One thing that does bother me a tiny tiny bit, it seems as if the reviews - nearly all - praise the violence and say "it's like the comic book" but Judge Dredd wasn't just about the violence. I'm not sure most reviewers really 'get' what Judge Dredd was and still is about. The strip is about life in Mega-City 1. That's it. Some of it is violent, some of it is absurd, some is tragic, some is wacky but the basis of the strip is about the life in the city and how the Judges attempt to contain that life and stop it spiraling out of control. It does John Wagner's Judge Dredd character and the strip a disservice to reduce your understanding of Dredd's world to the assumption it's "just violence." I don't think Alex Garland truly gets Dredd either but I'll reserve full judgement until after I see the film.
Mild rant over.
Some of my favourite Dredd stories have been just about the oddball stuff that goes on in MC1. Like UnAmerican Graffiti which introduces Chopper or Otto Sump and his Ugly clinics, Walter and Maria etc. One story from way back that stuck with me from childhood was when a mad scientist type was living above a couple and managed to turn the husband into some weird lizard type creature. I'll be very happy is this film can capture some of the insanity of MC-1.
Well how about the just published Total Film review then?
They’re still going??!?! Drokk!
To make an SF action pic like this on less than 50m is nothing short of miraculous and for it to have turned out as well as it reportedly has should earn some respect from hacks but all I’ve seen is comparisons to The Raid and potshots at Alex Garland as reasons to not give it higher marks. I’d have to trawl back but I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of those magazines gave the Stallone flick 3/5 as well....
another from a Magazine called Little White Lies (not heard of that)
Little White Lies is a wonderful independent magazine that is released a few times a year, it's a gorgeous magazine to look through and the design set out is excellent to read. They do amazing covers most of the time.
The Time Out Review doesn't rate the story at all!
"Alex Garland’s script for this return to Mega City One is lazy and derivative:"
"Travis makes the most of limited resources: the industrial backdrops are stunning, the action scenes sizzle and the eye-of-the-addict Slo-Mo sequences are sickeningly beautiful. A shame, then, that the script consistently falls so flat."
I reviewed the leaked screenplay in August 2010. I gave it 4 out of 10. I wrote
"In terms of story originality I’d rate it 0 out of 10. Incredibly
unimaginative. Overall I’d rate it 4 out of 10."
I could post the link but it has a few spoilers. Perhaps I'll post it in a few weeks time when people have seen the film. You'll see the date of the post (done on a Google group) - 27th August 2010. It's genuine. Posted back in 2010.
Having bored you with that, it's certainly feasible to think this new Judge Dredd film will be entertaining. I guess it is. A film doesn't have to be original or radical to be good and fun. But a more imaginative/richer storyline could make it even more fun!
If Dredd 3D is a hit and a sequel follows I think it's imperative John Wagner co-writes the screenplay. Garland can add stuff but let Wagner come up with the ideas. It's his world, he knows it best.
Digital Spy's review is the most negative I've read and it does mirror my concerns about the screenplay being unoriginal and not 'Dredd world' specific enough.
"The threadbare story"
"Despite admirable intentions and assured performances, Dredd 3D suffers from a structurally flawed script that fails to engage and repetitive fight sequences that fail to excite"
This film covers about 1 percent of Judge Dredd's world. There is so much more that could be explored in a higher budget sequel but for it to work it's essential the screenwriter has some IMAGINATION. I fear Mr Garland lacks the inherent wacky and subversive imagination to give 2000AD readers and Judge Dredd fans a truly rich storyline.
I'm not surprised DS gave it 2/5, that's pretty typical of what they're like.
Really? Interesting you say that. If you don't like an ultra-tough fascist super cop laying down the law then it's doubtful this film is going to appeal to you. Perhaps Digital Spy are not 2000AD fans.
One thing has really amazed me about Dredd 3D. Some of the shots look fabulous. In an earlier post I mentioned the shot of Dredd and Anderson entering Peach Trees. I thought the block floor looked amazing, so huge. Check out this screencap of the Grand Hall of Justice:
Looks totally realistic. For a small budget film I think that looks wonderful. I didn't expect it to look that good. I'm in geeky 2000AD heaven when I look at that.
My gut feeling is I will like this film. I'll probably moan about some aspects of the plot "it's like Die Hard blah blah blah, why didn't they do this blah blah blah blah" (geeky fans such as myself are a bit too obsessive and sad) but if it captures the spirit of 2000AD's Judge Dredd it will have done its job.
As is the case with every film, it's best if you, the discerning viewer, make up your *own* mind rather than take too much notice of what other people think or write.
Digital Spy's review is the most negative I've read and it does mirror my concerns about the screenplay being unoriginal and not 'Dredd world' specific enough.
"The threadbare story"
"Despite admirable intentions and assured performances, Dredd 3D suffers from a structurally flawed script that fails to engage and repetitive fight sequences that fail to excite"
This film covers about 1 percent of Judge Dredd's world. There is so much more that could be explored in a higher budget sequel but for it to work it's essential the screenwriter has some IMAGINATION. I fear Mr Garland lacks the inherent wacky and subversive imagination to give 2000AD readers and Judge Dredd fans a truly rich storyline.
Stone_Jones and Floopy123 are same person. very nutter.
Saw Dredd this morning and can confirm that it walks, talks, rides and dispenses no mercy like a Dredd film should. It didn't feel confined to the one location (which it isn't). Nor did it have some of the monotony of The Raid.
Concerns expressed about graphic sex scenes have proved to be totally unfounded.
Any changes from the comic made in relation to the uniform really work, especially when placed in a live action scenario. There has been one change made from the comic that I don't think has been spotted before, even from those who sit upon their exalted high horse of a complete prog stack. I won't say what it is except that it should have been white.
And best of all Dredd never removes his helmet. I word that sentence carefully. :cool:
“Still yet to have a great Judge Dredd movie”. Mark Kermode 5Live (I paraphrased as my memory is like Swiss cheese).
When pushed he rated it 3.5/5 although it sounds like much if his irritation with it was down to it being 3D and too similar to The Raid. The filmmakers should add another strapline to the poster: “We thought of the ****ing idea before The Raid but....admittedly after Die Hard”.
Film24 review (Jason Solomon?) should be on at 5.45pm.
Score 5 out of 10. Far too small-scale, too generic, too small-scale action. Urban amazing as Judge Dredd, the other performances very good. But the plot? Oh boy, cliché after cliché. Not one jot of John Wagner's invention, humour, eccentricity, intelligent plotting. This is not the Judge Dredd film I've been waiting so long to see. I don't think it's better than the 1995 film although this film is a pitch perfect characterization of Judge Dredd.
There is a scene at the end that is so cliché and nonsensical, it's just AWFUL screenwriting from Garland. You'll get an idea which scene it is when you see it. Think of when James Bond meets the villain! (but done in a much crasser dumb way).
Garland has very little talent (well, in a Judge Dredd context).
I may post a more detailed review in the near future but it will need to include concealed spoilers.
If this film is a success the sequel needs a PROPER SCREENPLAY, not cliché writing. Pete Travis could deliver an incredible Judge Dredd film with the right budget and storyline. He's very talented but the story doesn't do him justice. Just ditch Garland. Awful no-talent writer. John Wagner is a writing genius, Garland isn't. Heck, he's not even a good screenwriter.
Everything follows how you expect. No surprises. Garland's screenplay is so narrow there's no room for it to move, to go off into weird unexpected places. It's screenwriting by numbers.
Another major problem - most of the action scenes are really short. Like a minute or so long. No real build-up, just a few bang bangs and that's it. Garland sets up the 'trapped in a building' scenario but the tempo kind of stays flat. Die Hard was more exciting than this. Dredd 3D is sort of exciting (ish) but it could have been a lot more thrilling. I guess the budget played a big factor in the small scale nature of the action scenes. There is one very cool action scene but the rest are kinda brief and too small scale for a character like Judge Dredd. There's very little wow factor to the actions scenes.
Mega-City 1 is an epic world but it's been reduced to grimy corridors and small rooms. After 20 mins or so you can't escape the fact this looks small scale. Garland didn't give the story enough colour, invention, absurdity to make you forget about the small scale location.
You can argue it’s not awful but it’s not a good Judge Dredd film. You can applaud the effort, some of the early production design work is great – the external shots – but the film is one big cliché. The villains just swear a lot, the action scenes are brief, there’s hardly any tension. There is nothing from John Wagner’s work aside from the basics:
Judges.
Blocks.
Lawgiver.
Lawmaster.
Psi-ability.
That’s it. THERE IS NOTHING ELSE FROM 35 YEARS OF JUDGE DREDD MATERIAL.
Fans have waited three decades for a JUDGE DREDD film with about 5 percent of actual Judge Dredd content! People on the 2000AD forum can be nice about this film – they know Alex Garland visits the site – but they should stop pretending this a proper Judge Dredd film. It’s not, it falls woefully short. The characterization is spot-on, the relationship between Dredd and Anderson is very good. Pete Travis is a talented director, but it comes down to the CONTENT. Forget the dialogue, forget the way the main characters react to each other, when push comes to shove what does Dredd 3D consist of?
Dredd and Anderson killing a few grungy men in corridors and small rooms. And a few bits of slow motion.
That’s it.
That is not how to do a Judge Dredd film, and if anyone, John Wagner included, seriously believes it is, they are deluding themselves. I’m too much of a Judge Dredd fan to pretend this is “pure Dredd” or whatever public relations spin Mr Wagner has said in interviews. Sorry, John, this is your amazing character downscaled about 99 percent. But if you're not a fan of Judge Dredd, you might have a good time. I'm just speaking as a comic fan of 29 years standing! It's not big enough, not clever enough, not thrilling enough.
I don't want to see any more Judge Dredd films. Two is enough. If I want to read Judge Dredd and all the other great 2000AD characters I'll stick to the comic. The films compromise too much.
Comments
They’re still going??!?! Drokk!
To make an SF action pic like this on less than 50m is nothing short of miraculous and for it to have turned out as well as it reportedly has should earn some respect from hacks but all I’ve seen is comparisons to The Raid and potshots at Alex Garland as reasons to not give it higher marks. I’d have to trawl back but I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of those magazines gave the Stallone flick 3/5 as well....
Little White Lies is a wonderful independent magazine that is released a few times a year, it's a gorgeous magazine to look through and the design set out is excellent to read. They do amazing covers most of the time.
Recommend the magazine immensely.
"Alex Garland’s script for this return to Mega City One is lazy and derivative:"
"Travis makes the most of limited resources: the industrial backdrops are stunning, the action scenes sizzle and the eye-of-the-addict Slo-Mo sequences are sickeningly beautiful. A shame, then, that the script consistently falls so flat."
http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/93465/dredd.html?comment=645523#comments_main
I reviewed the leaked screenplay in August 2010. I gave it 4 out of 10. I wrote
"In terms of story originality I’d rate it 0 out of 10. Incredibly
unimaginative. Overall I’d rate it 4 out of 10."
I could post the link but it has a few spoilers. Perhaps I'll post it in a few weeks time when people have seen the film. You'll see the date of the post (done on a Google group) - 27th August 2010. It's genuine. Posted back in 2010.
Having bored you with that, it's certainly feasible to think this new Judge Dredd film will be entertaining. I guess it is. A film doesn't have to be original or radical to be good and fun. But a more imaginative/richer storyline could make it even more fun!
If Dredd 3D is a hit and a sequel follows I think it's imperative John Wagner co-writes the screenplay. Garland can add stuff but let Wagner come up with the ideas. It's his world, he knows it best.
Judge Dredd returns to the big screen tomorrow!
This has been a Justice Department notice.
"Dredd is the most faithful comic book adaptation to ever hit the screen; an action-packed, gloriously violent comic book movie for grown ups. "
http://www.blogomatic3000.com/2012/09/05/review-dredd/
http://film.list.co.uk/article/45206-dredd-2d-screenings-around-the-uk/
I think all Vue Cinema screenings are in 3D.
100 percent!
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dredd_3d/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZvfAYdn4DA
THAT IS JUDGE DREDD! Looks like they've nailed the feel of the 2000AD comic strip.
STAR WARS MEETS DIRTY HARRY (done on small budget, of course)
I don't think the plot is going to be too wowsome but I reckon they'll capture the hard essence of Dredd and his world.
Not long to go before this crap film flops! Can’t wait.
Again, you a biggest loser.
Prepare to be judged, lawbreakers.
DREDD 3D IN CINEMAS NOW.
"The threadbare story"
"Despite admirable intentions and assured performances, Dredd 3D suffers from a structurally flawed script that fails to engage and repetitive fight sequences that fail to excite"
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/review/a402085/dredd-3d-review-admirable-intentions-but-lacklustre-execution.html
This film covers about 1 percent of Judge Dredd's world. There is so much more that could be explored in a higher budget sequel but for it to work it's essential the screenwriter has some IMAGINATION. I fear Mr Garland lacks the inherent wacky and subversive imagination to give 2000AD readers and Judge Dredd fans a truly rich storyline.
Really? Interesting you say that. If you don't like an ultra-tough fascist super cop laying down the law then it's doubtful this film is going to appeal to you.
One thing has really amazed me about Dredd 3D. Some of the shots look fabulous. In an earlier post I mentioned the shot of Dredd and Anderson entering Peach Trees. I thought the block floor looked amazing, so huge. Check out this screencap of the Grand Hall of Justice:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/9276421/img/various/Grand-Hall-Of-Justice.jpg
Looks totally realistic. For a small budget film I think that looks wonderful. I didn't expect it to look that good. I'm in geeky 2000AD heaven when I look at that.
My gut feeling is I will like this film. I'll probably moan about some aspects of the plot "it's like Die Hard blah blah blah, why didn't they do this blah blah blah blah" (geeky fans such as myself are a bit too obsessive and sad) but if it captures the spirit of 2000AD's Judge Dredd it will have done its job.
For example..
Digital Spy's review of the chase scene:
"after a lengthy and dismal chase sequence"
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/review/a402085/dredd-3d-review-admirable-intentions-but-lacklustre-execution.html
Exclaim.ca's website review:
"After a brief car chase"
http://exclaim.ca/Reviews/TIFF/dredd-directed_by_pete_travis
LOL
Stone_Jones and Floopy123 are same person. very nutter.
Is that so? Haha!
Concerns expressed about graphic sex scenes have proved to be totally unfounded.
Any changes from the comic made in relation to the uniform really work, especially when placed in a live action scenario. There has been one change made from the comic that I don't think has been spotted before, even from those who sit upon their exalted high horse of a complete prog stack. I won't say what it is except that it should have been white.
And best of all Dredd never removes his helmet. I word that sentence carefully. :cool:
When pushed he rated it 3.5/5 although it sounds like much if his irritation with it was down to it being 3D and too similar to The Raid. The filmmakers should add another strapline to the poster: “We thought of the ****ing idea before The Raid but....admittedly after Die Hard”.
Film24 review (Jason Solomon?) should be on at 5.45pm.
http://namer123.picturepush.com/showformat.php?format=1024&alid=192818&imgid=9293108&clid=60492
Score 5 out of 10. Far too small-scale, too generic, too small-scale action. Urban amazing as Judge Dredd, the other performances very good. But the plot? Oh boy, cliché after cliché. Not one jot of John Wagner's invention, humour, eccentricity, intelligent plotting. This is not the Judge Dredd film I've been waiting so long to see. I don't think it's better than the 1995 film although this film is a pitch perfect characterization of Judge Dredd.
There is a scene at the end that is so cliché and nonsensical, it's just AWFUL screenwriting from Garland. You'll get an idea which scene it is when you see it. Think of when James Bond meets the villain! (but done in a much crasser dumb way).
Garland has very little talent (well, in a Judge Dredd context).
I may post a more detailed review in the near future but it will need to include concealed spoilers.
If this film is a success the sequel needs a PROPER SCREENPLAY, not cliché writing. Pete Travis could deliver an incredible Judge Dredd film with the right budget and storyline. He's very talented but the story doesn't do him justice. Just ditch Garland. Awful no-talent writer. John Wagner is a writing genius, Garland isn't. Heck, he's not even a good screenwriter.
It's one big cliché.
Everything follows how you expect. No surprises. Garland's screenplay is so narrow there's no room for it to move, to go off into weird unexpected places. It's screenwriting by numbers.
Another major problem - most of the action scenes are really short. Like a minute or so long. No real build-up, just a few bang bangs and that's it. Garland sets up the 'trapped in a building' scenario but the tempo kind of stays flat. Die Hard was more exciting than this. Dredd 3D is sort of exciting (ish) but it could have been a lot more thrilling. I guess the budget played a big factor in the small scale nature of the action scenes. There is one very cool action scene but the rest are kinda brief and too small scale for a character like Judge Dredd. There's very little wow factor to the actions scenes.
Mega-City 1 is an epic world but it's been reduced to grimy corridors and small rooms. After 20 mins or so you can't escape the fact this looks small scale. Garland didn't give the story enough colour, invention, absurdity to make you forget about the small scale location.
Judges.
Blocks.
Lawgiver.
Lawmaster.
Psi-ability.
That’s it. THERE IS NOTHING ELSE FROM 35 YEARS OF JUDGE DREDD MATERIAL.
Fans have waited three decades for a JUDGE DREDD film with about 5 percent of actual Judge Dredd content! People on the 2000AD forum can be nice about this film – they know Alex Garland visits the site – but they should stop pretending this a proper Judge Dredd film. It’s not, it falls woefully short. The characterization is spot-on, the relationship between Dredd and Anderson is very good. Pete Travis is a talented director, but it comes down to the CONTENT. Forget the dialogue, forget the way the main characters react to each other, when push comes to shove what does Dredd 3D consist of?
Dredd and Anderson killing a few grungy men in corridors and small rooms. And a few bits of slow motion.
That’s it.
That is not how to do a Judge Dredd film, and if anyone, John Wagner included, seriously believes it is, they are deluding themselves. I’m too much of a Judge Dredd fan to pretend this is “pure Dredd” or whatever public relations spin Mr Wagner has said in interviews. Sorry, John, this is your amazing character downscaled about 99 percent. But if you're not a fan of Judge Dredd, you might have a good time. I'm just speaking as a comic fan of 29 years standing! It's not big enough, not clever enough, not thrilling enough.
I don't want to see any more Judge Dredd films. Two is enough. If I want to read Judge Dredd and all the other great 2000AD characters I'll stick to the comic. The films compromise too much.