JUDGE DREDD
A film review by Ed Powell
Copyright 1995 Ed Powell
OVERVIEW --------
During the Third Millennium (2000-2999 A.D.), the world has undergone some bad times, and is now a desert wasteland. In order to survive, the American people have gathered into four or five gigantic cities, or megacities. To keep order in the megacities, the government is now a police state, and the police are judge, jury, and executioner. They are ... the Judges. (In other words, a generic action/sci-fi movie.)
Judge Joseph Dredd, a genetically-engineered man that is the perfect Judge. He gets wrongly accused of murdering a TV journalist, and somehow manages to find and kill the person who actually did it, causing death and destruction in his wake that no one really seems to mind.
(In other words, a generic action/sci-fi movie.)
Sylvester Stallone plays Judge Dredd.
(In other words, a generic action/sci-fi movie.)
COMPONENT BREAKDOWN -------------------
* Story and plot Have a mentioned that this is a generic action/sci-fi movie?
Actually, there was a plot, and it wasn't too bad. The story was above average too. Not Oscar material, but not too bad. Whatever it was, it was better than BATMAN FOREVER.
* Writing
The script seems as if it was directly converted from the comic book format. The dialogue was stilted at times, but was overall above average.
* Acting
I thought the best actor in the film was Rob Schnider. In this film, he had a bigger role than he had in DEMOLITION MAN (which, oddly enough, also starred Sly Stallone), and he made the film hilarious when people weren't being shot, blown-up, or insulted.
Sly conveys the emotionless Judge Dredd well enough (although I have not read any of the comic books). The rest of the acting was average.
* Design
The film employed an incredible amount of matte shots and models, which were of high quality, and conveyed the sense of a dark future well. The building models I can best describe as a futuristic, multi-layer "Batman" style.
The weaponry, vehicles (especially the taxis), and other props were quite stylish, and worked well with the film.
* Effects
Really nothing special. Some good computer animation. A few neat visual effects. Buildings blew up real good. Average.
* Direction
Again, average ... nothing special. Won't win any major (or minor) awards, but it was adequate.
* Family value
*This* is the film's shortcoming. This is definitely *not* family material, definitely not for kids. Rare is the scene where someone isn't being shot, blown-up, or insulted. As much as I hate to say it, take your kids to see POCAHONTAS or something. And as always, thank you for not poking my hontas. :-)
OVERALL -------
If you like fast-paced, blood and gore sci-fi/action flicks, go for it. I was entertained for its 105 minute run-time. This is the average action flick--entertaining, funny, but not Oscar material.
Produced by Edward R. Pressman, directed by Danny Cannon. A Hollywood Pictures release.
RATINGS (out of ten)
--------------------
Plot/Story: 7
Writing: 6
Acting: 6
Design: 7
Effects: 6
Direction: 5
Family Value: 1
TOTAL: 38 out of 70 (Overall: 5.429)
(This can't be right, it scored less than BATMAN FOREVER....)
-- Ed Powell, MSTie #27968
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