Judge Dredd Returns to the Big Screen

[Andy Chalk]

Judge Dredd Returns to the Big Screen

​

Karl Urban is bringing law to the lawless.

First things first: The 1995 Judge Dredd [http://www.amazon.com/Judge-Limited-Edition-Steelbook-Blu-ray/dp/B004WQ59DG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1340306127&sr=8-4&keywords=Judge+Dredd] flick starring Sylvester Stallone was terrible. I'm a very casual Dredd
fan at best, and even I came away from it with a distinct feeling of "ugh." It just wasn't good.

Will Karl Urban fare any better than Sly when he puts on the big boots in the new film, entitled simply Dredd? No idea; he's a better actor that Stallone, but so am I, so that's not really saying too much, and anyway what it really comes down to is the interpretation of the character by the writers and the director. Is it Judge Dredd, or is it CGI action-hero Dredd?

I can't say that the debut trailer completely nails it for me, but it does look stylishly promising. Urban's got the look and the voice, and there's a certain understatement to it, amidst all the gunfire and explosions, that really appeals to me. I'm not calling it yet, but I think a certain amount of cautious optimism isn't unreasonable.

Dredd [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1343727/] is currently slated to hit screens in September.


Permalink

 

[Zhukov]

The trailer had me vaguely interested until Mr Dredd showed up. Then it went into cliche overdrive.

Okay, okay, it's probably intentional (at least I bloody well hope so), but how can I get excited about a movie where someone says "It's time to end this" with a straight face?

Is the Judge Dredd brand really weighty enough to make a goofy action movie sell any more than its competitors?

 

[Makhiel]

I don't know, I think Sly's got a better chin. Other than that it doesn't look bad.

 

[Torrasque]

No hoverbikes? Awww... I am moderately disappointed with the lack of hoverbikes, but Karl Urban is quite the badass. He was the only redeeming feature of the Doom movie, and nailed Eomer, so I have high hopes for him being a good Dredd.

This trailer doesn't give me a massive movie boner, but I'd go see it as an afternoon matinee if nothing else was showing.

Captcha:
sun tzu says

Now I want to play TF2 =|

Edit: Karl Urban was also awesome in Chronicles of Riddick. It will be difficult to think of him as Dredd when he sounds like Lord Vako.

 

[mad825]

Ugh, this is going to dark,brooding and gritty. A dark knight clone.

Still, it isn't create good things like this.

 

[Soupy George]

If they intend recreating the 2000AD Dredd there needs to be some weird future-tech (for example: Otto Sump's Ugly Clinic or the Smokatorium), some social satire (see previous) and please God some *humour*. Frankly this trailer didn't exhibit any of those three.

 

[Torrasque]

Ugh, this is going to dark,brooding and gritty. A dark knight clone.

Still, it isn't create good things like this.

Anyone who says they didn't enjoy how everyone pronounced "LAW!" in Judge Dredd, is lying.

 

[mindlesspuppet]

Will Karl Urban fare any better than Sly when he puts on the big boots in the new film, entitled simply Dredd? No idea; he's a better actor that Stallone, but so am I, so that's not really saying too much, and anyway what it really comes down to is the interpretation of the character by the writers and the director. Is it Judge Dredd, or is it CGI action-hero Dredd?

You're a better actor than a guy who was nominated for an academy award and often considered to have one of the best on-screen performances of all time? What the hell are you writing for the Escapist for then?

 

[algalon]

This looks like a made-for-SyFy movie, albeit a SyFy movie with a decent budget, but just as terrible nonetheless. I half-expected to see Asylum Studios at the beginning. As bad as the original Dredd movie was, Sly at least had the build and the chin for the part. If the whole movie had been him, as the judge, rather than "Stallone in a desert wasteland, Stallone crawling through vents, Stallone fighting his brother" it might have actually been good.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

No hoverbikes? Awww... I am moderately disappointed with the lack of hoverbikes, but Karl Urban is quite the badass. He was the only redeeming feature of the Doom movie, and nailed Eomer, so I have high hopes for him being a good Dredd.

This trailer doesn't give me a massive movie boner, but I'd go see it as an afternoon matinee if nothing else was showing.

Captcha:
sun tzu says

Now I want to play TF2 =|

Edit: Karl Urban was also awesome in Chronicles of Riddick. It will be difficult to think of him as Dredd when he sounds like Lord Vako.

very true on all this^ loved him in both those movies (his individual portrayal in doom.)

OT: well considering i love cheesy action movies..this is right down my alley, granted the trailer doesn't look AMAZING, but i enjoyed the first one enough to finish it, so if it's better than that, i'm sure i'll enjoy it.

 

[Tanis]

This looks like a Western version of 'The Raid', cept with less kickass fight scenes and more gun play.

Also:
Blond hair chick becomes captured/killed at some point thus forcing Dredd into 'overdrive'.
-Calling it!

 

[Don Savik]

I've never seen the original, and I have never heard of the comics, and I love campy shlock.......

So as bad as this may look to some, I think I could find it entertaining to say the least. Maybe a rental. Also same with Total Recall, never saw the original, but the new one looks a lot better than this Judge Dread 2012. I'm actually looking forward to that one.

*raises flame shield*

Sorry if I haven't enjoyed enough crappy 80s action flicks to warrant hating these remakes.

And even with all this dark and brooding that you think it has, the movie looks EXTREMELY cheesy. It couldn't rip off Batman with those costumes and acting if it tried. By trying to take itself seriously its doing the exact opposite....and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Sixcess]

I liked the Stallone movie. It wasn't perfect but it was fast, fun and visually striking. I even liked Stallone's performance. And it looked a lot more like Judge Dredd than this does.

So are we going back to the days when movies don't risk using source accurate costumes or visuals because it's too hard to pull off? Or not 'grown up' enough? Or just too expensive?

Because by god grud this movie looks cheap.

 

[Preacher zer0]

Great post!

Yes, cautious optimism is the emotion I'm feeling.

I was actually pleasantly surprised with the trailer today after months of having nothing but dodgy screens showing blurry nothing and terrible angles on the helmet shots for the tiny handful of promo stuff.

But yes, yes indeed I think I like Urban's take on Dredd, very matter-of-fact, very calm and blunt amid the chaos and carnage.

Everything is exploding, 20 angry junkies are shooting at you, the entire city is turning into junkies and Joe Dredd doesn't even blink, it's just another day on the beat in the Big Meg.

This bit: "You know how often we get a Judge up in Peace Trees?"
"Well ya got one now..."
That line from Urban was so typical Joe Dredd to me, it was perfect.

This screened at Cannes and reports were very positive, does that mean anything?
I don't know... I suspect Dredd fans will be divided but the majority will approve it over (waaaay over) the Stallone version, critics will actually be positive and the general public will be "it was okay".

There's no comparison to the Stallone Dredd imo, that was ott camp.
It tried too hard and ended up being actually quite camp.
It had everything, Rico, Mean Machine, a world shattering conspiracy, flying lawmasters!

It was like a superhero movie.

This movie does, as Andy says, have an understated quality to it that feels right for Dredd.
I like the tone, it reminds me of old black and white Dredd tales drawn by Bolland, very grimy, gritty and lean.

I feel this is Dredd from those early days of Wagner and Mills, stories about a future cop... doing his job.

I think the film will show us Dredd as the iconic symbol he is, this is why it's set during Anderson's rookie days, we'll see Dredd as she does, we'll be the silent "other rookie" along for the ride.

Yes for sure, cautious but optimistic... Heck, I even thought the helmet looked pretty good in that trailer.

 

[Baresark]

This looks interesting. As long as it's on the proper scale this could be good. I also personally like Karl Urban. He is a bit underplayed I think. But that could have to do with roles he has chosen to take over the years.

Ugh, this is going to dark,brooding and gritty. A dark knight clone.

Still, it isn't create good things like this.


It should be dark, gritty and brooding. The world they live in is like hell. And their isn't a clear line between good guy/bad guy when it comes to the Judges.

 

[Kenjitsuka]

If the drug makes you perceive time moving at 1% normal speed, wouldn't that make for SUPERB bullet time when aiming for Dredd's facehole? :O

 

[Hoplon]

If the drug makes you perceive time moving at 1% normal speed, wouldn't that make for SUPERB bullet time when aiming for Dredd's facehole? :O

Perception isn't reality.

the trailer gets a big HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.