Dredd
Dredd (2012)
"Negotiation's over. Sentance is death."
Sometimes, the simplest story is the best story. This is not a film with a high concept idea or a branching plot with many twists or even one with a larger-than-life comic book MacGuffin. It's just the pair of heroes trying to survive the night in a completely hostile environment. In that respect, it's much like a horror movie or a thriller, rather than a comic book action film. There's no mystery to uncover, we know Ma-Ma is behind all of this, and we know why she wants Dredd and Anderson dead. We know everything relevant to the plot within the first 20 to 30 minutes, and we're able to coast the rest of the way and just enjoy the ride. I found this pretty refreshing as comic book movies often go overboard in the story area to appeal to non-comic book fans, and, more often than not, the attempt falls flat. However, while simplicity is good in many respects, it can also be fairly predictable, and that's the case here. Once things get going, it's pretty obvious where they're headed, so there aren't many surprises to be found. This isn't a criticism perse, more like a disclosure for those who may enjoy a more unpredictable type of movie.
From a directorial standpoint, I like what Travis does overall. As mentioned above, he lets the audience in on most of the relevant information they need within the first 20 minutes and supplements any additional exposition through quick flashbacks or conversations between characters. The movie is also paced very well, and it's a very lean 95 minutes, which is a refreshing change. While the character of Judge Dredd has been around since the 80s, and his world is quite expansive, Travis doesn't distract by unnecessary detours into world-building. I'm sure the filmmakers hoped a sequel would be picked up; they didn't waste time preparing the audience for one. There's not much else to say story-wise. It's good. Nuff said.
Acting/Characters:
I gotta give Karl Urban credit for his portrayal of Dredd in this film. A lot of acting is done with the face, which is difficult enough as it is, but when half of your face is covered up throughout the entire shoot, it's even harder. This is, even more, the case when dealing with a character as terse as Judge Dredd and when he does talk, it's usually in a growling tone, regardless of his mood. So, in effect, Urban had to portray a character using nothing but a growling voice and various scowls. It really is a great performance and helps wash out the bad taste from the Stallone movie.
Is there another actor in Hollywood that can make an audience hate them as well as Lena Heady? I don't think so. Ma-Ma is just a despicable character, which makes her a great villain. Another actor may have been tempted to ham it up a bit or go over the top with the character, but Heady is a cool cucumber. There's an air of arrogance and malice in her line delivery that just encourages the audience to loathe her. It really is terrific. Top marks for Heady.
The rest of the cast is solid with great turns from Wood Harris as Ma-Ma's skeevy lieutenant, Kay, who is constantly trying to find a way to escape custody. Thirlby also does a good job as Cadet Anderson. While on first viewing, I thought her performance was kind of wooden, but on repeat viewing, I think her somewhat detached portrayal is appropriate for a person who can literally hear people's thoughts. Finally, Domhnall Gleeson does a great job as Ma-Ma's perpetually terrified clan techie.
Visual/Special Effects:
This movie really shines in the visuals department. It's really a lesson on how to do CGI right in that it's used sparingly and only when the shot can't be achieved in-camera. In particular, the point of view shots for individuals under the influence of Slo-Mo is often horrifying but, at the same time, gorgeous to look at. Of course, being an R-Rated action movie, there's plenty of blood, and wound effects to be found (often in conjunction with the Slo-Mo effects) and these are also done very well. For a film that had such a low budget (comparatively speaking), it looked fantastic. Hats off to the filmmakers.
Score/Soundtrack:
Paul-Leonard Morgan composed the score for the film, and it wasn't terribly memorable. Literally, I can't remember so much a note of the film's score. Most of the music I recall was from different contemporary tracks that had a "cyberpunk" feel. The film doesn't have bad music by any means; it's just not that noteworthy either.
Action:
Much like the effects, the film really shines in action. It leads things off with a tense chase through crowded streets followed by a shootout in a shopping center. There's a bit of a lull in the action following the opening, but once the characters converge on Peachtrees, the action doesn't stop until the movie's climax. The audience is treated to a plethora of gunfights, all of which are done creatively and mix things up enough to prevent them from becoming stale.
Final Verdict:
I still think this is a great movie, and it's a shame it didn't get more of the adulation it deserved. It's really just a victim of its own circumstances as 2012 was one of the best years for big releases in cinema history and that summer was particularly crowded. Still, it's one of my favorite films released that year, and it's a must-see for sci-fi or comic book fans. Or, really, just fans of great movies in general.
You've got to give Karl Urban credit for not ripping his helmet off every 10 seconds. He's covered the entire time. Much like the character in V for Vendetta. It's a very stylized movie but still interesting to watch.
ReplyDeleteI think this a great example of an actor willing to really understand the material and buying into a vision and it shows in the results. To me this is a movie that wants you to feel that the character (Dredd) NOT Urban is the main attraction. Full marks for action and direction. This is how a simple action movie can be elevated.
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