Karl Urban has this sort of unique devotion in all the characters he plays in his movies. You can tell he really cares about the significance of the story he plays in. Always great to see him on screen going all out.
Sure, just keep spreading the rumor and let's act like it's a fact and Affleck said it himself. He even welcomed Matt Reeves (the new batman director) to the movie team. The Batman is not gonna come out until 2019 so we are gonna have Ben Affleck for a long time.
One of the most underrated movies ever. I love the direction of Pete Travis and Karl Urban as Dredd absolutely nails it. It has aged well, it holds up to this day.
EVERYTHING with this movie just clicks. Soundtrack, action, effects, acting, art design. One of the best underrated action movies of the modern film era. Desperately needs a sequel. Thanks for yet another great review, Oliver!
You forgot to mention acting. Karl Urban's performance as Dredd was spot on. I've been a fan of the comics since the early 80s, and was incredibly impressed by how well he captured his persona - even down to the Dredd scowl.
Sylvester Stallone chin was better. Also the helmet was way better. The motorcycles were way way better. The Megacity landscape was so much grandiose. And it had freaking robots, cyborgs and even evil twins!
@@superitgel1 That is because Sylvester Stallone is a comic book character. Sadly as soon as he opened his mouth it died and then he took his helmet off... Stallone's film was a much bigger view of MC1. This was a street story, in one crappy area and one shitty block. I am certain if we had seen inside the more well to do blocks or Hall of Justice you would have seen more flash. This film did have a fatty with a unicycle to hold his gut! 8:52
I watched some interviews and reviews about fury road. And millers wish to be it a complete visual experience. There is no discussion about fury road being visually orgasmic. Stil i find it very lackluster in nearly every other department. Enjoyable nonetheless, but i see it quite some steps away to the point of being the masterpiece it is hailed to be.
the replies to this comment make me sad. Fury Road was awesome. I'm guessing yall didn't like John Wick, The Raid, or other universally loved action films? Next you'll say Raiders of the Lost Ark was boring.
Ma-Ma was an adaptation of Ma Jong who was a drug dealing larger lady in the 2000AD dredd comics. So she was in essence a classic Dredd villain but modified, not as iconic as some of Dredds larger enemies but an interesting idea. This also explains why the development shots show a larger lady as this is how Ma Jong was characterised in the comics.
I love that line, and Karl Urban just delivered it with such quiet threat. Like he doesnt have to yell, or scream, just says it "Ma-ma is not the law. I am the law." I had such a huge smile on my face when I heard that for the first time.
I strongly believe that a sequel would be far more successful. Had I known it would be so good, if have watched it in theaters twice. I still have friends reluctant to try it despite my certainty that they'd live it. Massively underrated.
If Dredd had of been advertised as "Dredd" and not "Dredd 3D" I might have watched it when it came out, but the 3D in title completely put me off. Only seen the film a couple of years later on TV and it was far better than I could have expected. Bad advertising for a great film.
TheVargr Yes unfortunately this is precisely what happened to me. By seeing the big red 3D I instantly wrote it off as a gimmick (still dont like the 3D thing) Then rented it on DVD one day and felt so sad I didnt see it on the big screen. Bad marketing sucks
It's maddening how much trouble this film has had with regards to a sequel or spin-off TV series getting off the ground. If Netflix took the plunge, the tone displayed in 'Daredevil' would be a good starting point.
Get The DREDD Bluray goo.gl/A796kj Get the soundtrack here goo.gl/o0INLa Some folks are a bit confused as to way I've reviewed such a recent film for a retrospective. This month is the 40th Anniversary of 2000AD and I felt it would be good to cover this underrated movie for this special occasion.
You know, Oliver, they are considering a Netflix series continuation of Dredd (with the cast and everything), so perhaps this is a blessing in disguise. TV is allowing more creative freedom than Hollywood these days after all.
I don't think the satire element is what keeps 2000 AD from hitting the US market. Believe me, we satire ourselves all the time. All. The. Time. And the US loves sci-fi, action, and distopian settings. I think the main problem is the lack of solid marketing and the bad taste of the 90s Judge Dredd movie, which I honestly think has been squashed by Dredd.
Agreed. Marketing makes or breaks films, not even their quality. Crap films break even or profit with alarming regularity (Michael Bay, DC movies, both Amazing Spider-Man films, the Divergent franchise) but if marketing fails to reach the masses, the film aficionados who seek out the good movies aren't enough.
100% correct. There was no true marketing campaign, and that did a great disservice to this film. I haven't met a single person (here in the US) that doesn't like this movie. I would guarantee a sequel would not only do well, but would benefit the original release in rental streaming as well.
StCerberusEngel I saw this on Netflix first and was bummed I watched it on a 27-inch monitor instead of my 7-foot wide projector but I just didn't know it was so good. Showed it to my bestie who had no idea it was even out, and he's a Dredd fan!
I knew of it when it came out, but there wasn't a screening within 100 miles of me. I had to wait until it came to DVD. After finally renting it from the last surviving video store in my area, I immediately bought the blu-ray. This is one that I would have actually liked to see in 3-d.
demos113 didnt this come out around same time As Robocop remake? I remember thinking to myself this is how the remake of robocop should of been.. A R-rated violent badass movie
Just Johnny The success of Deadpool showed studios R rated films true to the source material can be very profitable, which is why we're finally getting a R rated Wolverine movie.
An amazing badass and horribly underrated film, I dream so badly from any form of sequel, be netflix or a film, I freaking love this film, great analysis my only disagreement is on the Soundtrack, I fucking love the music of this film, more much than the awful Stallone one. Anyway another great review, really hope that idea of Dredd as a Netflix show can materialize.
Kusanagikaiser999 indeed, this is definitely Cult Classic status in my opinion. It was soo slept on, i remember having to tell freinds of mine to watch it
definitely agree! this would be so awesome as a Netflix series, since they seem to encourage their creators to take chances and think outside the box! The soundtrack is also very cool, especially the use of Paul Stretch to slow down audio to run 1000 times slower than its normal length turns anything into an ambient masterpiece!
agreed. I respect that its not his cup of tea and he prefers a more thematic formula, but the "jarring" aspect of the experimental score adds nicely to the grittiness/rawness imo.
When I first watched the film. I didn't like it and I didn't like it as much as the 1995 version. But, watching it again recently. I've liked it more. It's good, not great. I still don't think it was a good as the original. But it's still a good movie.
Absolutely gutted this flopped, finally we got a brilliant, adult representation of Judge Dredd with an actor who played the character to perfection and yet it bombed at the box office. You'd think Netflix would pick this up and get Karl Urban to return to the role. There's some great ideas and villains to bring forward and a JD TV series would really allow them to bring the JD universe to a whole new audience. Come on Netflix, make it happen :)
This movie was great, non stop action, beautiful visual effects, faithful to the source material and wonderful castings. One of my favorite comic adaptations.
I really hoped that Dredd got the reaction that John Wick got on its release. Just a solid entertaining action movie that knows what it wants to be and is just that. It's not too late for a sequel, and I can still dream
I think the negative aspects of the film covered in this review didn't really gel with me, for very good reasons: 1. The Music: this was the issue that kind of raised my hackles. Yeah, Dredd and the characters have no "classical" leitmotif to bring audience involvement in, but the musical score was primal, gritty, and throbbing. It set the tone and personality of the film wonderfully, and I am glad for the composer's choices and devotion to creating a unique and recognizable sound. We could have gotten some soulless Marvel pomp like every other blockbuster film out there if the directors wanted something more mainstream. 2. The Villain: I hear a lot of references and callbacks to old Dredd foes (Judge Death, etc.) But I believe Ma-Ma was the perfect choice. She is believable as a Dredd villain, as she is charismatic, intelligent, and warped enough to give Judge Dredd significant challenge, while avoiding the pitfalls of poorly rendering a known comic book villain on-screen. Plenty of other films are ridiculed and broken by bad characterizations of fan favorites. In the semi-realistic, dark, and gritty portrayal of Mega City One, I fail to see how they could have pulled off a villain like Judge Death without making everything into an experiment in camp. Besides, Judge Dredd did not always fight against legendary criminals, sometimes he had to fight the mundane ones too. 3. Artistic Plagiarism: while Dredd may have some similarities to "The Raid" I would like to point out that both movies' premises are so simplistic to make arguments of uniqueness moot. While both films had their own spirit which would not be okay to copy, the basic arc of the story is nothing impressive in synopsis. I have pre-teen relatives who come up with similar plots playing with their action figures. As for myself, I like Dredd much more than "The Raid". The idea that a single martial artist could punch and kick their way through an entire tenement block of criminals to triumph was an idea that I abandoned in the nineties. I like much more grounded and contemporaneous choreography, such as Dredd and John Wick, to Wushu films. Everything in the movie strives for more realism and less suspensions of disbelief. Even the most fantastic elements of the comics are downplayed to mere vehicles of the movie's plot. The Lawgiver pistol fires believable military-style munitions (No heat-seekers, no ricochet rounds, etc.); The Lawmaster motorcycle does not fly or hover; Dredd himself seems to carry a realistic amount of weaponry and equipment (indeed, one of the plot points in the film is just how woefully underprepared he is to fight everything Ma-Ma throws at him); and Anderson is not played like - well, dare I say it? Captain Marvel - she is not some SJW's wet dream, but a living, breathing character that goes through an impressive and down-to-earth character arc, showing not only true grit, but true vulnerability as well. All in all, everything in the film was expertly directed and cut to achieve a single, cohesive vision that was one of the best action flicks I had seen in a long time, bar none.
The soundtrack is honestly my favourite score from any piece of media. The fact that it's mostly ambient and unobtrusive, yet still somehow has enough structure and character to be listenable as normal music is nothing short of an achievement, and the atmosphere it manages to create is something I have yet to find matched. Dredd not having a leitmotif isn't exactly true (although they aren't tied to specific characters I think), there are two reoccurring motifs to be found, although their iterations are short, they don't have grand sweeping movements, and . The first one is a short "riff" that can be heard on Mega City One, Lockdown, and Order in the Chaos. The second one is even shorter (I think it's an arpeggiation of two notes but I'm not sure) and can be heard on The Rise of MaMa and Judge, Jury, and Executioner. Also the repeated nonsense claim that Dredd plagiarised The Raid becomes baseless once you consider that the two films released just nine months apart and that Dredd had already started filming a full year before The Raid released.
If Death is ever done it can't be camp. The problem is a Dredd movie with Death in would have to be R rated, a real horror movie like a gross version of Poltergeist. This would limit box office.
@@white-dragon4424 If you meant that Death *shouldn't* be done in a camp style, I totally agree. I think the first Dredd movie proved there was nothing that *couldn't* be done in camp. As for the rating, the movie franchise is already rated R, who would the producers be losing in terms of audience? It would be an interesting take, if they manage a gritty re-interpretation of Death in the style they have established. Perhaps as a perfect foil for both Dredd and the now-blooded Anderson? It would have to be pulled off very carefully.
@@Anthrolithos Is it really R already? It's been soooo very long since I've been concerned by ratings I never look. In that case I guess the reason they don't do it is because of budget, because to pull off a real Death would take a LOT of $$$$$, especially if they also do Fire, Mortis and Fear as well. I've got old volumes of the original comics somewhere and the Four Dark Judges have always been a favourite of mine. I even used Photoshop to colour a b/w picture of Death years ago. So yeah, to say that I'd like a Dredd film with Death as the villain would be an understatement. But he has to be done properly though. He has to be really horrific, just like he was in the comics.
This film is a perfect example how poor marketing and poor distribution can screw up a production that could have easily made 10 times its budget (instead of being at a loss of a couple of millions). Great characters, amazing cinematography (great application of 3D and slow-motion), thrilling soundtrack, jaw-dropping action scenes and every once in a while a joke or two to clear the tension just to prepare you for the next dosage. Sadly due to the poor box office performance I fear we won't be seeing another Dredd in a loooong time. Karl Urban truly captured the bad assness of his character! Just a note: wasn't a big fan of the 1995 version (especially if you consider the fact that it has 3 times the budget of this one!), also haven't really read the comic strips. So my opinion is purely of someone, who just watched the trailer and decided to give this film a shot.
Oliver, I want to thank you for this review. There used to be a comic book store here in Raleigh, NC USA where I stumbled across 2000AD comics, Dredd and Heavy Metal. I picked up a Dredd comic and instantly fell in love with it. I immediately understood the thick satire on US society and it made me love the title even more. The 1995 movie just pissed me off, almost right out of the gate with Stallone taking off the helmet. I was one of those you mentioned who had a bad taste in his mouth about that film. When Urban's Dredd came out, I was very hesitant about viewing it when it appeared on Netflix. I watched it. Then I watched it again. Then I watched it a 3rd time, all in the same day. I went out and purchased the DVD/Blu-ray/Digital copy of it on Amazon the next day. I LOVE this film. All involved did a damned good job with it and I am disappointed about the franchise being on pause. I, too, hope it moves forward. Karl Urban did a fantastic job with the character. Thanks, again, for this vid. You're the man.
Alfred Valrie i dont really look at it as a remake tho..Its more like a superior adaption of the comic. Like how Batman begins is not a remake of Batman (1989).
One of the very few films that look better in 3D. I saw it three times in a theater. Dredd and Edge of Tomorrow are some of the best action sci-fi films in recent time.
lewdstep was edge of tommorow in 3D as well!? In so pissed i didnt see in theatre but its because at the time the trailers made it look like some sort of videogame movie. I ended it up seeing it on its bluray release
Having grown up with 2000AD, and being massively disappointed in 1995 when I finally got to see Dredd on the big screen, the 2012 movie meant more to me than I could've ever anticipated it would.I loved it.
Imagine if that would of been the trailer for this film? We'd be watching a (studio interfering) Dredd 3 by now Everyone would of seen that film of the strength of that trailer. Well done man!
Dredd is amazing. I love the subtle details in the judges uniforms that shows how long each has been on the streets with corrupt Lex having the most battle scarred uniform of them all.
Splendid and comprehensive commentary of this sadly underappreciated movie. A film that was great on many levels but was overlooked due to the direction other comic adaptations had gone in. The more upbeat, made for children projects that were prevalent by then made such a gritty and heavy R rated comic movie a risk. Good to know that it developed a fan following afterward with DVD sales. Even if no sequel or TV series is ever made, we the fans will always treasure Dredd 2012 as the remarkable movie it is. Once again, great vid, very well researched and very well presented.
YES! "In May 2017, a television series named Judge Dredd: Mega-City One was announced to be in development by IM Global Television and Rebellion. In August 2017, Urban stated he was in discussion to star in the series."
Great review! As far as recent action movies go this is by far one of my favorites. The comment about the movie feeling like the creators had freedom and this wasn't being churned out with big studio oversight is spot on.
yoooo notification squad where you at! love this movie, glad it was recognized as a instant classic EDIT: just watched it again not even 10 minutes ago, it'd be a damn shame If we never saw a continuation to this great feature film 😢
I love this film. It's not about saving the world, it's just about Dredd and his world. Best action sci-fi flick in ages and ages. Also, so much love to Urban for not taking that helmet off. Hope a sequel happens. Sad that the 3D held it back in the theater but I must say it's use of 3D is the best I've seen in a long time too. I do not agree with you on the music or the CGI. I love it and workout to it a lot. Figured you wouldn't like it though. I don't think themes or big sounds fit Dredd at all so this more minimal soundtrack really works. Also, none of the CGI looks bad to me or takes me out of the film and I just watched it a few weeks ago.
I've told people that Dredd is Escape From New York for this generation. Such a fantastic, streamlined action flick that, for me, has been a bar-setting film for the action/sci-fi genre. The 3D presentation in the theater was the reason I bought a 3D TV! I couldn't imagine never watching it in 3D again! Great review as always, Oliver!
Even if it's considered by many a failure, I loved this film. It's fast, violent and easy to follow (something other directors could take cues from). The only place I thought it was lacking was Mama's backstory, as they could have fleshed her out some more. p.s. Good to see you're making retrospectives on more modern movies too.
I saw this in 3D in theaters w/o any idea what I was walking into. The slow-mo effects were breathtaking. The g0re in this movie can be a lot, but even the bl0od was beautiful the way they shot it. Still an outstanding movie in 2d, but the slow-mo effects aren't anywhere near as enthralling as they were in theaters. Particularly when accompanied by the outstanding score they used for emphasis through those theaters speakers
Been a fan of Dredd since I was old enough to read, and as biased as you might think I must be, I think this flick was perfect. Story was good, pacing was spot on, photography made it look great, not too dark with the perfect balance of colors, and of course Carl Urban performance was worthy of an Oscar, as you said he made the character his own, with an overall respect by everyone involved to the source material, something incredibly rare these days, but this might just be due to the the fact it is an independent production, with no incompetent "experts" dictating retarded changes to a story they known shit about, one of the biggest problems in cinema today. Also, I'm a fan of the Stallone version of the 90s, I'm positive that if he kept the helmet on it would have been way more successful, making the many "silly" details more bearable or going unnoticed. After all, as serious as the tone is, Dredd, in its exaggerated attitude is meant to be dark/dystopian comedy.
Well to be fair more people know Batman & Superman most have never heard of Dredd or 2000AD @lest outside the UK plus the marketing for this Film was awful :P
Yeah, the marketing and lack of 2D showings really hurt the movie. I don't think it'd ever have taken in blockbuster money, but with a $45 million budget it should've easily doubled or tripled that worldwide. Such a shame it got mishandled. A Netflix series bringing Urban back would be great, and possibly an easier sell.
Yeah, with the first 2 or 3 seasons taking place before the events of the movie, and then, the 3rd or 4th season picking up right from where the movie left off.
I'm still so glad I got to see this in theater but I will admit I saw it in 2D because of the stigma I had towards 3D, which I regret because the 3D in this movie was actually stylized
One of my most treasured childhood possessions was a first edition of 2000AD. It was worn and torn but I loved every page of it. The ABC Warriors and Strontium Dog are also two standout stories and characters.
One small bit that always makes me laugh, is when Dredd and Anderson are taken to the bodies. All the Inhabitants all gathered.He pukka the sheet off revealing the remains. Then a collective groan and gasps of repulsion..Then someone enthusiastically shouts .".Aww! YOU SHOULD GET A PICTURE OF THAT!!" It's the timing and attitude of whomever says it I guess. It's one of the little bits of world building. Where society is at, and it always makes me chuckle ..Great review Oliver. The Score from Silvestri seemed to fit like a glove. I don't think it's because they are compatible at all is because of your editing skills. You got me exited to go back and see Cyborg awhile back, those skills..Thank ya..
I still don't understand the criticism of being to similar to The Raid, wouldn't both Dredd and The Raid be taking it's concepts from Die Hard? Nevertheless they are both energetic and diversified action films from each other, I love them all. Also great work as always Oliver. 👍👍
Wagner based Dredd on one eyed jack-a dirty harry type character he also created for a different comic. How anyone can say it copies the raid or anything is crap - 2000ad had block war type stories running since Judge Dredd started in the 70s so if anyone copied its them!! 2000ad is owed major credit in a lot of films that have ripped it off over the years!! :-D
Definitely a massively underrated film - this really feels like the comic made flesh, which is the entire point. I also liked that Dredd ultimately passes Anderson despite what happens in the film. Agree that it shows that he does know how to adapt the rules to situations, despite his usual rigid adherence to them.
*_SUCH_* a tight film. No line of dialogue, no second of screentime is wasted. Urban nails a difficult character, and everyone else is great too. The plot is also effective...the rogue judges development was a great touch. Severely underrated...just wish we could have a sequel.
The Slow Mo music is Justin Beiber slowed down by like 800 and Dredd wasn't just written but principal photography was started before anything was done for The Raid. Very surprised you did not mention these. But great as always
Awesome movie, and very much a return to old school 80's and 90's style sci-fi action flicks, reminiscent of John Carpenter, Walter Hill and Paul Verhoeven and even has echoes of Sam Peckinpah and Sergio Leone - I wish Hollywood made more films like this instead of the over-bloated mega-budget CGI garbage they keep churning out!
Long time Dredd fan here, one of my all time favourite films, I saw it in 3d and 2d in the UK, I've probably watched it 50 times. My wife who is not a 2000ad fan loves the film and often wants to watch it.
This film is my favorite action movie, also it's incredible what they were able to do with such a limited budged, the only thing they failed at.. was one of the most important ones, promoting the movie, most people did not even know about this movie until they saw it on blue ray or some streaming service.
I grew up reading 2000AD. Would LOVE if they created a universe of all the characters in this style, too much to hope for! Imagine Slaine, Rouge Trooper and Finn each with a trilogy
I woulda figured you usually like to wait until a movie at least 10 years old before you did a retro review video but that's awesome dude it leaves endless possibilities for other modern movies that came out within the last 6-7 years that you gotta do retro reviews on
I enjoyed Space Truckers, but can't get through Robot Jox. Where am I going wrong? Everybody sez its aces, but it looks ass to me whenever I try, and the acting is so wooden. Set me straight and I'll try again.
Dredd is an incorruptible, devoted, tough cop whom is determined to do his duty and loves and respects the law and will go any length to enforce the law and bring law and justice to the lawless.
I love the soundtrack! Which I suppose isn't terribly surprising since I enjoy heavy loud industrial music. A very good fit with the look and tone they were going for in this adaption.
ALL41REVIEW I could see an interesting RPG set in that universe as you play a Judge you create, and you get to go after crimes boss and pass judgement etc...
At around the 8:50 mark when you mention Dredd look, what we saw in the movie is very close to the very first appearance of Dredd (albeit without the body armour) in issue 2 of 2000ad, Carlos Ezquerra drew Dredd with the shoulder pads more tighter to the shape of the body, rather than what the uniform looks like drawn by say, Steve Dillon or Mike McMahon, which is what what they went for in Stallone's Dredd uniform, which for a fun fact, were designed by Gianni Versace. Edit - The Carlos Ezquerra early uniform style is shown at 23:49 with Dredd and a SJS judge. 2nd Edit - Great retrospective, you've done justice (sorry) to Dredd :) I thought the film was great, Urban nailed it, Turby was fantastic, although the tyres on the lawmaster bike could've been bigger, I mean just look at the batpod :), the violence in the movie was handled very well, the slo-mo effect was very cool and the fact that Rebellion are in the process of making a TV series called Dredd: Mega City One and another 2000ad movie is in the works based on Rogue Trooper helmed by Duncan Jones there's some small hope for the future :)
3 reasons this film didn't succeed: Poor marketing, Shoe-horned 3D, and the last Dredd movie making people second guess it. I remember when I saw the first trailer and mentioned it to a bunch of classmates, everyone was saying it looked stupid, but I was and still am a huge sci-fi nut so I saw it anyway and OH BOY am I glad I did. It's unfair the whole film had to suffer financially for those 3 dumb reasons.
Dominic's Creative Films I agree on the first two reasons but the 3D was anything but shoehorned. It was an exercise in how to design a film for the 3D format and actually benefit the visuals. So many films since haven’t used the format properly as it’s just so much hassle. Some films have even retrofitted to make a quick buck and the quality has been shite. Shame the format has been tarnished as Dredd was great value in 3D. Be interesting to see if Avatar 2 can resurrect the 3D form (again)
@@johnbarnes888 I probably should've been more specific, but when I said the 3D was shoe-horned, I meant not from a quality standpoint, but more so how they basically forced you to watch the movie in 3D with little to no 2d showings being available. But ya I remember the 3D in Dredd was pretty good (especially the slowmo sequences), but I wouldn't say it was good enough to limit 2D showings.
I love the movie and I am happy you gave it the Retrospective despite being fairly recent. It is very much a movie on another era and it was surprisingly refreshing for me. Thank you Oliver.
This is the first movie I watched that made me crave cyberpunk and other gritty “urban hell” sci fi media. I put this right next to the matrix in great starting points for the genre
Great movie, grew up reading dredd and this adaptation is brilliant and the Easter eggs everywhere and he at least keeps the helmet on cant see a sequel coming but would love it
A netflix funded animated version of Judge Dredd would be amazing. (Traditional animation not cheap CG carp) It would be a way to keep the unique visual style of the Dredd universe without breaking the bank. It could do for 2000AD comics what Akira did for anime.
One of the best movies of 2012 (better than The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises), Dredd seems to be a commentary on the social contract concept. Throughout the film, one gets the sense that the main idea of concern is loyalty. Anderson of course represents this theme extremely well, the essence of her character being defined by her resentment and hostility toward the Judge system for its lack of empathy and rationality - but then this is juxtaposed against the extreme behaviour of the population overall. Ideologically, Dredd is probably a statement not on statism, but that statism is a reaction to a lack of respect between peoples. Dredd himself - played to a perfect appropriateness by Karl Urban - embodies the idea of the importance of the need for symbolism as an inherent concept for humanity. Dredd's perseverance against Ma Ma is thrilling to watch, and though the story needed to become chaotic for that perseverance to play out, the third act is nevertheless able to repair some of the damage done by the film's second act.. Bookended by a reasonable but not spectacular first act and then slightly better but still not spectacular third act, I'm afraid that Dredd's second act seems to fall somewhat to the wayside; it includes important sequences - mainly around Olivia Thirlby - but just seems to feel too chaotic. Perhaps the script should've retained onto its set-up simplicity, about just Dredd and Anderson making their way through the tower block. The suspense would've been greater, and the ideas that the script wanted to explore could've still been explored.. That being said, Dredd is still a landmark adaptation, and both Karl Urban and Olivia Thirlby did great work with the script they were given.
A great review for a movie that I really enjoyed watching. Also, I really liked how you combined the 1995 Dredd trailer's soundtrack with scenes from the new one!
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Karl Urban has this sort of unique devotion in all the characters he plays in his movies. You can tell he really cares about the significance of the story he plays in. Always great to see him on screen going all out.
Carlu Yabut i want him to play Batman sooooo fucking bad, it was such a letdown when Affleck got cast. Smh
Afleck does not want to play Batman anymore, maybe there is a chance for Urban to play Batman
Sure, just keep spreading the rumor and let's act like it's a fact and Affleck said it himself. He even welcomed Matt Reeves (the new batman director) to the movie team.
The Batman is not gonna come out until 2019 so we are gonna have Ben Affleck for a long time.
Karl Urban really got into character and he was born to play Dredd.
Just impressive that he would remain true to the story of Dredd and never reveal his face
One of the most underrated movies ever. I love the direction of Pete Travis and Karl Urban as Dredd absolutely nails it. It has aged well, it holds up to this day.
EVERYTHING with this movie just clicks. Soundtrack, action, effects, acting, art design. One of the best underrated action movies of the modern film era. Desperately needs a sequel. Thanks for yet another great review, Oliver!
You forgot to mention acting. Karl Urban's performance as Dredd was spot on. I've been a fan of the comics since the early 80s, and was incredibly impressed by how well he captured his persona - even down to the Dredd scowl.
DiamondDead i
The highest achievement in the genre! Hands down. Change my mind.
Sylvester Stallone chin was better. Also the helmet was way better. The motorcycles were way way better. The Megacity landscape was so much grandiose. And it had freaking robots, cyborgs and even evil twins!
@@superitgel1 That is because Sylvester Stallone is a comic book character. Sadly as soon as he opened his mouth it died and then he took his helmet off... Stallone's film was a much bigger view of MC1. This was a street story, in one crappy area and one shitty block. I am certain if we had seen inside the more well to do blocks or Hall of Justice you would have seen more flash.
This film did have a fatty with a unicycle to hold his gut! 8:52
That "I am the law" speech over the intercom is the stuff of legend.
Especially in contrast with the Stallone one.
This and Mad Max Fury Road helped rekindle my faith that quality and creative action films are still possible, though rare they be.
Fry Road sucked balls it was literally the plot of the second movie just remade
Fury Road was meh
I watched some interviews and reviews about fury road. And millers wish to be it a complete visual experience.
There is no discussion about fury road being visually orgasmic.
Stil i find it very lackluster in nearly every other department. Enjoyable nonetheless, but i see it quite some steps away to the point of being the masterpiece it is hailed to be.
Two very well made films...
the replies to this comment make me sad. Fury Road was awesome. I'm guessing yall didn't like John Wick, The Raid, or other universally loved action films? Next you'll say Raiders of the Lost Ark was boring.
Ma-Ma was an adaptation of Ma Jong who was a drug dealing larger lady in the 2000AD dredd comics.
So she was in essence a classic Dredd villain but modified, not as iconic as some of Dredds larger enemies but an interesting idea. This also explains why the development shots show a larger lady as this is how Ma Jong was characterised in the comics.
Thanks. I knew I'd seen something like the character in the progs / lore videos about the series.
2000AD deserves way more exposure. So many interesting characters to explore. ABC Warriors and Slaine were my favs!
dec yapes
underrated comment
can we please get a sequel before Karl gets a double chin.
so true
double chin Karl would work though as Dredd ages in real time comparative to us ..
@shadowdragoon6 yep.. called Megacity One. Karl Urban has mentioned it on his twitter, telling people to get behind it!
Jamie Leng YES PLEASE
Absolutely, it was a stellar tour de force!
I love that line, and Karl Urban just delivered it with such quiet threat. Like he doesnt have to yell, or scream, just says it "Ma-ma is not the law. I am the law." I had such a huge smile on my face when I heard that for the first time.
I strongly believe that a sequel would be far more successful. Had I known it would be so good, if have watched it in theaters twice. I still have friends reluctant to try it despite my certainty that they'd live it. Massively underrated.
If Dredd had of been advertised as "Dredd" and not "Dredd 3D" I might have watched it when it came out, but the 3D in title completely put me off. Only seen the film a couple of years later on TV and it was far better than I could have expected. Bad advertising for a great film.
TheVargr You should give yourself a treat and watch it in 3D.
3d movie tickets cost +100%. no doubt.
TheVargr Yes unfortunately this is precisely what happened to me. By seeing the big red 3D I instantly wrote it off as a gimmick (still dont like the 3D thing) Then rented it on DVD one day and felt so sad I didnt see it on the big screen. Bad marketing sucks
The 3D in this movie is excellent
This movie needs to be seen in 3d . I am lucky I went to see it in cinemas. It was amazing
It's maddening how much trouble this film has had with regards to a sequel or spin-off TV series getting off the ground. If Netflix took the plunge, the tone displayed in 'Daredevil' would be a good starting point.
No matter how good a movie is if it doesn't even make back the budget you will have a hard time justifying a sequel to movie studios
Yeah, I know. Its still a bummer.
Oscar Stainton I'd put a donation in for that shit!
Blame Lionsgate.
Get The DREDD Bluray goo.gl/A796kj
Get the soundtrack here goo.gl/o0INLa
Some folks are a bit confused as to way I've reviewed such a recent film for a retrospective. This month is the 40th Anniversary of 2000AD and I felt it would be good to cover this underrated movie for this special occasion.
Oliver Harper
Great video!
Here's to another 40 years of Drokkin' goodness!
Oliver Harper Love it Oliver. I hope you review more recent films like this, as well as some more classic Van Damme films and even Seagal.
You'll get no complaints from me, friend. This is one film that will be remembered as a classic.
You know, Oliver, they are considering a Netflix series continuation of Dredd (with the cast and everything), so perhaps this is a blessing in disguise. TV is allowing more creative freedom than Hollywood these days after all.
Totally worth an Oliver treatment.
I don't think the satire element is what keeps 2000 AD from hitting the US market. Believe me, we satire ourselves all the time. All. The. Time. And the US loves sci-fi, action, and distopian settings. I think the main problem is the lack of solid marketing and the bad taste of the 90s Judge Dredd movie, which I honestly think has been squashed by Dredd.
Agreed. Marketing makes or breaks films, not even their quality. Crap films break even or profit with alarming regularity (Michael Bay, DC movies, both Amazing Spider-Man films, the Divergent franchise) but if marketing fails to reach the masses, the film aficionados who seek out the good movies aren't enough.
100% correct. There was no true marketing campaign, and that did a great disservice to this film. I haven't met a single person (here in the US) that doesn't like this movie.
I would guarantee a sequel would not only do well, but would benefit the original release in rental streaming as well.
StCerberusEngel I saw this on Netflix first and was bummed I watched it on a 27-inch monitor instead of my 7-foot wide projector but I just didn't know it was so good. Showed it to my bestie who had no idea it was even out, and he's a Dredd fan!
I knew of it when it came out, but there wasn't a screening within 100
miles of me. I had to wait until it came to DVD. After finally renting
it from the last surviving video store in my area, I immediately bought
the blu-ray. This is one that I would have actually liked to see in 3-d.
StCerberusEngel yeah I regret not seeing it in 3d
We may not get a sequel but we do have a damned good movie no matter what! :-)
demos113 didnt this come out around same time As Robocop remake? I remember thinking to myself this is how the remake of robocop should of been.. A R-rated violent badass movie
Robocop came out two years after this and big budget film makers are intent upon getting as many people into the theaters as possible. So PG-13 it is.
Just Johnny The success of Deadpool showed studios R rated films true to the source material can be very profitable, which is why we're finally getting a R rated Wolverine movie.
Sometimes, sequels are not meant to be.
demos113 Even if we got a sequel how the hell are you going to top this movie. Not that I don't want a sequel but this movie is just to freaking good
An amazing badass and horribly underrated film, I dream so badly from any form of sequel, be netflix or a film, I freaking love this film, great analysis my only disagreement is on the Soundtrack, I fucking love the music of this film, more much than the awful Stallone one. Anyway another great review, really hope that idea of Dredd as a Netflix show can materialize.
Kusanagikaiser999 indeed, this is definitely Cult Classic status in my opinion. It was soo slept on, i remember having to tell freinds of mine to watch it
definitely agree! this would be so awesome as a Netflix series, since they seem to encourage their creators to take chances and think outside the box! The soundtrack is also very cool, especially the use of Paul Stretch to slow down audio to run 1000 times slower than its normal length turns anything into an ambient masterpiece!
agreed. I respect that its not his cup of tea and he prefers a more thematic formula, but the "jarring" aspect of the experimental score adds nicely to the grittiness/rawness imo.
When I first watched the film. I didn't like it and I didn't like it as much as the 1995 version. But, watching it again recently. I've liked it more. It's good, not great. I still don't think it was a good as the original. But it's still a good movie.
I loved the soundtrack too. An industrial heavy music.
I remember seeing Dredd in theatres and thinking it was the first 3D film where it actually benefited the film. An underrated classic.
Absolutely gutted this flopped, finally we got a brilliant, adult representation of Judge Dredd with an actor who played the character to perfection and yet it bombed at the box office. You'd think Netflix would pick this up and get Karl Urban to return to the role. There's some great ideas and villains to bring forward and a JD TV series would really allow them to bring the JD universe to a whole new audience. Come on Netflix, make it happen :)
Dredd deserves a retrospective. It was one of the most enjoyable action films of the last 10 years. Right up there with John Wick and The Guest.
your videos are simply a treasure. it's like a mini documentary treat every time
This movie was great, non stop action, beautiful visual effects, faithful to the source material and wonderful castings. One of my favorite comic adaptations.
How is it faithful to the source material except of the visual aspect?
I really hoped that Dredd got the reaction that John Wick got on its release. Just a solid entertaining action movie that knows what it wants to be and is just that. It's not too late for a sequel, and I can still dream
I think the negative aspects of the film covered in this review didn't really gel with me, for very good reasons:
1. The Music: this was the issue that kind of raised my hackles. Yeah, Dredd and the characters have no "classical" leitmotif to bring audience involvement in, but the musical score was primal, gritty, and throbbing. It set the tone and personality of the film wonderfully, and I am glad for the composer's choices and devotion to creating a unique and recognizable sound. We could have gotten some soulless Marvel pomp like every other blockbuster film out there if the directors wanted something more mainstream.
2. The Villain: I hear a lot of references and callbacks to old Dredd foes (Judge Death, etc.) But I believe Ma-Ma was the perfect choice. She is believable as a Dredd villain, as she is charismatic, intelligent, and warped enough to give Judge Dredd significant challenge, while avoiding the pitfalls of poorly rendering a known comic book villain on-screen. Plenty of other films are ridiculed and broken by bad characterizations of fan favorites. In the semi-realistic, dark, and gritty portrayal of Mega City One, I fail to see how they could have pulled off a villain like Judge Death without making everything into an experiment in camp. Besides, Judge Dredd did not always fight against legendary criminals, sometimes he had to fight the mundane ones too.
3. Artistic Plagiarism: while Dredd may have some similarities to "The Raid" I would like to point out that both movies' premises are so simplistic to make arguments of uniqueness moot. While both films had their own spirit which would not be okay to copy, the basic arc of the story is nothing impressive in synopsis. I have pre-teen relatives who come up with similar plots playing with their action figures. As for myself, I like Dredd much more than "The Raid". The idea that a single martial artist could punch and kick their way through an entire tenement block of criminals to triumph was an idea that I abandoned in the nineties. I like much more grounded and contemporaneous choreography, such as Dredd and John Wick, to Wushu films.
Everything in the movie strives for more realism and less suspensions of disbelief. Even the most fantastic elements of the comics are downplayed to mere vehicles of the movie's plot. The Lawgiver pistol fires believable military-style munitions (No heat-seekers, no ricochet rounds, etc.); The Lawmaster motorcycle does not fly or hover; Dredd himself seems to carry a realistic amount of weaponry and equipment (indeed, one of the plot points in the film is just how woefully underprepared he is to fight everything Ma-Ma throws at him); and Anderson is not played like - well, dare I say it? Captain Marvel - she is not some SJW's wet dream, but a living, breathing character that goes through an impressive and down-to-earth character arc, showing not only true grit, but true vulnerability as well.
All in all, everything in the film was expertly directed and cut to achieve a single, cohesive vision that was one of the best action flicks I had seen in a long time, bar none.
The soundtrack is honestly my favourite score from any piece of media. The fact that it's mostly ambient and unobtrusive, yet still somehow has enough structure and character to be listenable as normal music is nothing short of an achievement, and the atmosphere it manages to create is something I have yet to find matched. Dredd not having a leitmotif isn't exactly true (although they aren't tied to specific characters I think), there are two reoccurring motifs to be found, although their iterations are short, they don't have grand sweeping movements, and . The first one is a short "riff" that can be heard on Mega City One, Lockdown, and Order in the Chaos. The second one is even shorter (I think it's an arpeggiation of two notes but I'm not sure) and can be heard on The Rise of MaMa and Judge, Jury, and Executioner.
Also the repeated nonsense claim that Dredd plagiarised The Raid becomes baseless once you consider that the two films released just nine months apart and that Dredd had already started filming a full year before The Raid released.
Dredd is absolutely nothing like the Raid
If Death is ever done it can't be camp. The problem is a Dredd movie with Death in would have to be R rated, a real horror movie like a gross version of Poltergeist. This would limit box office.
@@white-dragon4424 If you meant that Death *shouldn't* be done in a camp style, I totally agree. I think the first Dredd movie proved there was nothing that *couldn't* be done in camp.
As for the rating, the movie franchise is already rated R, who would the producers be losing in terms of audience?
It would be an interesting take, if they manage a gritty re-interpretation of Death in the style they have established.
Perhaps as a perfect foil for both Dredd and the now-blooded Anderson?
It would have to be pulled off very carefully.
@@Anthrolithos Is it really R already? It's been soooo very long since I've been concerned by ratings I never look. In that case I guess the reason they don't do it is because of budget, because to pull off a real Death would take a LOT of $$$$$, especially if they also do Fire, Mortis and Fear as well. I've got old volumes of the original comics somewhere and the Four Dark Judges have always been a favourite of mine. I even used Photoshop to colour a b/w picture of Death years ago. So yeah, to say that I'd like a Dredd film with Death as the villain would be an understatement. But he has to be done properly though. He has to be really horrific, just like he was in the comics.
I love Dredd. Watched it at least a dozen times now.
This film is a perfect example how poor marketing and poor distribution can screw up a production that could have easily made 10 times its budget (instead of being at a loss of a couple of millions). Great characters, amazing cinematography (great application of 3D and slow-motion), thrilling soundtrack, jaw-dropping action scenes and every once in a while a joke or two to clear the tension just to prepare you for the next dosage. Sadly due to the poor box office performance I fear we won't be seeing another Dredd in a loooong time. Karl Urban truly captured the bad assness of his character!
Just a note: wasn't a big fan of the 1995 version (especially if you consider the fact that it has 3 times the budget of this one!), also haven't really read the comic strips. So my opinion is purely of someone, who just watched the trailer and decided to give this film a shot.
I feel the same way about starship troopers, if they could have given it a different title, it sounded too much like the power rangers
Oliver, I want to thank you for this review. There used to be a comic book store here in Raleigh, NC USA where I stumbled across 2000AD comics, Dredd and Heavy Metal. I picked up a Dredd comic and instantly fell in love with it. I immediately understood the thick satire on US society and it made me love the title even more.
The 1995 movie just pissed me off, almost right out of the gate with Stallone taking off the helmet. I was one of those you mentioned who had a bad taste in his mouth about that film. When Urban's Dredd came out, I was very hesitant about viewing it when it appeared on Netflix. I watched it. Then I watched it again. Then I watched it a 3rd time, all in the same day. I went out and purchased the DVD/Blu-ray/Digital copy of it on Amazon the next day. I LOVE this film. All involved did a damned good job with it and I am disappointed about the franchise being on pause. I, too, hope it moves forward. Karl Urban did a fantastic job with the character. Thanks, again, for this vid. You're the man.
Thanks for your feedback Rick!
loved this film, karl urban is dredd!! praying a sequell will be made one day??
God I loved this film. Wishing for a sequel that will never come.
One of the few remakes wholly better than the original.
Alfred Valrie i dont really look at it as a remake tho..Its more like a superior adaption of the comic. Like how Batman begins is not a remake of Batman (1989).
If it wasn't a reboot. It would had made a good prequel.
Still not close to the dark satire of the comic. Dredd would be best consumed in small potent doses.
Alfred Valrie It boggles the mind this only made 41 million back.
remake is the wrong name .. this was a judge dredd film done well .. the stalone thing was just a crock of shit
One of the very few films that look better in 3D. I saw it three times in a theater. Dredd and Edge of Tomorrow are some of the best action sci-fi films in recent time.
lewdstep was edge of tommorow in 3D as well!? In so pissed i didnt see in theatre but its because at the time the trailers made it look like some sort of videogame movie. I ended it up seeing it on its bluray release
The other being Dr. strange
Having grown up with 2000AD, and being massively disappointed in 1995 when I finally got to see Dredd on the big screen, the 2012 movie meant more to me than I could've ever anticipated it would.I loved it.
Imagine if that would of been the trailer for this film?
We'd be watching a (studio interfering) Dredd 3 by now
Everyone would of seen that film of the strength of that trailer. Well done man!
Love how you always include concept art in your retrospective reviews, and lots of juicy "behind the scenes" tidbits. Kudos.
Dredd is amazing. I love the subtle details in the judges uniforms that shows how long each has been on the streets with corrupt Lex having the most battle scarred uniform of them all.
Splendid and comprehensive commentary of this sadly underappreciated movie. A film that was great on many levels but was overlooked due to the direction other comic adaptations had gone in. The more upbeat, made for children projects that were prevalent by then made such a gritty and heavy R rated comic movie a risk. Good to know that it developed a fan following afterward with DVD sales. Even if no sequel or TV series is ever made, we the fans will always treasure Dredd 2012 as the remarkable movie it is. Once again, great vid, very well researched and very well presented.
YES!
"In May 2017, a television series named Judge Dredd: Mega-City One was announced to be in development by IM Global Television and Rebellion. In August 2017, Urban stated he was in discussion to star in the series."
Keith Jambora Not heard anything about it since.
@jean carlo cardenas carrillo yep its true
This is one of my favorite review you have done. And a criminally under rated/appreciated film.
Great review! As far as recent action movies go this is by far one of my favorites. The comment about the movie feeling like the creators had freedom and this wasn't being churned out with big studio oversight is spot on.
My FAVOURITE action movie of all time.
Seriously.
SuperArppis Can't fault that taste.
yoooo notification squad where you at! love this movie, glad it was recognized as a instant classic
EDIT: just watched it again not even 10 minutes ago, it'd be a damn shame If we never saw a continuation to this great feature film 😢
*RIP Bill Paxton*
Excellent vid as always Oliver.
Mr Zeus Also, he LOVED guns))
I love this film. It's not about saving the world, it's just about Dredd and his world. Best action sci-fi flick in ages and ages. Also, so much love to Urban for not taking that helmet off. Hope a sequel happens. Sad that the 3D held it back in the theater but I must say it's use of 3D is the best I've seen in a long time too.
I do not agree with you on the music or the CGI. I love it and workout to it a lot. Figured you wouldn't like it though. I don't think themes or big sounds fit Dredd at all so this more minimal soundtrack really works. Also, none of the CGI looks bad to me or takes me out of the film and I just watched it a few weeks ago.
I also liked the soundtrack. It's cool that you use it for motivation for workouts.
I jist doscovered dredd this year and ive remained obsessed. Ive even shown it to my friends.
Damn you Harper. Your reviews just make me buy these films. You're costing me a fortune!
haha sorry Alan!
I've told people that Dredd is Escape From New York for this generation. Such a fantastic, streamlined action flick that, for me, has been a bar-setting film for the action/sci-fi genre. The 3D presentation in the theater was the reason I bought a 3D TV! I couldn't imagine never watching it in 3D again! Great review as always, Oliver!
Even if it's considered by many a failure, I loved this film. It's fast, violent and easy to follow (something other directors could take cues from). The only place I thought it was lacking was Mama's backstory, as they could have fleshed her out some more.
p.s. Good to see you're making retrospectives on more modern movies too.
Man, I love your editing for your intros with the music and everything. Your retrospectives are top notch but those intros are so exciting
thanks dude!
Oliver Harper is the law of reviews and you'd better believe it!
I saw this in 3D in theaters w/o any idea what I was walking into.
The slow-mo effects were breathtaking. The g0re in this movie can be a lot, but even the bl0od was beautiful the way they shot it.
Still an outstanding movie in 2d, but the slow-mo effects aren't anywhere near as enthralling as they were in theaters. Particularly when accompanied by the outstanding score they used for emphasis through those theaters speakers
Been a fan of Dredd since I was old enough to read, and as biased as you might think I must be, I think this flick was perfect. Story was good, pacing was spot on, photography made it look great, not too dark with the perfect balance of colors, and of course Carl Urban performance was worthy of an Oscar, as you said he made the character his own, with an overall respect by everyone involved to the source material, something incredibly rare these days, but this might just be due to the the fact it is an independent production, with no incompetent "experts" dictating retarded changes to a story they known shit about, one of the biggest problems in cinema today.
Also, I'm a fan of the Stallone version of the 90s, I'm positive that if he kept the helmet on it would have been way more successful, making the many "silly" details more bearable or going unnoticed. After all, as serious as the tone is, Dredd, in its exaggerated attitude is meant to be dark/dystopian comedy.
Thoroughly enjoyed and liked this film, was really good and totally happy with how Dredd was portrayed.
This movie bombed but the DCEU films make money? Le sigh. Another great review Oliver, keep it up 😃.
Well to be fair more people know Batman & Superman most have never heard of Dredd or 2000AD @lest outside the UK plus the marketing for this Film was awful :P
True
Yeah, the marketing and lack of 2D showings really hurt the movie. I don't think it'd ever have taken in blockbuster money, but with a $45 million budget it should've easily doubled or tripled that worldwide. Such a shame it got mishandled.
A Netflix series bringing Urban back would be great, and possibly an easier sell.
Yeah, with the first 2 or 3 seasons taking place before the events of the movie, and then, the 3rd or 4th season picking up right from where the movie left off.
Exactly...
The "I Am the Law" speech in this film gave me chills
I'm still so glad I got to see this in theater but I will admit I saw it in 2D because of the stigma I had towards 3D, which I regret because the 3D in this movie was actually stylized
Absolutely fantastic " day in the life of " sci fi actioner! I think I've watched it at least once a year since it came out on DVD.
This movie is a gem. Good pick Oliver!
One of my most treasured childhood possessions was a first edition of 2000AD. It was worn and torn but I loved every page of it.
The ABC Warriors and Strontium Dog are also two standout stories and characters.
Finally checking this excellent video out :) Great work bud
Cheers Dan!
I know this is over 2 years old but, this is an OUTSTANDING, and thorough review. Thank you for sharing your work.
Almost flawless action movie. Very underrated.
One small bit that always makes me laugh, is when Dredd and Anderson are taken to the bodies. All the Inhabitants all gathered.He pukka the sheet off revealing the remains. Then a collective groan and gasps of repulsion..Then someone enthusiastically shouts .".Aww! YOU SHOULD GET A PICTURE OF THAT!!" It's the timing and attitude of whomever says it I guess. It's one of the little bits of world building. Where society is at, and it always makes me chuckle ..Great review Oliver. The Score from Silvestri seemed to fit like a glove. I don't think it's because they are compatible at all is because of your editing skills. You got me exited to go back and see Cyborg awhile back, those skills..Thank ya..
I still don't understand the criticism of being to similar to The Raid, wouldn't both Dredd and The Raid be taking it's concepts from Die Hard? Nevertheless they are both energetic and diversified action films from each other, I love them all. Also great work as always Oliver. 👍👍
Dormammu Having seen both, I can list the similarities.
Same basic plot set-up
Blood
That's really it
Dredd actually started production before The Raid ;)
I watched Doctor Who: Paradise Towers after watching Dredd.
Dredd reminded me of Dirty Harry, Die Hard and Robocop 2.
Wagner based Dredd on one eyed jack-a dirty harry type character he also created for a different comic. How anyone can say it copies the raid or anything is crap - 2000ad had block war type stories running since Judge Dredd started in the 70s so if anyone copied its them!! 2000ad is owed major credit in a lot of films that have ripped it off over the years!! :-D
Definitely a massively underrated film - this really feels like the comic made flesh, which is the entire point.
I also liked that Dredd ultimately passes Anderson despite what happens in the film. Agree that it shows that he does know how to adapt the rules to situations, despite his usual rigid adherence to them.
Excellent review my man. Thumbs up!
*_SUCH_* a tight film. No line of dialogue, no second of screentime is wasted. Urban nails a difficult character, and everyone else is great too. The plot is also effective...the rogue judges development was a great touch. Severely underrated...just wish we could have a sequel.
I'd love to see the exorcist ( 1973 ) from you . Keep up the great work , Oliver :D
Great work as usual Oliver. I had no idea that Carl did his own motorcycle stunts. I'm a biker myself, so that floats my boat.
Underrated for sure
The Slow Mo music is Justin Beiber slowed down by like 800 and Dredd wasn't just written but principal photography was started before anything was done for The Raid. Very surprised you did not mention these. But great as always
Awesome movie, and very much a return to old school 80's and 90's style sci-fi action flicks, reminiscent of John Carpenter, Walter Hill and Paul Verhoeven and even has echoes of Sam Peckinpah and Sergio Leone - I wish Hollywood made more films like this instead of the over-bloated mega-budget CGI garbage they keep churning out!
Marvel, D.C. and Disney disapproved?
Long time Dredd fan here, one of my all time favourite films, I saw it in 3d and 2d in the UK, I've probably watched it 50 times. My wife who is not a 2000ad fan loves the film and often wants to watch it.
I like these more modern movie retrospectives, keep up the good job!
This film is my favorite action movie, also it's incredible what they were able to do with such a limited budged, the only thing they failed at.. was one of the most important ones, promoting the movie, most people did not even know about this movie until they saw it on blue ray or some streaming service.
Paul Verhovven would done a fantastic job on Dredd
Yesss
I grew up reading 2000AD. Would LOVE if they created a universe of all the characters in this style, too much to hope for! Imagine Slaine, Rouge Trooper and Finn each with a trilogy
Still boggles the mind that in a world so obsessed with comic book movies that 2000AD remains so under-utilised. Pearls before swine, I guess.
Swine before pearls
I woulda figured you usually like to wait until a movie at least 10 years old before you did a retro review video but that's awesome dude
it leaves endless possibilities for other modern movies that came out within the last 6-7 years that you gotta do retro reviews on
I'm expecting Robot Jox next! But good one! I actually liked the original film growing up, but then I didn't know much about the source material.
Blue Calm Productions A Robot Jox review would be aces.
I enjoyed Space Truckers, but can't get through Robot Jox. Where am I going wrong? Everybody sez its aces, but it looks ass to me whenever I try, and the acting is so wooden. Set me straight and I'll try again.
Compared to movies now, it's kinda trash, but back in the day when you rented it brand new from Blockbuster? It was mind blowing.
Exactly
I love this movie. Good soldiers who are loyal to one another in battle, watching each other's back. It's all about the code.
Dredd is an incorruptible, devoted, tough cop whom is determined to do his duty and loves and respects the law and will go any length to enforce the law and bring law and justice to the lawless.
I love the soundtrack! Which I suppose isn't terribly surprising since I enjoy heavy loud industrial music. A very good fit with the look and tone they were going for in this adaption.
Yeah me too!
My god this movie is 9 years old... how time flies...
I've always thought that a AAA Judge Dredd video game would be pretty epic.
ALL41REVIEW I could see an interesting RPG set in that universe as you play a Judge you create, and you get to go after crimes boss and pass judgement etc...
They made one for the SNES and Sega Genesis consoles. It scored well.
At around the 8:50 mark when you mention Dredd look, what we saw in the movie is very close to the very first appearance of Dredd (albeit without the body armour) in issue 2 of 2000ad, Carlos Ezquerra drew Dredd with the shoulder pads more tighter to the shape of the body, rather than what the uniform looks like drawn by say, Steve Dillon or Mike McMahon, which is what what they went for in Stallone's Dredd uniform, which for a fun fact, were designed by Gianni Versace.
Edit - The Carlos Ezquerra early uniform style is shown at 23:49 with Dredd and a SJS judge.
2nd Edit - Great retrospective, you've done justice (sorry) to Dredd :) I thought the film was great, Urban nailed it, Turby was fantastic, although the tyres on the lawmaster bike could've been bigger, I mean just look at the batpod :), the violence in the movie was handled very well, the slo-mo effect was very cool and the fact that Rebellion are in the process of making a TV series called Dredd: Mega City One and another 2000ad movie is in the works based on Rogue Trooper helmed by Duncan Jones there's some small hope for the future :)
Good point. However the Versace designs were rejected because they were shit. Emma Porteous designed what was seen on screen.
3 reasons this film didn't succeed: Poor marketing, Shoe-horned 3D, and the last Dredd movie making people second guess it.
I remember when I saw the first trailer and mentioned it to a bunch of classmates, everyone was saying it looked stupid, but I was and still am a huge sci-fi nut so I saw it anyway and OH BOY am I glad I did. It's unfair the whole film had to suffer financially for those 3 dumb reasons.
Dominic's Creative Films I agree on the first two reasons but the 3D was anything but shoehorned. It was an exercise in how to design a film for the 3D format and actually benefit the visuals. So many films since haven’t used the format properly as it’s just so much hassle. Some films have even retrofitted to make a quick buck and the quality has been shite. Shame the format has been tarnished as Dredd was great value in 3D. Be interesting to see if Avatar 2 can resurrect the 3D form (again)
@@johnbarnes888 I probably should've been more specific, but when I said the 3D was shoe-horned, I meant not from a quality standpoint, but more so how they basically forced you to watch the movie in 3D with little to no 2d showings being available. But ya I remember the 3D in Dredd was pretty good (especially the slowmo sequences), but I wouldn't say it was good enough to limit 2D showings.
I love the movie and I am happy you gave it the Retrospective despite being fairly recent. It is very much a movie on another era and it was surprisingly refreshing for me. Thank you Oliver.
This is great British filmmaking.
Thanks for this! I love this move so much.
Does this mean a retrospective on Drive (2011)?
Interesting to see Oliver review that one. It didn't enjoy it. It was really boring. But that's my opinion.
@@danielwilliamson6180 I thought it was boring too. Lots of scenes with no dialog and it really sagged in the middle.
This is the first movie I watched that made me crave cyberpunk and other gritty “urban hell” sci fi media. I put this right next to the matrix in great starting points for the genre
great movie great dredd great review
Thanks Andrew!
Great movie, grew up reading dredd and this adaptation is brilliant and the Easter eggs everywhere and he at least keeps the helmet on cant see a sequel coming but would love it
What an amazing and thorough review. I really enjoyed it, congrats! Also, the movie is great and it's a shame that it flopped.
Cheers Lucas!
You are such a good reviewer, Oliver. You should see my DVD collection.
Can´t belive this movie is almost a decade old. We should at least have 2 sequels by now. But life is not fair, so sad!
A netflix funded animated version of Judge Dredd would be amazing. (Traditional animation not cheap CG carp) It would be a way to keep the unique visual style of the Dredd universe without breaking the bank. It could do for 2000AD comics what Akira did for anime.
One of the most underrated films in the past 10 years. (possibly 20 years) Thank you Oliver.
One of the best movies of 2012 (better than The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises), Dredd seems to be a commentary on the social contract concept. Throughout the film, one gets the sense that the main idea of concern is loyalty. Anderson of course represents this theme extremely well, the essence of her character being defined by her resentment and hostility toward the Judge system for its lack of empathy and rationality - but then this is juxtaposed against the extreme behaviour of the population overall. Ideologically, Dredd is probably a statement not on statism, but that statism is a reaction to a lack of respect between peoples. Dredd himself - played to a perfect appropriateness by Karl Urban - embodies the idea of the importance of the need for symbolism as an inherent concept for humanity. Dredd's perseverance against Ma Ma is thrilling to watch, and though the story needed to become chaotic for that perseverance to play out, the third act is nevertheless able to repair some of the damage done by the film's second act.. Bookended by a reasonable but not spectacular first act and then slightly better but still not spectacular third act, I'm afraid that Dredd's second act seems to fall somewhat to the wayside; it includes important sequences - mainly around Olivia Thirlby - but just seems to feel too chaotic. Perhaps the script should've retained onto its set-up simplicity, about just Dredd and Anderson making their way through the tower block. The suspense would've been greater, and the ideas that the script wanted to explore could've still been explored.. That being said, Dredd is still a landmark adaptation, and both Karl Urban and Olivia Thirlby did great work with the script they were given.
Great choice Oliver!I love this Movie,it is so underrated and karl urban is fantastic in this role.
"i knew you'd say that"
A great review for a movie that I really enjoyed watching. Also, I really liked how you combined the 1995 Dredd trailer's soundtrack with scenes from the new one!
I WANT A SEQUEL, OR A TV SHOW AND IN ADDITION A VIDEO GAME BASED OFF THIS VERSION OF DREDD
www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/judge-dredd/264675/judge-dredd-mega-city-one-pilot-script
This Dredd would suit a video game tie-in. The whole plot is basically a video game level with Mafia Cersei as the final boss.
1995 Dredd is a guilty pleasure of mine