioner, performing verdicts for crimes on the spot, most of which result in death. Of all the judges, none are more feared and more respected than Judge Dredd.
Dredd 3D, directed by Pete Travis, stars Karl Urban as the no-nonsense Judge Dredd. Olivia Thirlby stars as Judge Anderson, a mutant rookie judge with psychic abilities, and Lena Headey is the ruthless drug lord and main antagonist Ma-Ma.
Dredd and his new rookie counterpart, Anderson, are sent to investigate a triple murder in the 200 story tall, Peach Trees slum-like apartment complex.
After carrying out what seems to be a routine drug bust, the judges find themselves trapped in the Peach Trees. They are constantly being chased by Ma-Ma’s goons. Dredd and Anderson spend the rest of the movie evading and shooting the pursuing gang members.
One of the main plot points in the movie involves a new drug called “Slow-Mo,” which makes it seem that time has slowed down immensely. The effect of “Slow-Mo” is shown throughout the movie in amazing special effect sequences.
Some of the most eye popping effects occur during the drug bust at the beginning of the movie, where flying bullets and explosions are shown through the drug users’ perceptions.
Dredd also packs a large punch in the action department. Throughout the film, the judges wield a special side arm with the ability to change the type of ammunition used by voice command.The side arm ammunition rangesfrom stun darts to incendiary rounds and even explosive munitions, which all provide for a wide range of bad guy dispersal.
Along with the massive bulletstorm, Dredd shows off his hand-to-hand skills, dispersing gangsters as easily with his fists as with a 9 mm.
While Judge Dredd, starring Sylvester Stallone, debuted a mere 17 years ago in 1995, Dredd 3D is not a remake and attempts to distance itself from the earlier incarnation.
In the 1995 version, Dredd is given a back story and more of his human side is shown. However, in Dredd 3D, all you see of the man behind the mask is Urban’s ever-present scowl.
At first I was disappointed by the fact that more of Dredd’s background was not explored in the film, but the more I think about it, the Dredd in this movie makes perfect sense.
Dredd’s blind devotion to the law is clearly shown by the fact that he has no emotions for anything but dispensing justice, but where Dred lacks in emotion, Anderson definitely picks up the slack.
While Dredd is an emotionless killing machine, Anderson acts more out of conscience and provides mercy.
In the end, the contrasts between Dredd and Anderson, impressive action scenes and massive amounts of testosterone-fueled violence, fall together to create a great movie experience.
Although Dredd does have its share of cheesy one-liners and plot gaps, they don’t take away from the overall experience.
I give Dredd 3D a 4 out of 5.
