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Originally written For F*** Magazine, Singapore
Movie
Review 18/9/12
DREDD
2012
Starring:
Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey
Directed
by: Pete Travis
2012 has been quite the year for
marquee-name superheroes: Batman, Spider-Man, the Avengers…they’ve all made
quite the splash. Now, along comes the underdog: Judge Dredd, not from big guns
DC or Marvel, but British sci-fi comics imprint 2000 AD. Judge Joseph Dredd has
made it to the big screen once before in 1995’s Judge Dredd – though that left quite the bitter taste in the mouths
of many a 2000 AD devotee. Now, everyone’s favourite helmeted future lawman
hops back astride his lawmaster motorbike and into cinemas.
Our story takes place in Mega-City
One, a sprawling, chaotic hellhole of a megapolis on the east coast of what was
once North America. The only thing keeping the peace? The Judges of the Hall of
Justice, specially trained and equipped men and women who form an ultra-police
force of sorts. Joseph Dredd (Urban) is one such Judge, and today he’s tasked
with assessing newbie Judge Cassandra Anderson (Thirlby) by taking her out for
her first day in the field. She may not look like she has what it takes, but
Anderson is a powerful psychic empath, her skills a valuable asset to the
Judges. Dredd and Anderson go to investigate a triple homicide in the
mega-apartment complex Peach Trees, arresting clansman Kay (Wood Harris) - only
to find themselves trapped in the locked-down building by the ruthless drug
lord Ma-Ma (Headey), Ma-Ma bent on ensuring the Judges have no chance to take
Kay to interrogation. It’s 200 storeys of hell for Dredd and Anderson – and
judgement day for the scores of Ma-Ma’s henchmen out for their blood.
