Having feverishly waited in anticipation (skulking around IMDb, snapping at each morsel with fanboy delight) it was a joy to finally sit down in the auditorium; with Judge Dredd badge pinned humorously to my DK 'Bedtime For Democracy' T-shirt (chortle).
The film starts with some spoken exposition, although where there was once James Earl Jones, we now have Urban. Establishing scenes of chaos evoke familiarity, as Mega-City One channels more current, turbulent times. Herein we are thrust into the Iron Lawman's world, and he wastes no time in dispensing justice most radical.
Olivia Thirlby is introduced as Anderson, the rookie assigned to Dredd for assessment. She is played as Dredd's emotive foil (much like the comics). Whereas in '95, William Wisher moaned that " if I couldn't care about him (Dredd), how could I hope to convince anyone else to?"--Bunk line of thinking, creep!--here we circumnavigate that with Anderson's character arc. Dredd is a hard-assed, business-as-usual guy, with the voice to match. Only rarely did his dialogue verge on the gorgonzola.
The film is an unashamed, stripped back actioner with cinematography and music elevating it far above genre requirements. Think 'Drive', with the electronic score and city shots, but scorched of gloss. DREDD is tough and that's reflected in the architecture, the uniform, and the hardware. The judges rightfully look intimidating and brutal, and the closer-quartered combat, I felt, emphasised this. I also enjoyed the wacky array of citizens, a killer 2000AD touch.
I've ran right of steam now, but overall, great film and look forward to watching it again. The film is a straight up 8, but warrants an IMDb 10 out of principle.
The film starts with some spoken exposition, although where there was once James Earl Jones, we now have Urban. Establishing scenes of chaos evoke familiarity, as Mega-City One channels more current, turbulent times. Herein we are thrust into the Iron Lawman's world, and he wastes no time in dispensing justice most radical.
Olivia Thirlby is introduced as Anderson, the rookie assigned to Dredd for assessment. She is played as Dredd's emotive foil (much like the comics). Whereas in '95, William Wisher moaned that " if I couldn't care about him (Dredd), how could I hope to convince anyone else to?"--Bunk line of thinking, creep!--here we circumnavigate that with Anderson's character arc. Dredd is a hard-assed, business-as-usual guy, with the voice to match. Only rarely did his dialogue verge on the gorgonzola.
The film is an unashamed, stripped back actioner with cinematography and music elevating it far above genre requirements. Think 'Drive', with the electronic score and city shots, but scorched of gloss. DREDD is tough and that's reflected in the architecture, the uniform, and the hardware. The judges rightfully look intimidating and brutal, and the closer-quartered combat, I felt, emphasised this. I also enjoyed the wacky array of citizens, a killer 2000AD touch.
I've ran right of steam now, but overall, great film and look forward to watching it again. The film is a straight up 8, but warrants an IMDb 10 out of principle.