Dredd

[fbhjr]

I used to be a big fan of the Judge Dredd comic book. Not enough to actually buy it. But back in the days when I lived with yebo in that roach infested fire trap while we were in college, he bought them and I read his.

So, I was looking forward to the new movie coming out. Today my wife and I went to see it.

It’s got good actors. I really like the guy who plays Dredd. He’s been in a bunch of movies I like (Star Trek, Red and Lord of the Rings {OK, not in the LoTR movie I liked, but he did fine with his part}) and has always done well.

It’s got Judge Anderson in it and she was always my favorite judge. As kick ass as Dredd and psychic on top of it.

Good special effects.

But, I just didn’t like it.
It’s not a Judge Dredd movie.
It’s certainly not Mega City One. It’s LA with a few tall buildings copied and pasted on top of it.
But, they show shots of a modern city from a helicopter. There’s very little futuristic about it, except for the few buildings put in. Modern traffic. Modern buildings. Modern cars. Modern fashion.

To me it really seemed like they were making a film about a new drug in LA and Judge Dredd just wandered onto the set and they kept filming.

It just doesn’t have the feel that I think it should.

I can quibble about stupid character actions or plot points, but really it was the feel of the movie that got to me. The rest is just details.
The movie felt small. And, it is supposed to be set in MEGA City One. Nothing should be small.

When we got home I went and dug out my copy of the one from 17 years ago and watched it. (Still on VHS.)

I am not a Stallone fan. I do not think he was right for Judge Dredd and only think he does a mediocre job at the part.
I’ve never seen the Rambo movies, and the only Rocky movie I sat through was on a plane when it was projected to the whole plane. (I’m not even sure which one it was as I didn’t listen to the sound on it. He was in the snow at one point...)
The only movie he’s been in that I think he was good was Oscar.

But, the feel of that Judge Dredd is totally right.
It’s got the corny jokes the comic had. The weird costumes they wore. The feel of it being Mega City One.

This new movie totally failed to capture that. And, that really disappoints me.