Dredd Reviews

Hollywood takes a second stab at bringing the faceless, fascistic law giver to the big screen after Sylvester Stallone's badly misjudged outing in 1995. In fact the previous attempt wasn't a complete failure; it captured the feel of the comic strip quite well, with some excellent production design and well orchestrated set pieces. The problem was that the script completely missed the point of the character. Dredd NEVER removes his helmet and most certainly would not tolerate the dubious comic "talents" of Rob Schneider any more than I would. At least the new interpretation gets the first part right and Karl Urban's jutting, bestubbled jaw certainly looks the part as does the grimy, Mad Maxified version of the uniform and artillery. Unfortunately, once more the writer has woefully missed the point of the character. Judge Dredd was a very British, darkly satirical parody of a merciless, fascistic one man judge, jury and executioner. Travis' version is just a humourless, plotless exercise in gratuitous violence that just felt to me like sitting watching someone else play an ultra-violent video game. It's basically Robocop with a sense of humour bypass and considering that it was the wide streak of black humour that made Verhoeven's film work, this is not a glowing recommendation. Despite some efficiently handled action sequences, Dredd is just another example of the fact that American film makers seem to have absolutely no concept of irony.

I can barely remember the first Dredd film with Stallone in it. This felt more violent and gritty, which is what they aimed for. The action is ok and it has a slick visual style to it, it just felt a bit too simple in terms of plot for a big film. It's very similar to The Raid in terms of plot as well, and I actually liked that more.

"Dredd" was a pleasant surprise. The plot is a rip off of "Raid: Redemption," but I still loved every second of it. Travis directs a fast-paced, fun action movie, which doesn't require much thinking on the part of the viewer. You know what you're getting with this one. Grade: C

"Dredd" is more of a re-imagining of the "Judge Dredd" character, than the original Stallone movie than a remake, and a much better film. The plot is pretty simple, Dredd(Karl Urban) and a rookie Judge go to a building to investigate 3 homicides when they are then trapped in a battle with a drug lord and her gang. The action is great, and the story while not original or anything special, is very entertaining. I've read it's a lot like "Raid: The Redemption", and there are a lot of similarities, but it's a very different film. One of the better adult comic book adaptations, as it's rated R, and it puts the rating to good use with the violence. I watched this on 3D Blu Ray and had read that the 3D was amazing. I thought the scenes with the drugs in use were great, but I didn't think the movie demanded it. Searching for a good action movie then give it a chance.

this film is NOTHING like the original film. For one it actually follows the gritty and violent apocalyptic future tone much closer than the original. Karl Urban (Star Trek 2009) plays the role of Dredd and he is amazingly well cast as the monotone but badass judge, and plays off the role much better than Stallone ever could've IMO (I could actually see Urban play Batman if he played the character like his portrayal of Dredd.) The other actors in the film doo okay jobs but no extremely stand out performances outside of Urban Also the film has a very artsy kind of feel to it, especially since the key focus of the film is a drug called Slo-mo which does exactly what it sounds like and all the scenes with bullets flying are sometimes slowed down or brightened to give it a somewhat epic or dramatic feel too it which is very cool to see and it probably was on the big screen too. The film also has some surprisingly disturbing scens such as the apprentice judge to Dredd who happens to be a mutant (no not X-men but that would be awesome) and she can read peoples thoughts and go into them at points and they show a brief rape for a few seconds, but the one thing that disturbs me more than anything in the whole movie is the scene where she goes into one of the criminals minds and takes over him mind and drives him insane. We see flashes of skin being peeled off, blood flying, rape, oh and his penis being sucked and then he screams you look down, and you see the girl with blood all over her mouth. Yes this movie isn't for the squeamish, but I do highly recommend this film to anyone who likes the Dredd comics or just great sci-fi action films.

An awesome and explosive action-packed thriller. A total blast from start to finish that will keep you on the edge of your seat. A cinematic experience that you wont soon forget. It`s loaded with eye-popping visuals and special effects that keep your eyes glued to the screen and has enough hard-core action to keep your pulse-pounding. Dredd packs enough action, humor and attitude to keep you going all the way through and wanting more. A tremendously entertaining and spectacular action movie. An exhilarating and adrenaline-charged thrill-ride. It`s wickedly well-crafted, strongly performed and sharply shot. Karl Urban is excellent, he owns Dredd. Urban stays true to the essence of the character and is beyond perfect in the role. It`s savage, gritty stylish and just great instant classic. A real treat for sci-fi action fans. A beautifully stylized and hard-core good-time. Dredd fans wont be disappointed. Director, Pete Travis crafts a visual triumph and gives us a purely entertaining wallop. A bold and unforgettable action movie experience.

Dredd is a stellar sci-fi action film that's filled with ominous shots, spectacular visuals, and gruesome violence.

Dredd is a gory, violent, and gritty B-movie that offers nothing new, but does everything well enough that it is still enjoyable, especially on a visceral level. Karl Urban makes for an awesome Judge Dredd, even if he doesn't have to do much other than shoot a bunch of bad guys and say some witty one-liners along the way. The story is simple, and Lena Headey's main villain is not the least bit on the same level as Dredd, but there's some fun action sequences. They overdo it a bit with the slow-motion (even though it is technically part of the story since a drug makes people feel like the world around them is moving at 1% its actual speed) and try to make it cooler than it actually is. We understand what the drug does, you don't need to show us every time someone takes it. Other than these few quibbles, Dredd is a no holds-barred and very entertaining 90 minutes well worth it if you can stomach the gore and violence.

Visually awesome, with some great shooting and action scenes! For people like myself who haven't seen the original can still pick up this movie with no problems. It reminded me of a blend of Robocop and Tron.......cool and original movie.

I really wish I could have seen this in 3D and in the theaters. It's a very stylized movie and through its visuals it tells most of its story. The plot, characters, and performances are bland and forgettable for the most part, but where this movie succeeds is in the distorted yellowed architecture and design. You'll want to watch this movie again and again for how disturbingly beautiful the world of Dredd looks. The movie gets a free pass from me because of the impressive handling of violence and special effects.

Take two for this adaptation of the classic British dystopian sci-fi comic book character. Not that I disliked the first Stallone attempt, I think that has been given a harsh time personally. Sure it wasn't adult enough and had Rob Schneider in it but they captured the look and feel I thought.

I liked the plot idea for this film, the two Judges trapped within this enormous tower block and having to take down all the perps. Not exactly original but a good recipe for action, a slight nudge towards 'Die Hard' perhaps, mixed with 'The Raid'. Its also neat that 'Mega City One' has loads of these massive towers, so theoretically each tower may have the same criminal problem as this one. This gives you an idea of how big/vast the cities criminal problems are and the genesis for lots of stories within this universe, it gives a nice depth to this universe too.

First thoughts for this new film and I was slightly disappointed to be honest. As the movie opens up and we get narration about the worlds current climate I felt myself thinking this world doesn't actually look very futuristic. Now I didn't expect robots, laser guns and other typical sci-fi cheese but I guess I did expect a kind of...without trying to sound too cliched, 'Blade Runner' type world/environment. 'Mega City One' didn't really look very eye blisteringly cool, just looked like a massive urban sprawl, realistic yes, exciting no, perhaps a bit too realistic?.

I liked that they tried to keep things more grounded and in a possible near future which isn't too far fetched (I'm guessing), but it didn't really feel overly futuristic. This also goes for all the druggies and bad guys holed up in the massive tower block that Dredd takes on. Most of them dressed and looked like your average hoodie youths I see on the street today, bright coloured t-shirts, polo shirts, tracksuits, gold chains etc...Again I realize its a real take and we don't want them dressed in luminous spandex, but I just expected a bit more I suppose.

As for Dredd and his partner its all good, I loved the way they brought Dredd's suit down to earth, made it look functional and yet kept it recogniseable for the fans. Urban was also top notch as Dredd with his gravely voice (not as stupid as Bale's 'Batman', about on par with Eastwood) and trademark sneer, my only criticism would be he didn't look very big. I was impressed with Thirlby as 'Anderson' and the way her psychic abilities were handled, could so easily of been corny. Thirlby did a really good job as the wet behind the ears rookie, she conveyed that nicely whilst also being really cute at the same time. As her confidence grows surrounded by violence so does her appeal to you the viewer.

The main head villain is played by a woman here which is a nice turn but ultimately ends being rather mundane. Lena Headey plays the role well and she does comes across as a real bitch that you just wanna see get blown away, but she never really does much apart from one scene. Her comeuppance is also pretty weak and slightly anti climatic.

The film is as violent as I expected, it goes from being a bit too ridiculous with skinning people (bit odd and sick that), to gut splitting, face piercing, head shattering shoot outs. Gotta love that gun Dredd uses eh, its right up there with 'Robocop's' hand cannon. I also liked that the film looms towards a Verhoeven style for gunning people down but I gotta say I didn't like all the slow motion. Yes I know that's the whole point with this drug but I just hate that kind of crap, I just wanna see the action, the slow motion just stops it dead, very frustrating.

Most definitely a success with this reboot mainly because it was done for the adult audience, I wonder if Hollywood has clicked on that yet?. Its no 'Die Hard' beater and its not the best action film I've seen recently but its a solid gritty film. Would like to see more futuristic shine in any sequel though, just a touch.

Cracking film, gore-tastic with plenty of great special FX. Decent storyline but wha made it great was the gun and guts!

Coming in the same year as The Raid was never going to help Dredd, as they were both films that involved cops being locked in a building having to fight their way out. The Raid was an exceptional martial arts action film, whereas Dredd is still a highly enjoyable and violent movie. It also has the shed off the dead weight left from Sylvester Stallone's shitty interpretation of the character. Urban keeps his helmet on and captures the Judge perfectly. Olivia Thirlby is brilliant as the young rookie with psychic powers, and Lena Headey is very intimidating as Ma-Ma. The action is well handled with the violence being quite powerful and shockingly comical. The costumes and sets were also well realised, but obviously the low budget hinders the creation of such a wide world to explore. I'm sure the makers hoped for a sequel that would expand the universe, but that is looking unlikely. This is still very much worth your time if you need an action fix.

Judgment is coming.

Good movie! Here is a source of genius for some, a source of disappointment for others. The film does not aim high in terms of blockbuster material, but instead elects to tell a very focused, character driven story - a day in the life of a Judge tale that will have you thankful you don't have to walk in their shoes. The film's script is cheesy, but if you've seen the other Judge Dredd film, that'll hardly be a surprise. And I must admit that Karl Urban does a fantastic job of making the lines still sound good. And overall, the acting is good, which is a relief after seeing so many action films where even the main character can't act. Overall it's a far superior Judge Dredd film to the one that came before it, and has enough action and doesn't over-complicate itself to the point where people aren't bored watching it. It takes a comic book that has been tagged as notoriously impossible to adapt, give it a gritty and realistic setting and cast some great actors to give the movie some life. I hope there is a sequel because it would be really great to see more of this version of Dredd, Urban has a better grip on what the character should be and i can see him taking it a long way.

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. When they capture one of the clan's inner circle, Ma-Ma overtakes the compound's control center and wages a dirty, vicious war against the Judges that proves she will stop at nothing to protect her empire. With the body count climbing and no way out, Dredd and Anderson must confront the odds and engage in the relentless battle for their survival.

'Dredd'. Healthy servings of gratuitous, stylised violence, a badass Olivia Thrilby and some surprisingly great direction.

Loved the framing and symmetry taking us through Peach Trees. The visuals behind the slo-mo drug experience were nicely handled also.

Dredd certainly doesn't make any secret of its intentions: it's here to be badass, no matter what you, the critics or anyone else has to say about it. So for those who value words like "family-friendly" and "moderation", take your popcorn and head for the nearest exit, because you're probably sitting in the wrong theatre.

Brain-dead as it may appear though, it's actually a lot more refined than you may first believe. The dialogue won't grab the attention of any serious award-shows, but it succeeds in what it sets out do, delivering a fun and action-packed bullet-fest well in accordance with its comic-book origins.

What fascinates the most is the harsh and post-apocalyptic setting: a dystopian America, which due to nuclear war, has become an irradiated wasteland, cramming 800 million people into the gargantuan Mega City 1. Plagued by overwhelming crime rates, things like courts and lawyers have been completely disbanded, in favor of the so called "Judges" - an all-controlling authority who act as judge, jury and executioner. Among these is Judge Dredd, our square-jawed leading character, who as we enter the story, has been assigned with investigating a triple homicide in one of the mega-complexes of the city. Alongside is Cassandra Anderson, a rookie in the force who tags along with Dredd as part of her evaluation.

It's the The Raid meets Escape from New York, when the mega-complex turns out to be the headquarters of a savage clan of criminals, who are distributing a new drug throughout the city called "Slow-Mo", which (as the name suggests) makes its users experience time at only 1% of the normal speed. An effect which, throughout the film, is also brilliantly utilized as an ultra-cool visual highlight.

Beneath the big helmet of Judge Dredd, is a laconic Karl Urban, who really nails the no-nonsense attitude required for the role. The character who appealed to me the most though was Olivia Thirlby as Cassandra - the young, aspiring Judge, who due to a genetic mutation has the psychic power to read and enter people's minds. Another formidable presence is Game of Thrones star Lena Headey, in a commanding performance as Ma-Ma, the leader of the ruthless gangster clan.

There may not be much in terms of character development, but I suppose that's grasping at straws, in consideration to what we're dealing with here. It's not a 19th century period drama and should not be treated as such. Besides, as far as re-makes go, this is one of the better ones I've seen and one of the rare few instances where a new adaptation was completely justified. And as much as I'm a fan of Sylvester Stallone, I'm not gonna deny that the precursor from -95 was mostly camp and misfires.

In an ironic twist of fate, however, this altogether superior version really bombed at the box-office. For one reason or another, audiences failed to show up, which is a pity indeed as it deserves so much more. Either way, I'm definitely counting it among my favourite action films of 2012. It may be grimy, unapologetic and hyper-violent to its very core. But have no fear, citizen. For there is nothing to dread but Dredd himself.

Peter Travis gets right to the point with Dredd.There is no waste of time with back-story as Dredd only goes through some minor buildup, before letting the judge loose in a mega apartment structure. There really isn't much more to this 100 minute story than a drug bust gone extreme, but in the end, that's all it needs.The action is frequent and the violence is bloody, with the sporadic help of extreme gore. The usage of CG is rather light, considering the heavy sci-fi concept of the story; however, it works out well with the film's dark theme.The emotionless performance of Karl Urban is exactly what the Dredd character calls for. Olivia Thirlby initially seems out of place, but she really is a solid piece of the puzzle. Lena Headey is also a good watch.As an action adventure, Dredd fits in quite nicely. The sentence is death for not checking it out.

A beautiful and violent film that holds your attention, speeds by, and will probably disappear from your mind soon after its over.

Pete Travis' Dredd is an accomplished action film that is raw, gritty and in your face. Compared to the 1995 Judge Dredd, which for me is a guilty pleasure, this film is a big improvement and delivers nonstop thrills. I've always been a fan of Karl Urban, and in his performance as Judge Dredd, he really brings something unique to the screen. Dredd is not a perfect film, in fact some of the dialogue I thought was pretty poorly written, and thought it was cheesy. However the strength of the film lies in its action. Dredd has got to be one of the best action films this year, and there is plenty to enjoy if you're an action film buff. I was pleasantly surprised at how good the film was, and it delivered a fun, entertaining hour and a half of mindless action. Despite its flaws, Dredd was a thrill ride from start to finish. If you're looking for a solid film to watch, then give this one a shot. Pete Travis direction is effective, and he keeps the action rolling so you're never bored and it more than makes up for the lack of good dialogue. Acting wise, the performances are pretty good considering the simplistic nature of this films plot. Dredd is a stylish, in your face film that shouldn't be seen by people who don't like violent films, as this one is pretty violent from beginning to end. Some viewers have said that this is similar to The Raid: Redemption, I personally feel that this is a very different film. This is a film worth seeing, and if you do, be prepared for an entertaining, adrenaline soaked action packed ride from the first frame onwards. Dredd is a film that is both beautiful and stylish, yet still has enough brutal flair to please the most demanding action film fan. Unlike the 1995 version of Judge Dredd, this version is more serious, more violent, more bloody and overall better. People that were disappointed with Stallone's Judge Dredd will most likely appreciate this reboot even more Karl Urban delivers here, and this is among the year's best action films. .

It's got a lot of problems, but ''Dredd'' is an entertaining action movie with stunning cinematography, great visuals, solid performances and a terrific soundtrack.