Monday, July 15, 2013

Dredd (2012)

In the future, civilization is a mess and the population lives within a walled city that runs from Boston to Washington, DC. Chaos reigns and the police have the power to arrest, sentence, and execute those who break the law. They're known as Judges.

Deadpan Judge Dredd is assigned to take rookie Anderson into the field to make a final decision regarding whether she can be a Judge or not.  Dredd is adamant that since she didn't pass her test by 3 points then she failed.  But he is told they are giving her a chance as she has amazing psychic powers which could be helpful on the job.

When they answer a call at a block (which is an apartment complex 200 stories high) run by gang leader Ma-Ma, they capture a thug responsible for the murders they're investigating.  When Ma-Ma discovers that they're going to interrogate him rather than kill him, she puts out the order to lock down the block.

Ma-Ma controls the new drug called Slo-Mo, in which everything slows down for the user. She doesn't want anyone to know that the block is manufacturing this and that she's the head of operations there.  We get some great slow motion scenes based on the users experiences but most are terrifying, such as a bullet through the cheek or dropping to death from the 65th floor.  With Ma-Ma's order for all gang members in the block to find and kill the Judges, the fight is on.

There is lots of action with some scenes being ridiculously over the top, and that's a good thing.  I didn't see it in 3D, but it doesn't have that obvious feel of things being pointed at the camera for no reason that a lot of movies have.  My friend had already seen this at an IMAX theater in 3D and pointed out a few things that he said looked amazing in the theater.  This is much better than 1995 version titled Judge Dredd which starring Stallone. I remember being really disappointed with that one.  It's one of the better action movies I've seen recently, just remember Judge Dredd is supposed to be the quintessential cop. Think Dirty Harry in the future.

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