Dredd

Best known as the centerpiece of the British Comic Book 2000 A.D., the Ultra-Lawman Judge Dredd already saw cinematic life in the same-titled 1995 critical dud. Now, seventeen years after Sylvester Stallone became the law, Karl Urban is the new face of Justice in Dredd.

In yet another post-apocalyptic future, much of humanity is crammed into gigantic Mega Cities. Since law and order is slim, the Police (called Street Judges) now have the power of Judge, Jury and Executioner. In Mega City One, the best known of these Judges is, of course, Dredd.

One day, Dredd gets assigned to evaluate a prospective new Judge, the Psychic Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby). For their first assignment, the duo investigate a triple homicide in the gigantic Slum Tower called Peach Trees. On the top floor, there's Ma-Ma (Lena Heady), who manufactures the aptly named narcotic “Slo-Mo.” Realizing the law's after her, Ma-Ma locks down the tower and sends her flunkies after the heroes. And so, to get out, Dredd and Anderson have to go up to face Ma-Ma.

This Dredd is guilty of being perfectly visual. While it is incredibly gory, much of it is done incredibly artistically. Best of all is the 3D Slo-Mo effects, which are wonderfully colorful and surreal. Its sprawling cityscape, filmed mainly in Cape Town, is an amazing blend of production design and cinematography. These visual wonders make the most of its $45 million budget, half the cost of Stallone's version.

Amidst the carnage, there's Judge Dredd himself, who gets the film's best laughs while remaining perfectly serious. By the end of the film, even the act of threatening Dredd is funny because it's doomed to fail. Just how it fails is only the punchline. Even though he never removes his face-concealing helmet, Urban makes Dredd into the perfect, reasonable lawman of any time.

Made for 3D screens, Dredd also looks wonderful on flatscreens. Story-wise, it's perfectly accessible for those not familiar with the comic book. If you can withstand the ultra-violence, then this film will certainly make the most of your day.