In a post nuclear world, the cyberpunk metropolis of Mega City One, and all its 800 million inhabitants, have to deal with 12 serious crimes every minute, 17,000 a day. Responding to only 6% of these crimes are the Judges.
Judge Dredd (Karl Urban, who has been carving out a very fine career for himself) is the ultimate judge, widely known and feared; he is Judge, Jury and Executioner.
Responding to a crime at a mega tower block, Peach Trees, with rookie Judge, and mutant psychic, Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby) they stubble upon Ma-Ma (Lena Headley), a violent drug lord, and her particularly sinister band of merry men.
The writing is superb, as to be expected from Alex Garland who wrote the screenplay to 28 Days Later (2002) and the novel, The Beach (1996), of which the criticality acclaimed Danny Boyle film is based.
It takes great courage to have a main character as monomaniacal as Dredd, and not be tempted to write in some uncharacteristic lines for the purpose of ticking clichéd boxes.
Director Pete Travis (Vantage Point, 2008, Endgame, 2009) has done a marvellous work with restraining the actors from becoming cheesy or over-the-top.
It almost feels like this part was made for Karl Urban, he really does some great acting with his mouth and chin, and the fact that he understands the character, and the setting, really comes through. Well, it doesn't take much to improve on Stallone.
The truly wonderful thing about this film is it's realism.
The city shots and neo-noir set design, set the characters, based on John Wagner's 1970s comic books, and vis versa; the streets are dirty and congested and the slums are full of rot and vermin.
The costume has been altered for the film for the purpose of realism, making the uniform plainer and more robust, but sticking rigidly to Dredd's reluctance to remove his helmet.
It was also wonderful to see the female judges looking exactly the same as the male judges. There were no gratuitous, unnecessary shots of bums, cleavage or muscle, as these can often detract from the story.
The plot's containment into one building helped to keep the editing smooth and professional, which allowed for all the edge-of-your-seat-action to shine.
At times it is, visually, it was quite stunning. It is a film that has used the full potential of 3D, using it to enhance the film's story rather then just an add on.
The soundtrack, composed by Paul Leonard-Morgan, is timeless; the industrial dance backing the suspense and action; and the real instruments slowed to thousands of percent to match the Slo-Mo narcotic visuals are perfect.
Classically set up and executed with style and precision, it is just a joy to watch; this is a film judged just right.
No comments:
Post a Comment