sreekirch's Movie Review of Dredd (2012)

Another video game feel film
sreekirch - wrote on 06/16/13

Directed by Pete Travis

Starring Karl Urban, Lena Headey and Olivia Thirlby

2/4

A futuristic world is filled with chaos. Here comes Pete Travis who brings in the lawmaker and his man the Dredd (Karl Urban) The Judges decide what is to be done to control the chaos in the city. To the trouble there is a narcotic leader called as Ma-Ma (played by Lena Headey). She orders chaos and bring the judges down. But Dredd is there for the judgement day. A new rookie called Anderson (Olivia Thirlby) helps Dredd go through levels to reach Ma-Ma. A fascinating question in my mind is whether Dredd is a futuristic video game where characters go level by level. Well the narcotic action called the slo-mo does some neat job. I even enjoyed the slow motion shoot outs in the film. But somewhere, I could not give this film a big score.

Plot development is all in all level by level. From level 1 , the characters (i.e judges) will have to reach level 200 to take down the Ma-Ma. The writing was fast. Thank God, It never got me bored. I was right through the action every time. The giant trapezo rattling gun shots, the fire cracker thrower or the slow-mo take downs , the action in the film hits the bulls eye. The plot was not a fact at all.

Character development in the film needed some answers. I could not get Dredd’s role and nor I get insight into his past. Anderson has some slo-mo feelings at various points in the film. She has the sight of finding things that has happened. What is the reason? No negotiations here. Lena Headey is proven bad with lot of facial tattoos and blood stains.

Performances in the film is quite normal. Neither impressed me. For example, Dredd is wearing a mask throughout the film. Where is the point to see the emotions or the action vigor in his face. Why the hell Karl Urban for this film? Any side kick would have been suitable. No face , hence no interest. Olivia Thirlby or Lena Headey, they just do what to say. Pete Travis has put action at a racy pace. Interesting plot or a well selected cast with some credible character development would have made Dredd a low budget wonder. Instead it succumbs to mediocrity.

Futuristic Sci-fi , gory, over the top violence, executed with substandard plot and lack of a strong lead cast. Dredd is just another video-game feel film.