Should I Check This Out - Dredd (2012)

Kicking off my first review is the British-South African science-fiction action film, Dredd. Directed by Pete Travis, Karl Urban stars as Judge Dredd, a law enforcer tasked with investigating several deaths in a large apartment complex, while monitoring the progress of his female partner, Anderson (Olivia Thirlby). However, things quickly fall apart when they are trapped inside by a gang intent on killing them and are left with no choice but to fight their way through to find the one responsible. The premise is that simple, but as soon as the complex goes into lockdown as Game of Thrones' Lena Headey issues the order, the film quickly pulls you in.

Met with generally positive reviews, this is a film worth checking out for fans of the action genre. If you're not, then might want to stay away because this is loaded with bloody deaths, gruesome scenes involving human skinning and explosive set pieces. If that kind of thing doesn't bother you, then step right forward! The film also has moments of deadpan humour, and unlike some of the more recent 12a action films that seem to flood the markets of late, it also has an excellent lead turn with Karl Urban, who daringly never reveals his face. There are no Spiderman moments where the hero's mask falls off; once the mask goes on, it stays on. Something Stallone failed to do in his version, which was met with a less than positive response from fans. It's almost a testament to what the actor can achieve through being able to only see his mouth.

In contrast to the gruff, mysterious Dredd, is Thirlby's Anderson. New to the job of a law enforcer but not to violence she sees, she perfectly captures the character's inexperience and innocence. The two play off each other really well, and Thirlby successfully demonstrates her character's development over the coarse of the film, the same way Urban maintains Dredd's personality.

The supporting cast are also pretty good, particularly the Weasley brother Domhnail Gleeson, as Headey's techy assistant who takes very different direction from his previous work. Headey, herself, is solid as the antagonist and is great when she's onscreen but felt somehow underused. This is evident around the final act, which I felt, wrapped up a little too quickly.

Back to the action, it is brutal and exciting like the original Die Hard but set in the future. This is boosted by a fantastic score and good pacing throughout. There are some nice little twists and turns that managed to keep things interesting and the plot moving. Given the film's modest budget (for an action film that looks as good as this does) of $45 million, the visual scope is incredible. I didn't see this in 3D, but if you have the opportunity to do so, I'm pretty sure it will only boost your viewing experience unlike some other films that I can think of. I'm looking at you, Clash of the Titans.

That said, the budget is evident at times with one or two rather generic sets, and one scene that involves several miniguns that doesn't feel as nearly as destructive as it should. But when you consider the overall picture, it is a mighty fine looking film with some pretty nice slow motion that actually works to the story.

While the future of a sequel looks uncertain, Dredd is a rare example of a remake that is actually good. Boosted by Urban's dry, seasoned performance, this is a great little action film that remains consistently entertaining throughout. Hopefully this won't be the last time we get to see Urban as Dredd.