Dredd Trailer

Apart from the usual Marvel and DC comics I used to read when I was a kid, Brit anthology comic “2000 AD” was also something I followed religiously. The most iconic character from its pages is Judge Dredd, a character infamously played (and botched) by Sylvester Stallone in an ill-fated 1995 version. Now, a much more serious remake has been mounted, with Karl Urban donning — and hopefully never removing — the helmet. In the comics, the helmet stayed on no matter what. I must admit I’ve harboured some hopes that director Pete Travis would be able to do justice (ha!) to the property. And I have to say with this trailer, my hopes have been slightly diminished. The film looks cheap, the production design looks shabby and unimaginative, and the action looks lethargic. And I don’t mean cos everything’s in slow-mo (here, a by-product of a drug of the same name). There just seems to be little life in whatever’s playing out. The only saving grace could be Urban, who sounds like he’s modeling his voice after Clint Eastwood. I hope I’m wrong and this turns out well. I really do.

Here’s the official plot description:” The future America is an irradiated waste land. On its East Coast, running from Boston to Washington DC, lies Mega City One- a vast, violent metropolis where criminals rule the chaotic streets. The only force of order lies with the urban cops called “Judges” who possess the combined powers of judge, jury and instant executioner. Known and feared throughout the city, Dredd (Karl Urban) is the ultimate Judge, challenged with ridding the city of its latest scourge – a dangerous drug epidemic that has users of “Slo-Mo” experiencing reality at a fraction of its normal speed. During a routine day on the job, Dredd is assigned to train and evaluate Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), a rookie with powerful psychic abilities thanks to a genetic mutation. A heinous crime calls them to a neighborhood where fellow Judges rarely dare to venture- a 200 story vertical slum controlled by prostitute turned drug lord Ma-Ma (Lena Headey) and her ruthless clan. When they capture one of the clan’s inner circle, Ma-Ma overtakes the compound’s control center and wages a dirty, vicious war against the Judges that proves she will stop at nothing to protect her empire. With the body count climbing and no way out, Dredd and Anderson must confront the odds and engage in the relentless battle for their survival.”

“Dredd” premieres 21st September.