DREDD (2012)

I finally saw this. It came to Netflix and since I already have Netflix, I decided to watch it. After the 1995 Stallone debacle I saw little hope in them getting Dredd right. I grew up reading Dredd. If they released a comic book with him on the cover, I bought it. Simple. Dredd was one of those foundations you could always count on. You always knew where you stood with Judge Dredd.
Now I have seen the movie.
Never in the history of movies from comic books have they ever gotten it this right. This is like reading a Dredd comic. every beat is dead on perfect. It's a live action perfect duplicate of Judge Dredd.
Throughout the film I kept waiting for the helmet to come off. Karl Urban is a decent looking fella. Every other actor in the world takes off the mask in superhero movies. why would this be any different?
The helmet never left his head.
Karl Urban is the best actor in the world.
He left the helmet on because he knew how important it was that he did. No vanity. No ego. Just an actor doing what the part requires and doing what needed to be done.
But, it's also about Judge Anderson. The psychic Judge who is there to prove that she can get the job done. Olivia Thirlby does a spot on Judge Anderson. She knows that Dredd doesn't approve of her. She knows that in his eyes she has already failed.
Thirlby shows us every facet of Anderson. Her determination because she knows she's different. Her smoldering sensuality in a uniform that covers her completely from the neck down and is far from flattering for the female form. She is Judge Anderson.
I thought it was genius that most of the film is contained in one locale. It becomes more what makes Dredd tick and what lengths he will go to to uphold the law.
He says the line once and it is perfect.
Should I have seen this in the theater?
Probably.
Will I buy it?
Absolutely.
IN a movie/comic book world where they make Hawkeye wear a different costume, where Hank Pym will not be inventing Ultron, where Superman does things that the real Superman would never do...there is Dredd.
Dredd is perfect.
If you have no idea who Judge Dredd is then I feel sorry for you. Everyone should see this movie. It is gorgeously shot. Everyone brings their A+ game. Lena Headley (300) brings a psychotic rage to the leader of the bad guys that is chilling to watch.
All comic book movies should pay more attention to Dredd.
It's perfect.
Now, excuse me because I am going to watch it again.