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Dredd (Movie Review)

Dredd is the new remake of the cult classic film Judge Dredd. The new film seemed promising with emerging actor Karl Urban starring as the Judge and plenty of great special effects that could added to the new film that were never seen in the classic release, but Karl Urban doesn't deliver in his new role and is clearly no Sylvester Stallone, while the new graphics fail to impress to help viewers overlook a lackluster storyline. The original film never featured a strong storyline, so it wasn't expected in Dredd either, but the new film fails to deliver any extended periods of entertainment. The result is a film that is barely passable and one that will only be enjoyed by a handful of die hard action film fans.

The setting of Dredd takes film fans to a post apocalyptic world where survivors struggle to survive in urban wastelands under the watchful eye of the government. Crime is carefully managed by a group of genetically enhanced Judge that acts as cop and judge to dish out punishments for crimes with no bias while having the power to execute lawbreakers on site when necessary. The new film follows one particular Judge that teams with a rookie, human cop that happens to have psychic abilities and is ultimately the only real interesting character featured in the entirety of Dredd.

The action picks up when the Judge and his psychic partner, named Anderson, head to a monstrous apartment building to investigate a trio of gruesome murders. The building is home to one of the nastiest gangs around that have managed to take over the hundred floor complex due to inactivity of Judges in the local area. The duo soon apprehend the chief suspect in the murders only to have the building put on lockdown by the gang's leader Ma-Ma. The former prostitute had enough with her mistreatment one day and took out her former employer to quickly rise to power after taking over his operation. The gang leader doesn't want the team leaving with one of her gang leaders and is offering plenty of threats for anyone that can kill the Judge and his partner before they can make an escape.

Dredd attempts to create an action-packed flick, but rarely manages to excite. This is due in large part to the boring characters the movie features including a very bland performance as the Judge by Karl Urban, a gang leader that never feels as imposing as her history would suggest or even a good performance from the captured gang member that doesn't feel believable for the given situation. The problems with the film are compounded with action sequences that come off as cheesy or uninspiring more times than fun. The film likes to use slow motion effects brought on by the drug appropriately named Slo-Mo, but the special effects during these scenes look terribly fake instead of something that would excite viewers.

Dredd manages to muster a few interesting scenes that always seem to focus around Anderson and her psychic abilities, but it's not enough to recommend the film to anyone. One early scene has the character learn a terrible truth about her own actions, while viewers are left wanting to know more about the character and her past. The film never really revisits these raised questions later in the film, much like how the film fails to reach its full potential in many other areas. Moviegoers will Dredd spending any money to watch this new film, and it's a shame the movie wasn't cited as a criminal offense and executed on the spot in early development by a more worthy Judge.

Dredd is now available from all major retailers and online distributors. Dredd is rated R by the MPAA for strong bloody violence, language, drug use and some sexual content. For more information on the film, check out the official Dredd website.

Movie Features:
Release Date: September 21, 2012
Director: Pete Travis
Running Time: 95 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Cast: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, Wood Harris


Score: 4 out of 10

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