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No More Dread After ‘Dredd 3D’

Dredd 3D © 2012 Lions Gate Entertainment

Remember when the name Dredd used to conjure up actual feelings of dread? That was back when Stallone’s Judge Dredd was the only film featuring the comic book character. After you see the Pete Travis reboot Dredd 3D though, you’ll just think happy thoughts from now on. That’s because Dredd 3D is everything the Stallone flick should have been and then some.

For those unfamiliar with Judge Dredd’s mythology, the character’s story is set in a grim future where much of America has become a wasteland. Stretching from Boston to Washington DC is Mega City One, a sprawling violent metropolis. The only keepers of order are urban cops called Judges who have the power to act as judge, jury, and on-site executioner.

In this reboot, Judge Dredd (Karl Urban), the ultimate Judge, is assigned the difficult tasks of eliminating a drug epidemic and evaluating a rookie (Olivia Thirlby) at the same time. Dredd and his new partner are put to the test when an investigation takes them to a 200-story slum controlled by the kingpin Ma-Ma (Lena Headey) and her gang of murderous thugs.

The primary thing working in its favor is that Dredd 3D takes a more grounded approach to the Judge Dredd character. Since we now live an Internet era where fan opinion is important, the filmmakers seem more interested in delivering comic buffs what they want, than producing mediocre crap like Stallone’s Judge Dredd that no one enjoys. And thank god, because that’s why Dredd 3D is so much better.

Gone are the killbots, hovercycles, evil twin, comedic sidekick, and cloning elements. What’s left is a dark, dystopian tale that’s one part gory action flick, one part social satire, and one part tense thriller. The extreme violence and satire are very much an amusing throwback to films of the late 80s/early 90s such as The Running Man, RoboCop, and Total Recall.

Like those movies, thankfully Dredd 3D doesn’t take itself too seriously. Dredd has some hilarious one-liners, including a well-placed moment for his catchphrase “I am the law.” Karl Urban’s deadpan delivery and brilliant Stallone-like perpetual grimace just add to the fun.

This film makes bloodshed look oh so sexy, with its slow motion 3D sequences. Travis and his writer Alex Garland use a hilarious winking excuse for this severe time dilation: crooks in the story are addicted to a drug called SLO-MO which makes seconds seem like minutes. While the trick is enjoyable most of the time, it comes up just a bit more often than necessary.

Probably the most unexpected part of Dredd 3D is its badass female villain. In a movie world with very few strong female characters, it’s exciting to see the filmmakers go with the bold choice of a female baddie. I love that she’s just as ruthless if not more so than many bad guys I’ve seen recently. Having the dastardly Ma-Ma as a foil for Dredd makes you root even harder for him.

Although it certainly helps to be a fanboy, you don’t need to be a one to appreciate Dredd 3D. If you’re into action, sci-fi, or thrillers, you’ll also love this movie. With any luck, this could be the first in a line of good Judge Dredd flicks.

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Evan Crean: Hello! My name is Evan Crean. By day I work for a marketing agency, but by night, I’m a film critic based in Boston, MA. Since 2009, I have written hundreds of movie reviews and celebrity interviews for Starpulse.com. I have also contributed pieces to NewEnglandFilm.com and to The Independent, as a writer and editor. I maintain an active Letterboxd account too. In addition to publishing short form work, I am a co-author of the book Your ’80s Movie Guide to Better Living, which is available on CreateSpace and Amazon. The book is the first in a series of lighthearted self-help books for film fans, which distills advice from ’80s movies on how to tackle many of life’s challenges. On top of writing, I co-host and edit the weekly film podcast Spoilerpiece Theatre with two other Boston film critics. I’m a founding member and the current treasurer for the Boston Online Film Critics Association as well. This site, Reel Recon.com, is a one-stop-shop where you can find links to all of my past and present work. Have any questions or comments after checking it out? Please feel free to email me (Evan Crean) at: ecrean AT reelrecon DOT COM .

View Comments (7)

    • Still haven't seen the Total Recall remake. From what I hear though, I'm not missing much. Thanks for reading!

    • I wish it was doing better at the box office Dan. House at the End of the Street was making more money last time I checked and it looks TERRIBLE. So sad that people would choose crappy horror over a movie that's easily one of the best action films this year.

  • Great review, love the word dystopia. Your reviews continue to impress, can't see the difference between your reviews and the NY Times.

  • Great review! I have to agree, I was cautiously optomistic when going into this movie, and was so pleased with the result! I completely agree with you that having a strong female villian was great, but also enjoyed Olivia Thirlby's Judge Anderson, and the fact that even when captured, she didn't need the strong male lead to rescue her, she escapes, then essentially goes to rescue him. Unexpected and wonderful!

    • Thanks! I agree that Olivia Thirlby's character was also great. I loved when she got inside that guy's head and made him pee his pants. The fact that she didn't need to be rescued by the man was another fantastic element to her character. I always hope that we see more female characters like her.

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