REVIEW: Dredd 3D

Dredd 3D

Directed by Pete Travis

Released 2012

Dredd 3D

·         The film notably has only Judge Dredd and Judge Anderson as characters from the comic book series. The other noted characters Ma-Ma and Kay were drug dealers made specifically for the film.

·         The setting is that of a modern metropolis on the East Coast with giant new structures for people to live in, as opposed to the forced CGI future of the previous Judge Dredd film.

·         Dredd notably doesn’t proclaim his own title as “The Law” every scene like the previous movie.

·         Anderson’s background as a mutant with psychic powers is not delved into much in the movie.

·         The film notably ends without a romance between the dual protagonists, a noted deviation from other cinema

·         The amount of blood of violence and depictions of mutilation was notably high in the movie; given the R rating it was surprising that a comic book movie would be allowed such treatment.

·         People seem notably used to violence all the time in the Dredd universe as people are dying in a mall and literally thirty minutes later it is allowed to open again despite the traumatic shootings and killings

·         The use of 3D for the narcotic scenes was well used, as 3D was used with hallucinations in a way that emphasized the surreal nature of the drugs compared to the gritty nature of the Dredd universe. The drugs also made the base colors of the movie much lighter as opposed to the gray dark scheme of the metropolis.

·         Dredd notably doesn’t take his helmet off in the film, a gripe people had with the other film. He also can run out of bullets with his gun and can be wounded.

·         The common people are notably mistrusting of Judges as much as criminals, as with the example of the Medical facility’s ward not helping Dredd out.

·         (Spoilers) Apparently no one knows the DNA rule of the Judge guns as one guy gets the consequence of trying to use a Judge gun.

·         (Spoilers) Anderson’s PSI powers are quite in flux in the film as they range from God-tier psychic memory drains to not being able to sense people who are right next to you

·         (Spoilers) Ma-Ma treats her gang like lambs to the laughter yet notably doesn’t allow Anderson to be mutilated or violated save for execution.

·         (Spoilers) The Judges seem to not be able to tell of others of their kind go bad as corrupted Judges do appear in this film.

·         (Spoilers) The execution of a gang member and Anderson’s meeting with the member’s wife seemed a bit forced to bring out drama to make Anderson question being a Judge.

·         Apparently no one tried to make an inspection of the Peach Tree living complex as Judge Dredd going there made a big deal of things

Bibliography

Dredd 3D. Dir. Pete Travis. Lionsgate, 2012. Film.