Dredd 3D

So this seems like a rather obvious disclaimer, but anyone expecting the comic action of the previous (Stallone) Judge Dredd incarnation are going to be rather surprised by this one... Gone is the comedy sidekick, action parody villains and 90's whimsy. Instead, 2012's Dredd has opted for violence that would feel more at home in a horror film, a storyline with drugtaking at it's core, and an 18 certificate.

At it's heart, the plot is a relatively simple one (and actually, all the better for it). What starts as a routine drugs bust with a new rookie partner (sorry, I should have issued a cliché alert), rapidly escalates into a lethal fight-against-a-gang-to-get-to-the-top-of-the-building (again, nothing terribly new here - keep an eye out for last year's 'The Raid') to cast judgement on the ruling drug-lord who's lockdown of the apartment block has them trapped. Now although Dredd 3D doesn't necessarily bring anything new to the genre from a story point of view, the film-makers have certainly made very particular choices in an effort to make sure that the finished product still feels fresh. Confining the action to a single (indoor) location has obvious advantages from a filming and production point of view, but it also allows for even more spectacular explosions, and indeed gives a better perspective of the action in 3D (which is the only way it is possible to watch the film). Aside from those points however, the story centres on the manufacture, distribution and ultimately, taking of a new super-drug (Slo-Mo) which alters the perception of time to 1% of normal. Sounds standard enough, but it's addition seems to come with the sole intention of being able to whack the colour saturation up and switch to some luscious uber-super-slow-mo sequences. Visually stunning, but it does make for pretty gruesome viewing during particular shoot-out scenes.

Erm... run!

Overall, I'm struggling with Dredd 3D. Truth be told, my judgement is going to go against the opinions of the majority, but then this kind of gruesome violence (no matter how "beautiful" as someone described it to me) simply doesn't appeal to me. The film itself is actually relatively enjoyable (despite the clichés), but the vivid depictions of being skinned alive, or having your brain melted from the inside out just don't quite 'do it' for me. What a girl.