I Watch Films: Dredd

 

Dredd

Megacity One, an American dystopia surrounded by the Cursed Earth, barely held together by the Judges. Dredd’s (Karl Urban) assigned a rookie, Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), who has psychic powers which might make a difference. They go to Peachtrees towerblock to investigate three murders.

This gets a bit complex. They break into a drug den, one that sells Slo-Mo, a drug that makes you experience time slowly. Anderson psychically detects Kay’s involvement in the murder so they take him away. Aware that if interrogated he will give up that this tower is the centre of manufacture, tower gang boss Ma-Ma (Lena Headley) takes control of the emergency systems, sealing them in and cutting off communications.

Dredd and Anderson, trapped in this 200 storey block, find themselves fighting to survive. Ma-Ma calls out all the gang members, all the weapons she has available, tries to use her home ground advantage. And just when the film is about to circle into yet another fight between Judges and criminals and lose momentum it has a twist.

Using comic book character Judge Dredd to tell one story, just a bad day, is a bold choice from which everything else flows. Toning down the comic book aspects a little, just a grim future crime story. It has a couple of good jokes, in the pitch black tone, but generally takes itself seriously.

Watch This: Stylish, efficient action thriller
Don’t Watch This: Doesn’t use the setting or lore to any great effect