![Dredd [3D Blu-ray/Blu-ray + Digital Copy + UltraViolet]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91beWVO8TFL._AC_SL3840_.jpg)





Buy anything from 5,000+ international stores. One checkout price. No surprise fees. Join 2M+ shoppers on Desertcart.
Desertcart purchases this item on your behalf and handles shipping, customs, and support to KSA.
High octane sci-fi action movie with all-out, guns-blazing, bone-crushing, explosives-laden action. Based on the popular comic book character JUDGE DREDD. The future America is an irradiated wasteland. On its East Coast lies Mega City One - a vast violent metropolis where criminals rule the chaotic streets. The only force of order lies with the urban cops called "Judges" who possess the combined powers of judge jury and instant executioner. The ultimate Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) is tasked with ridding the city of its latest scourge -a dangerous drug and the sadistic prostitute turned drug pusher who is using it to take over the city. Though few moviegoers queued up to see it, Pete Travis's Dredd is, like its titular hero, a tough, effective piece of action machinery with a single purpose: to fill the screen with as much eye-popping visual mayhem as possible. Based on the iconic British comic series Judge Dredd , which was previously adapted as the 1995 Sylvester Stallone vehicle of the same name, Dredd hews closer to its source material in its depiction of a postapocalyptic world reduced to anarchy and the police force known as the Judges, who try, convict, and execute criminals in one fell swoop. Karl Urban ( Star Trek , The Lord of the Rings ) is terrifically effective as Dredd, a monosyllabic force of nature dispatched to halt the manufacture of an addictive and disorienting narcotic called "Slo-Mo" by the vicious drug lord Ma-Ma (Lena Headey). With judge-in-training Anderson (Olivia Thirlby) in tow, Dredd works his way up Ma-Ma's 200-story tower stronghold, facing off against her minions as well as corrupt Judges in a barrage of elaborately violent action set pieces. Much of what sets Dredd apart from other comic book and science fiction-action features--the obsessive, brutal focus of its protagonist and the relentlessly bleak environment of the film's setting, Mega City-One--may also be off-putting for viewers who appreciate some grey areas or levity in their entertainment (though that's not to say that Dredd doesn't have its own flinty sense of humor). But Travis's approach should appeal to both fans of the original comic as well as those who favor a vision of the future on the darkly dystopian side, à la Paul Verhoeven's RoboCop and John Carpenter's Escape from New York . Karl Urban acquits himself well to Dredd's steely single-mindedness, expressing an unyielding sense of righteousness in a helmet that obscures nearly all of his features; Thirlby and Headey are also fine as strong, forthright female characters on either side of Dredd's moral compass. The single-disc Blu-ray includes both the standard and 3-D versions of the film, with the latter option avoiding some of the vertigo-inducing effects of digital 3-D while also offering the best showcase for the extraordinary "Slo Mo" sequences. Extras include a solid, introductory featurette on the history of the Dredd character via interviews with, among others, its creators John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra, and an overview of the picture's visual effects and 3-D process with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle. A brief motion comic outlines the back story for Ma-Ma, while the remainder of the supplements are devoted to electronic press kit coverage of the set design and Dredd's array of equipment, among others. A digital copy and UltraViolet stream/download round out the disc. --Paul Gaita Review: Great Movie, Pure Dredd - For starters, I am a huge JD fan, which made me excited and also worried about this second attempt at bringing him and his world to the big screen. Dredd stands as a stark example of how clear storytelling and a simple plot can make an extraordinary film. The laughable Stallone film tried to shoe horn in too many concepts from the 30+ year history of the character. Dredd, on the other hand, focused purely on the meat of the character, giving only small glimpses of the sprawling universe he inhabits. Judge Dredd may seem hollow and robotic to new comers, but this is exactly why his character is so beloved. The film makers do a great service to the character, and Karl Urban's performance helps to solidify this. I can only smile when reading irate reviews hammering the lack of character development and robotic acting. The reviewers obviously don't understand. There is a reason why JD never takes his helmet off. He is meant to be faceless. He is the one solid and reliable rock in the sea of crazy that is the far future. The one drawback is that this film is very violent, and if you aren't prepared for it you will be turned off fairly quickly. It also makes great use of slow motion to capture and juxtapose the action from different viewpoints. This gives the action scenes a strange pace, but I felt it to be perfectly suited to the plot. It only felt overdone during a couple of sequences. Speaking of plot, this film has taken some knocks because of a thin plot. I find this funny considering how paper thin most movie plots are when compared to novels and comics. The Hobbit is a movie about a long journey, and is great because of what happens along the way and what obstacles they have to overcome. This movie is essentially a day in the life of Judge Dredd, and is about his journey to stop and apprehend a gang leader. It is great because of what happens along the way and what obstacles he must overcome. A simple, clearly stated plot with great story telling wrapped around it is what you will find in this film if you give it a chance. I did, even with my fear of past failures, and I loved it. I don't like the Ultraviolet service, but this disc also has an iTunes compatible download. If there is a drawback, then it is that all of these are crammed onto a single disc instead of giving us a separate disc for the Blu Ray and the digital download. Also, having no DVD version available in the set was a bit of a downer since I like to loan mine out to friends to get them hooked. The digital download worked fine for me, though, and the BR ran perfectly in my 1st generation PS3. Review: One of my Favorite movies of 2012 - Number one, i do not enjoy seeing movies in 3D in the theaters, because A) i wear glasses and 3D glasses dont fit well over them. so the whole movie i am uncomfortable fiddling with them. and B) the 3D glasses make the screen darker, and you lose detail. and i don't see that big of a difference. But Dredd was one of the only 3D movies that i completely enjoyed, and feel like i got my money worth, the 3D was awesome, and i feel like this is one of the only movies that you should have seen in 3D over the 2D version. I have never read the Judge Dredd comics, but i knew who he was, and the Stallone version ruined my interest in Dredd, so when i saw this faithful remake was coming out i was excited that Dredd would get a pretty cool kick ass adaptation. Karl Urban does a great job on Dredd, and he keeps the Helmet ON, he isn't like the Vain Stallone who had to show his face the whole movie, Dredd never takes his helmet off. this movie stays true to that. This movie is AMAZING, and a movie i feel that i can watch over and over again, the action is plentiful, the story moves along well, the characters are great, the Slo-MO is the big highlight of the movie, and the Score is really good. if you have the choice to buy one movie this month this would be the movie to get. GET DREDD!! i am disappointed that Dredd did not perform well in theaters, but that is because America does not really know the Judge Dredd comic's, so they ignored it. but you don't need to be a comic fan to enjoy this Great movie, that i feel is very faithful to the source material. i really do hope that they make a sequel to Dredd, the movie ends and you want MORE. hopefully Dredd will gain a Cult following in Bluray sales and they will decide to go ahead with another. So DO NOT Pirate this movie, Dredd deserves every penny, so buy this Bluray, it is awesome, and the Bluray has the standard and 3D versions on the same disc. and it comes with a digital copy too, i travel a lot every weekend, and this is a movie i will put on my iPad and watch on the plane!!! Dredd is my Favorite movie of 2012 and there were a lot of great movies, but this one made me want more!! i am thinking about reading the Comics too now! Have a Great day, and i hope this Review helped you buy this KICK ASS movie, that is one of the best Comic book adaptations to date! :)




| Contributor | Domhall Gleeson, Karl Urban, Lena Headey, Olivia Thirlby, Pete Travis, Santi Scinelli |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 9,895 Reviews |
| Format | 3D, AC-3, Closed-captioned, DTS Surround Sound, Digital copy, Subtitled, Ultraviolet, Widescreen |
| Genre | Action |
| Initial release date | 2012-09-21 |
| Language | English |
F**T
Great Movie, Pure Dredd
For starters, I am a huge JD fan, which made me excited and also worried about this second attempt at bringing him and his world to the big screen. Dredd stands as a stark example of how clear storytelling and a simple plot can make an extraordinary film. The laughable Stallone film tried to shoe horn in too many concepts from the 30+ year history of the character. Dredd, on the other hand, focused purely on the meat of the character, giving only small glimpses of the sprawling universe he inhabits. Judge Dredd may seem hollow and robotic to new comers, but this is exactly why his character is so beloved. The film makers do a great service to the character, and Karl Urban's performance helps to solidify this. I can only smile when reading irate reviews hammering the lack of character development and robotic acting. The reviewers obviously don't understand. There is a reason why JD never takes his helmet off. He is meant to be faceless. He is the one solid and reliable rock in the sea of crazy that is the far future. The one drawback is that this film is very violent, and if you aren't prepared for it you will be turned off fairly quickly. It also makes great use of slow motion to capture and juxtapose the action from different viewpoints. This gives the action scenes a strange pace, but I felt it to be perfectly suited to the plot. It only felt overdone during a couple of sequences. Speaking of plot, this film has taken some knocks because of a thin plot. I find this funny considering how paper thin most movie plots are when compared to novels and comics. The Hobbit is a movie about a long journey, and is great because of what happens along the way and what obstacles they have to overcome. This movie is essentially a day in the life of Judge Dredd, and is about his journey to stop and apprehend a gang leader. It is great because of what happens along the way and what obstacles he must overcome. A simple, clearly stated plot with great story telling wrapped around it is what you will find in this film if you give it a chance. I did, even with my fear of past failures, and I loved it. I don't like the Ultraviolet service, but this disc also has an iTunes compatible download. If there is a drawback, then it is that all of these are crammed onto a single disc instead of giving us a separate disc for the Blu Ray and the digital download. Also, having no DVD version available in the set was a bit of a downer since I like to loan mine out to friends to get them hooked. The digital download worked fine for me, though, and the BR ran perfectly in my 1st generation PS3.
I**C
One of my Favorite movies of 2012
Number one, i do not enjoy seeing movies in 3D in the theaters, because A) i wear glasses and 3D glasses dont fit well over them. so the whole movie i am uncomfortable fiddling with them. and B) the 3D glasses make the screen darker, and you lose detail. and i don't see that big of a difference. But Dredd was one of the only 3D movies that i completely enjoyed, and feel like i got my money worth, the 3D was awesome, and i feel like this is one of the only movies that you should have seen in 3D over the 2D version. I have never read the Judge Dredd comics, but i knew who he was, and the Stallone version ruined my interest in Dredd, so when i saw this faithful remake was coming out i was excited that Dredd would get a pretty cool kick ass adaptation. Karl Urban does a great job on Dredd, and he keeps the Helmet ON, he isn't like the Vain Stallone who had to show his face the whole movie, Dredd never takes his helmet off. this movie stays true to that. This movie is AMAZING, and a movie i feel that i can watch over and over again, the action is plentiful, the story moves along well, the characters are great, the Slo-MO is the big highlight of the movie, and the Score is really good. if you have the choice to buy one movie this month this would be the movie to get. GET DREDD!! i am disappointed that Dredd did not perform well in theaters, but that is because America does not really know the Judge Dredd comic's, so they ignored it. but you don't need to be a comic fan to enjoy this Great movie, that i feel is very faithful to the source material. i really do hope that they make a sequel to Dredd, the movie ends and you want MORE. hopefully Dredd will gain a Cult following in Bluray sales and they will decide to go ahead with another. So DO NOT Pirate this movie, Dredd deserves every penny, so buy this Bluray, it is awesome, and the Bluray has the standard and 3D versions on the same disc. and it comes with a digital copy too, i travel a lot every weekend, and this is a movie i will put on my iPad and watch on the plane!!! Dredd is my Favorite movie of 2012 and there were a lot of great movies, but this one made me want more!! i am thinking about reading the Comics too now! Have a Great day, and i hope this Review helped you buy this KICK ASS movie, that is one of the best Comic book adaptations to date! :)
R**X
Brilliant film and adaptation of the "2000 A.D." (aka Judge Dredd) comics.
The world of MegaCity started in a comic book series called "2000 A.D." in 1979 as a black & white ink outline style. It was a British/Spanish artist's idea to create a new sci-fi comic off the heels of '77's Star Wars craze, because Sci-Fi was not selling well in the comic market. The fan-favorite character in the comic was "Judge Dredd," labeled as the "Judge, Jury, and Executioner" in what the Brits (emphasis on Brits) felt as a "right-wing" Fascist Police State mentality at the time. (Fascism is more of a Left-wing thing, actually...Big Government telling you what to do and how to act, etc) But anyway, some of the uniform and symbols of the Judges and Command Central were big Eagles, which have been symbols of European Fascism thru-out the centuries (Roman, Nazis, and to an extension America.) The stories in 2000 A.D. and Judge Dredd have generally been more about everyday life in MegaCity and the surrounding Cursed Earth areas, rather than just on Judge Dredd, so the stories are pretty much endless. Dredd is just there to clean up the mess. Which leads us to the story portrayed in this 2012 Dredd rebbot film. In Dredd 3D, we have a MegaBlock (a 200-story cubical shaped towering mass of concrete with a open central core for sunlight and ventilation purposes surrounded by businesses and slummy apartments) called 'Peachtrees,' that is being run by the Ma.Ma Clan. A drug clan ran by Lena Heady's character whose drug of choice is Slo-Mo (a drug that slows your brain's perception of time down to 1% of real time.) Their rule is ruthless and involves some very graphic actions of murdering poor folks that get in their way. Well, in a Crime Call to the Judges that involves the murder of 3 Judges in Peachtrees, sends Dredd and his new female Rookie Judge into this MegaBlock to investigate. Well, to make a long story short. The Ma.Ma Clan lock-down the MegaBlock, trapping Dredd and his partner inside, with a bounty on their head. So the rest of the film involves them trying to get out and killing as any bad guys as they need to. Think Die Hard with an all-purpose hi-tech 9mm auto-pistol. But what makes this Dredd so superior to Stallone's '95 outing, is that it adheres to the dark and gritty atmosphere of the comics, along with a bright, but gloomy (and grainy) comic book color palette, akin to the Ray Stevenson "Punisher: Warzone" film. This film actually looks like you're watching a live-action motion comic. And quite frankly, it works brilliantly. The slow-mo parts (4000 fps) also emphasize this comic book feel. Unlike the '95 film, this one absolutely deserves a follow-up....telling an all-new story, as this story wraps up with the death of the villian. I'd love to see them go into the Cursed Earth Saga. That'd be cool as hell. Maybe not in the next film, but perhaps in a 3rd if this iteration goes that far.
N**I
Great movie, bad digital redemption. Tutorial on how to do so!
I should start off with that this movie is a great underrated gem that I really wanted to see again. Compared to the Stallone film you might have seen, it's a much more serious and action-packed take on the character that I really enjoyed. Not 100% faithful to the comics but a lot closer and I had a great time revisiting. The 4k print is also a really high quality version to see it in. You have a good chance of having missed this one, it really got slept on, so please check it out if it seems interesting. The digital redeem function of this product *sucked* and I wanted to provide a tutorial for anyone else struggling. Note this only applies if you want your movie on Fandago like I did, if you use Apple Movies I can't help you. You need to make an account for Fandago At Home (formerly Vudu) which is pretty standard, they're the defacto "Own your movies" that movie redemption places use. But you also need an account with a place called Movies Anywhere for some reason? And then go into your account settings in Vudu and link those two accounts. Then you can follow the instructions on the little slip included in your case on how to redeem it. If you try that before linking these two, it will take you to the page to do so but it seems not to work right and will fail, so you need to link them first before it will redeem properly Very great movie that I was very dissatisfied with the digital redemption step of.
M**N
A "must have", gritty graphic novel adaptation
I'll make this short, as others have gone into excellent, in-depth reviews. I'll start by saying that this film is rated R, for a reason. I've seen negative reviews, because of the violence. It is essentially about "urban warfare" in a future, dystopian setting, so anyone expecting a sugar-coated outing, should look elsewhere. Put simply, even if you know nothing about the graphic novel, this is a great film. Think of it like a thrill park ride, where you just strap in, and "hang on", while winding your way through a cleverly built mix of story and action. There is none of the over-the-top acting of the Stalone version. The acting is spot-on, with Urban and Thirlby playing their roles to a tee, with totally believable characters. If you enjoy this genre at all, and have not seen this film, then I cannot imagine being disappointed with it, because it is just so well done. It also lends it self to rewatching. Some oddball comments.... It's still a great movie, if seen on a "regular" TV, but it deserves a solid LFE (and surround) environment. There is a driving (low freq) background "beat" that underpins the many "tense" scenes in the film, and also, the LFE comes into play in a big way in several action scenes. This is a film whose sound was well crafted, such that you "feel" the tension and action, as much as you see it. This is a special blu-ray offering in that you get the 3D and non-3D version on the same disk, and this is not a post-production 3D conversion. This was shot in 3D, with none of the gimmickry. The 3D just enhances the outing even more, by simply enhancing the visual feel of the experience. And lastly, as I write this, Amazon has this on sale for the ridiculously low price of $6. Buy it! It is a "can't lose" purchase.
M**.
Great movie, can't wait to watch again
I loved the Stallone Judge Dredd movie as a kid. It was my only exposure to the character before this movie, Dredd. I heard good things about this movie, and bought it to check it out. I missed the futuristic flying cars, and robots, and mutants of Stallone's movie because I love that type of stuff, and Stallone's uniform almost perfectly matched the comics, but this movie was so much better, as far as plot and characters. Production design and cityscapes felt like we could live in this world in my lifetime, and I found that to be really scary, and it made me nervous the whole movie (in a good way). After watching the extras on the Blu Ray, I feel like they made a very faithful adaptation of the character, and stayed true to who he is. Karl Urban is one of my favorite actors, and he did a fantastic job at being a badass. Lena was great as Ma-Ma. I don't think there was a poor performance by anyone in this movie. It was VERY gory (really earned that R rating), and had some innovative kills, if you like that sort of thing. Slow motion shots were impressive, and I'd love to see it on a 3D tv. One of the highest compliments I could pay is to the CGI, as I often could not tell that some of the city or the main building, Peach Trees, was computer animated (only realized it after watching featurettes, and I always look for CGI during a movie). These filmakers should be very, very proud of what they did with the limited budget they had. I would definetely recommend it to action movie fans, and would see the sequel in theaters, if they get to make one. It wasn't just a shoot 'em up, as the Judges had to use their wits and skills to make it out alive, not just their guns (which when used, were awesome). The mini-gun scene was so visceral and real, it was fantastic. Botton line - I bought it at full price without seeing it before purchase, and I'm glad I did. No regrets. I actively regret not seeing it in theaters in 3D. I hope there is a sequel with a higher budget.
A**T
The verdict is guilty. The sentence is death.
Oh, how I wish I'd seen this in theaters when I had the chance. Let's be clear, I've not read a single page of 2000 AD. Nor have I read any of the numerous American attempts (DC, IDW) to bring the Judge over seas to our shores. So I'm really going into this blind. I never saw the original Judge Dredd either, though apparently this was for the best. I've always been drawn to the character of Judge Dredd. Visually, he's just fascinating. Well, it turns out the dark, dystopian city he and the other judges inhabit is equally fascinating. The movie, which has been compared to The Raid (which I've never seen), stars Judge Dredd as he takes a rookie Judge Anderson, who is a mutant gifted with psychic abilities, on her final test before she becomes officially a Judge. The two get called out to a mega block tower, a slum that is ruled by the drug lord Ma-Ma. Dredd and Anderson, hoping to respond to their initial call while also shutting down a source of Slow-Mo, the drug Ma-Ma pushes, only to find that they are sealed inside the mega block. Now, following orders from Ma-Ma to kill the judges on sight, the pair have to find a way out while also shutting down Ma-Ma for good. The movie, much like the comic that inspired it, covers a lot of surprisingly complex ground in terms of subject matter, from matters of martial law and police brutality to the simple empathy that Anderson brings with her, this movie covers some interesting ground. It helps that in addition to its heavy subject matter, the movie is serviced with some intense action and some fantastic special effects, especially when you consider how little a budget this movie had when you compare it to the action-comic blockbusters produced today. In short, Dredd is an amazing movie. If you haven't seen this yet, I definitely recommend you do.
M**D
Insultingly underloved.
I have to be honest here. I liked the Stallone film, Judge Dredd. It has not much value as a good film, but it sure as hell is entertaining, and sort of a guilty pleasure. Dredd, though, is not a guilty pleasure. It's a pleasure you should be proud of. It's a shame this movie didn't do well in theaters, and that will surely not help Hollywood make more R-rated comic book movies, which is terrible. It just so happen that R-rated movies are not profitable, and it's because the general public has a bad concept of them due to lack of information. Remember this: because this movie failed, we're more likely to see another PG-13 Punisher and the same for Deadpool, if it ever gets greenlit. Anyway, onto the movie. If you've seen the previous adaptation or read the comics, you'll know the basic gist. Otherwise: it's the future and crime is rampant. The justice system has been compressed, and streets are watched by special agents who are there to fulfill the role of police, judge, jury and executioner. These agents are called "Judges". Judge Dredd is one of the best, and one of the most feared by the criminals. Judges ride in motorbikes and use a special gun, which is able to dispense several forms of firepower. That's the one thing this movie has in common with the previous one, otherwise, it's an entirely different plot: there's a new drug being popular on the streets, called "Slo-Mo", which makes people temporarily sense the world at a really slow speed. The creator of this drug, a prostitute-turned-drug-lord named Ma-Ma inadvertedly drags Judge Dredd into her turf, and now she'll do anything to get rid of him. Dredd, though, not only is a formidable opponent, but also carries a wild card: rookie female Judge Anderson, who's being tested by him in order to keep her job, due to her terribly low skills, except for one: powerful psychic abilities. Now, I'm not going to compare this film to the other one, but there are a couple of things to mention. One, this film is slightly more rooted in reality. Second, while the first one changes location all the time, this one is almost completely set inside Ma-Ma's building (Die Hard style). A third, interesting feature is that while Karl Urban has nowhere nearly such an imposing figure as Stallone does, it actually works well for this film. Going back to the Die Hard comparison, it makes Dredd a more relatable character. Dredd should not be a character we like, but he's so well written and portrayed that you can't help but do it. He's not a superpowered individual, or a wealthy man, or even a chosen one with a hidden ability. He's just a regular trained policeman with a powerful belief in the law. And, when put in charge of the situation, he becomes an unrelenting badass. Judge Anderson is an interesting character, who shows some great character progression, and it's not just "the girl", like Judge Hayden was in Stallone's film. She's here to be a character, not to become an object of desire. Ma-Ma, on the other hand, is quite a terrifying villain. You can easily believe she's able to handle all the power at her hand, and understand why everyone is so afraid of her. Both actresses do a terrific job in their roles. The film itself is visually beautiful, particularly in the slow-motion scenes (which, unlike in other films, actually make sense here), though quite gory, so if that somehow displeases you, be warned. The settings are well done, though limiting the setting to the inside of a building doesn't do much to show the futuristic looks of the world. That, though, is not important for this particular story. All in all, this is a great film, one that shouldn't be missed by anyone who enjoys a good comic book story with lots of spectacular action. Unless you're looking for romance, there's probably something for you here, so go get it. Purchase this movie on DVD or Blu Ray, so it makes enough money to warrant a sequel. Because, trust me, you want one.
P**N
Goede film
Goedkoop voor 4k en blu ray
B**T
Buy this disc
Awesome flick and a great 4K transfer! Region unlocked, so it plays on any 4K player worldwide to boot!
I**Z
Buena edición
Gran película es muy buena, vale mucho la pena y en buena oferta, aclaro la película cuenta con material extra y doblaje y subtitulos al español.
B**E
Gran película, sin pretensiones que vale la pena en 3D
Tras la fallida juez Dredd de Stallones, esta versión es muy más fiel al original. Por lo que al igual que el material original (el comic) este Dredd es una mamarrachada muy divertida, gamberra y sangrienta. La peli ni engaña ni intenta engañar a nadie. El guión es sencillo, pero muy entretenido. Tiene su punto de originalidad en el sentido de la fortaleza inexpugnable que quedan encerrados los protagonistas, y aunque algunos la asemejan a The Raid, en realidad el guión de Dredd hacía 3 años que estaba escrito cuando salió The raid, y no fue si no por culpa de los tiempos de Pre-producción que saliera Dredd antes, por lo que no podemos decir quien copió a quien o si fue producto de la casualidad. El 3D es extremadamente bueno, uno de los mejores 3D que puedas ver. De hecho el director a sabiendas de ello, pensó cada una de las escenas para potenciarlo y sacar el máximo provecho, en especial en las escenas a camara lenta. La peli suele estar por menos de 10€ (a mi me costó 8) por lo que a ese precio es una muy muy buena opción de compra para pasar una tarde muy buena.
S**Y
It passed the Bechdel test?!? Wow!
I WANT THIS BLU-RAY SO MUCH!!!! Sorry to sound like such a fan boy, but I saw this film 8 times in the cinema, including one very special preview screening where I got to meet Karl Urban, and the original creators of Judge Dredd, Wagner and Ezquerra. I have now bought a 3D TV in readiness for the delivery of this Blu-Ray. Ok, let's put the fan-boy excitement aside for a moment. What has this film got to offer those not familiar with the character of Judge Dredd? The plot of the film is straightforward - set in a future run by a paramilitary police force, two members, a hardened street Judge and a rookie, become trapped in a massive housing block by a ruthless drug lord. They have to use all their wits, training, and luck to survive the day. This simple premise allows for a fantastic character study. Karl Urban plays Judge Dredd, a ruthless, relentless dispenser of justice. The counterbalance to his no-nonsense, kill 'em all demeanour is Judge Anderson. She has failed her academy test, but due to certain abilities useful to the judiciary, she is given a second chance, and placed with Dredd to sit her final test. You see her start green around the gills, and gradually becomes battle hardened throughout the film. She also chips away at Dredd's stony visage, and even though the subsequent shift in his focus is glacial, it's there. It's a good balance, and where the film really succeeds. Also, for any feminists out there, this film passes the Bechdel Test (google it). The simple premise also allows for a fantastic 18 certificate film, harking back to the good old days of Robocop, Total Recall, and Starship Troopers, where excellent storytelling was wrapped up in some seriously bloody visuals. While not neccesarily as OTT as those films, there's no denying Dredd is a violent film. However, in these days of 15 certificate nonsense, where filmakers are desperate to get their output watched by as many as possible, thus diluting any really adult content, it's great to see a return to form - those daring enough to go for a strictly 18+, grown up audience. And it works! The violence is combined with artistry, satire and a very black humour. The 3D element, while it may not be for everyone, is used very well. Certain slow motion sequences, while tied to a very bloody story, are beautiful to watch, and the filmakers have thought very hard about the use of this medium. Does it push the boundaries? Possibly not, but there's no denying a talent for making the most of depth, and finding beauty in the mundane. Definite plus points from me, an advocate of 3D as a veritable visual feast. Dredd 3D was very satisfying in this regard. The film soundtrack is absolutely superb too, a twisted industrial soundscape of beating rhythms and tortured chords. I have had a lot of fun reliving the film purely by listening to such an evocative score. Combined with the sound effects - crunching glass, stomping boots, explosions, gunfire etc etc etc, fans of good audio in cinema will not be disappointed. Dredd's visual feast is accentuated by the aural. Ok, sorry, I have to turn the fan-boy bit back on now: OH MY GOD, KARL URBAN TOTALLY NAILS DREDD!!! Never taking the helmet off (as any 2000AD fan knows, that's how it should be) Urban acts with his body posture and what you can see of his mouth and chin. Such expression, even if it is mostly an angry snarl, contempt, or Dirty Harry style sneers. His voice is gravelly yet authoritarian, and you don't doubt this man is totally in control of his environment. This is Judge Dredd! To summarise, this is a great film for anyone who enjoyed the 80's sci-fi flicks of yesteryear, or pretty much anything by John Carpenter. It's also great for anyone who loves strong female lead characters. If you like your action futuristic, bloody and (dare I say it) intelligent, this is the film for you. And finally, if you have ever read 2000AD or any Judge Dredd comic strip BUY THIS BLU-RAY IMMEDIATELY!!!
Trustpilot
3 weeks ago
4 days ago