"Mega City One is a vast, violent metropolis where felons rule the streets. The only law lies with cops called "judges," who act as judge, jury and executioner, and Dredd (Karl Urban) is one of the city's most feared. One day, Dredd is partnered with Cassandra (Olivia Thirlby), a rookie with powerful psychic abilities. A report of a terrible crime sends Dredd and Cassandra to a dangerous area controlled by Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), a drug lord who will stop at nothing to protect her empire."
Dredd is so simple and yet so brilliant. I bought this on DVD as soon as it came out in the store, and it quickly became a favourite of mine. There has always been something about the strong, silent characters that I can empathise with. The dark, brooding characters that are unapologetic in their kick-assery. They aren't really heroes, they are simply providing judgement on those that are causing harm. The Punisher, Wolverine, Judge Dredd, they all fall into this category.
Remembering the 1995 Judge Dredd film with Sylvester Stallone and Rob Schneider, they went for the big action hero angle and, well, it just doesn't fit. 2012's Dredd, on the other hand, is much more loyal to the source material (at least from the few Judge Dredd comic books I've read). though Admittedly, this most recent version does have a darker, grungier aesthetic; not as vibrant as the graphic novels.
Dredd is an incredibly simple film. The majority of the plot occurs within one vertical structure, so it doesn't waste time expositing to introduce and build an entire universe. Just a quick intro, and then straight into the action. Action that doesn't let up for the remainder of the film. With limited environments and a very simple plot, Dredd could quite easily become a very boring film (and if you are after a nuanced plot, you will be very disappointed), but with a short runtime of 95 minutes, you don't get a chance to get bored. The shorter runtime also makes for more realistic and engaging action scenes without the need to increase the scale to a stupid amount for the climax (I'm looking at you Dragon Ball Super with your Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Blue transformations). The scale remains manageable and grounded. We aren't watching superheroes here.
This film embodies Judge Dredd pretty well. With the ability to arrest, sentence and execute on the scene, there is little more to a Dredd movie than gore and death, with some fancy guns. The environment suited the plot, looking like a drug-addled slum with criminals that had little to no regard for human life. Interestingly, they were able to still get so much of Dredd's personality right, putting some focus on his ethical and moral code, which is based on the foundation of the law, while also showing other Judges that are not so ethical. This isn't a man on a vengeance-fuelled killing frenzy. This is a man upholding the law to the best of his ability and it really endears you to the character who is put into a very difficult situation.
While you watch the entire film hoping Karl Urban will take off his helmet to show off those rugged New Zealand looks, he never does. Full uniform and the helmet stays on for the entirety and overall it adds to the mystique of the character. He is a vessel for the law. Who he is under the helmet is of no consequence. But he still manages to convey a good amount of emotion using only the lower half of his face.
2012 was around the peak of 3D being pushed for popularity, and while it became a dated facet of the media, that in general adds nothing to the content of the film, they actually wrote it into the story of Dredd. The story is based around a new drug that slows the perception of time for its users. And as such, every single shimmering slow-motion scene has a purpose. And it is used to full effect in the film. Before Deadpool and Logan made R-rated films great again, there was Dredd; slow-motion physical impacts, bullets tearing through faces and bodies, all in a gorgeously graphic and somehow aesthetically pleasing way.
Considering the limited environments, the action set pieces are choreographed really well, and the non-stop action keeps you enthralled for the whole movie from start to finish. Great chemistry between the two protagonists, whose opposing viewpoints and personalities compliment each other well. Hyper-violent, minimal dialogue, dark and gritty aesthetics, Dredd is a masterpiece that should have got a sequel.