Courtesy of LionsGate

Though I’m not necessarily a big comic book guy, I still sometimes find myself lamenting the state of contemporary comic book cinema. I suppose that’s because there was a time when I more easily connected with superhero movies. Years ago, these films were cut from a different mold. For instance, Tim Burton’s Batman is a character-driven picture that hits all the right notes. Yet, we don’t really see movies like that getting made with any regularity in the modern era.

These days, it’s all about the spectacle. There’s no arguing that the films currently getting greenlit appeal to the masses, as shown in the global returns. Yet I can’t help but miss the days when comic book movies were considerably more grounded. There have surely been some recent adaptations that went against the grain, but they rarely seem to perform at the same level as the standard-issue, over-the-top spectacles that routinely put butts in multiplex seats.  

Dredd is a great example of what I’m talking about. It’s a surprisingly grounded, character-driven effort that should have kick-started a franchise by all accounts. Yet, somehow, it failed to perform to expectations. In fact, Dredd didn’t even recoup its $50 million budget at the box office. 

With that said, this box office bomb eventually found its audience on home video, and for good reason. The film might not be the kind of flashy spectacle that makes movie lovers turn out to theaters in droves. But it eventually connected thanks to a grounded approach that bucks convention by keeping the scope small, focusing the action in a single location. 

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The film catches up with brooding titular character Dredd (Karl Urban), a futuristic law enforcement officer who serves as judge, jury, and executioner all in one. Not long after we first meet Dredd, he takes on rookie recruit Anderson (Olivia Thirlby) to see if she’s got what it takes to hack it as a judge. Though she narrowly flunked the entrance exam, Anderson‘s psychic abilities make her a valuable asset to law enforcement.

Her first shift proves a trial by fire when the pair are called to the notoriously violent Peach Trees high-rise to look into a series of homicides. After a bit of investigative work, Dredd and Anderson identify and apprehend Kay (Wood Harris), a henchman employed by drug kingpin Ma-Ma (Lena Headey). Fearful that Kay will flip, Ma-Ma pulls some strings and locks down the entire high-rise in an attempt to flush out and execute the judges and protect her empire. 

The setup here perfectly melds comic lore with movie magic. Anderson and Dredd’s core character traits are inspired by the comics upon which the picture is based, but the film brings a number of original ideas to the table. Ma-Ma (Lena Headey) and her signature mind-altering creation, Slo-Mo, are both inventions conceived by screenwriter Alex Garland (28 Years Later). And each proves an essential part of the film’s success. 

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Ma-Ma is a ruthless antagonist who fits nicely within the gritty, violent world of Judge Dredd. Headey plays the character as unflinching and nihilistic, taking great pleasure in the awesome power she wields and thinking less than nothing of perpetrating brutal, unflinching acts of violence against anyone who stands in her way. 

Equally impressive is the introduction of the mind-altering substance that Ma-Ma peddles. Slo-Mo does exactly what the name suggests: it slows down time. It also appears to induce a euphoric effect because it’s a drug, so, of course, it does. What’s really important here, though, is the way the substance fits into the narrative. Due to its time-slowing properties, we witness a variety of deaths unfold in slow motion. Director Pete Travis works with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (and a team of effects artists) to realize these sequences in brutal and glorious fashion. We see time nearly stand still as bullets penetrate flesh, with arterial spray shooting out in all directions.

For the film’s target audience, the gory send-offs are a primary selling point. So, coming up with a practical reason to linger on the viscera gives the audience exactly what they want without coming across as gratuitous or unnecessary. Better yet, this aspect is presented in a visually stunning fashion. Travis juxtaposes artistic visuals alongside unspeakable acts of ultra-violence in a fashion that comes across as both creative and breathtaking.

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I am also endlessly impressed with Paul Leonard-Morgan’s industrial score. Travis uses the composer’s musical renditions to accent several especially intense scenes, with the notes often mimicking the beating of a human heart. That pulsating effect seamlessly adds to the inherent tension, subconsciously getting the viewer’s blood pumping in the process. 

It’s not just the score that’s punchy, though. Dredd also stands out for its unusually short but effective runtime. It’s not uncommon for a comic book adaptation to run well over two hours, or more if it’s an Avengers movie. Here, the credits roll right before the 90-minute mark, with the full feature clocking in at just over an hour and a half. Dredd gets in, it entertains, and it gets out. That’s my kind of movie. 

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I could go on for hours about why I love this film. However, I’ll quit while I’m ahead and close by saying that even though we never got the sequel we deserved, I am still grateful that Dredd exists at all. It’s a surprisingly grounded comic book adaptation that stays true to the gritty tone of the source material while introducing new themes and characters unique to this incarnation. I only wish that people would show up to see films like Dredd when they play in theaters. If they did, we might see a paradigm shift back to the days of more grounded comic book adaptations.

If you, like me, are still sore that we never got a Dredd 2 where Karl Urban reprises the role, do yourself a favor and check out the hilarious video below that comically commands a second installment. 

Categorized: Editorials