Note: I'm assigning this a "2 out of 4" but in terms of this movie it really doesn't matter.
“Dredd” (or “Dredd 3D” if you want to waist three extra
bucks) is as basic and straight forward a futuristic action flick as they come.
In fact it’s a little astounding just how low director Pete Travis and
screenwriter Alex Garland aim. And yet the movie takes itself so serious and to
its credit, the story (what very little there is) stays on track. Though,
“Dredd”—based on a 1995 Sylvester Stallone film--only has one thing working for
it: a distinctive, visual style. Yes, it’s mostly constructed of CGI but the
film has more artistic look (every scene sort of looks like a digitalized
painting), as opposed to a sleek polished one you usually see in most big
budget films like these.
As far as story goes, there’s not much to report. It takes
place in a futuristic, overpopulated, dystopia, in one giant city called Mega
Block 1. The city contains three kinds of people: nasty, dirty, drug dealers--who
get their fix from a new drug that gives you the sensation of slow motion--lead
by a vicious drug king pin known as Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), impoverished civilians
and The Justice Department. It’s here we meet Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) a sort
of super judge that acts as judge, jury and executioner. “Dredd” is in some
ways similar to “The Raid: Redemption.” The major action takes place in massive
tower, living complex. Dredd and his rookie side kick Kay (Wood Harris) have to
battle their way through numerous thugs to defeat Ma-Ma at the top. And, well
that’s it.
Dredd resembles Robo Cop. He wears a heavy suit of leather
armor, a helmet that conceals the top half of his face and he has an endless
number of action movie one liners delivered in a very emotionless tone
of voice. He is portrayed by Karl Urban (“Lord of The Rings”) but he could be
portrayed by anyone else. This is a role that requires no acting what so ever.
Travis could have put a Chimpanzee in that suit of armor and there would be no
difference. (Well, I guess Dredd would make inaudible Chimpanzee noises instead
of talking. Which actually wouldn’t be a problem, seeing as dialogue is not
this movie’s concern either). There’s no character development in “Dredd,”
unless you count brief monologs the characters give about themselves or someone
else, that only include the bare
essentials.
The acting is wooden for the most part, and while the action
scenes are all well and good—it helps that the movie is rated R. If it was
PG-13 I think I would come down harder on it— they don’t really make much of an
impression. The action scenes in “The Raid” had impact and by the time all of
its mayhem came to an end you came out of the theater just as beaten and
bruised as the characters in the movie. The action in “Dredd” is almost too
stylized and impersonal.
If I felt motivated enough, I’m sure I could tear this movie
a new one but it really isn’t worth the energy. The film tries for so little;
the “narrative” is so constricted and unpretentious that I can’t totally abhor
it.
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