Dredd

[DoctorDodge]

It's no secret that I consider myself to be a big fan of Judge Dredd. Specifically, the comic, not the Stallone film of the same name, which really has to be up there as one of the worst comic book films ever made. So when I heard a couple of years ago that DNA Films were making a new film, I was initially excited. But since then, a number of reports has made my anticipation for a decent Dredd film go up and down. A recent report that a showing of the film at Cannes went rather well could've been exciting if it weren't for the fact that it was by one of the film's major financial backers. With no trailer and no real reports from anyone not deeply involved in the film that it'll be any good, I was prepared to ignore it.

And then I read this:

John Wagner, the man co-created Judge Dredd, has given the new Dredd movie a thumbs up on his Facebook page:

“I went up to London yesterday to see the completed Dredd film. I’ve had reservations about certain aspects of it, and made them plain to the team at DNA. All but one of them – a little quibble at the beginning – have been addressed. And what a lot they’ve added. Music is on the button. SFX are excellent. Filming is impressive. I’ve not seen a modern 3-D movie before but I like it. I found myself reaching out trying to touch things that were dancing before my eyes. Karl is a great Dredd and Olivia gets Anderson completely. This is Dredd as it should be done – true to character, visceral, unrelentingly violent (but not off-puttingly so). It will open, I believe, sometime in September. No doubt you’ll let me know what you think when you’ve seen it, but this has my recommendation.”

John fucking Wagner has said that this film is gonna be good. For anyone who doesn't know, Wagner isn't just the co-creator of Dredd: for 35 years, he has remained as the writer for Dredd's world. He's written so many definitive classics of the strip - The Apocalypse War, Necropolis, and of course, America - that he's closer to Dredd and his world more than anyone. When the last film was made, Wagner wasn't half as positive about it. This quote has officially pushed me from being cautiously optimistic of Dredd to being hugely excited about it! Now I just wish the bastards would release a fucking trailer already!

Link to article here. (http://www.sfx.co.uk/2012/05/28/john-wagner-very-positive-about-dredd/)

[DoctorDodge]

Ok, while I'm still waiting for the trailer, I just thought I'd post this photo that's recently cropped up:
http://www.movies.ie/attachments/e450641d-5f10-4889-b610-5017a9f7d96c.JPG

Ok, I don't know about you guys, but I'm really liking the look of this photo, more than the others that have cropped up the past 18 months. No trying any tricks with the lighting, no dodgy shots. In this pic, Urban truly looks Dredd. I'm also liking the costume, too. While there seem to be a number of small changes - I kinda miss the eagle, if I'm honest - all seem practical, and it seems to get the gist of Dredd. Most importantly though, while I'm glad it looks practical, I'm also glad that they kept the X on the helmet. It sounds unimportant, but really, it's one of the key parts of Dredd's look. I only realised how much yesterday when looking at my collection of massive Dredd Case Files volumes, and on both the side and the back, out of only two colours, the distinct shape of the helmet is there. The reason you can see the helmet shape is the X. So even for that much, that's one key thing this film has over the previous Stallone shite. Hopefully, Urban can match the costume and truly be Dredd. It's a lot to ask for, but I do hope they can pull it off.

Ok, now just a trailer and a poster to wait for!

[fernandito]

I freaking love the way the armor/suit looks, still a bit skeptical of the helmet though.

[DoctorDodge]

Understandable, but like I said, it could work if Urban can pull it off (not literally, fingers crossed) and make us believe that the helmet is his face. He hasn't been in many great films, but he made a damn good McCoy in Star Trek, so he know how to be respectful to the original source material while still giving a great performance, at least. It'll be a challenge, but a necessary one, if you want a respectful adaptation. Time will tell, anyway.

EDIT: YES!!!!

http://www.joblo.com/posters/images/full/Dredd_poster_big.jpg

[fernandito]

A few new images


http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2012/06/12/check-out-these-new-stills-and-poster-from-dredd/#more-161898

[DoctorDodge]

I've gotta say I'm really am liking those images. I especially like the pic that gives us a good look at Mega-City 1. It's not as PACKED as it is in the comics, or at least, it doesn't look it, but it looks pretty cool. Also like the Sturnhammer block homage to Wulf Sturnhammer from 2000AD strip Strontium Dog, very nice.

And I still can't believe I haven't even tried to look for that leaked script yet. I guess even I have my limits when it comes to spoilers! :lol: Really though, i'm just itching for a fucking trailer already!

[fernandito]

It's a bit ominous that they haven't released a trailer for this yet as it's only 4 months off. Usually by this time, a film like this has at least one trailer out already.

I'm thinking that they're going to be extremely stingy with the advertisement $, which is never a good sign. A film like this needs to be promoted decently to have any chance of box office success.

[DoctorDodge]

Agreed. As much as I am looking forward to this film, mostly due to Wagner's recommendation, (who flat out told the director of the Stallone film that they were "filming the wrong fucking story",) I've gotta admit that I do think that, whether it's good or not, chances are it probably won't do well at the box office. At best, it may make some of its money back, at worst, a total flop. I've been itching for a trailer for a while now, and even I think it's ridiculous how long it's taking them. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to see it do well, almost as much as I want it to be a spiritually faithful Dredd flick, but I'm not sure many people are aware of it, atm. Hell, if I wasn't going on about it so much, I doubt many on this board would know about it at all! :lol:

In the meantime, let me know if you want any recommendations to read as prep, just to get a good taste of what the comic's like.

[Brainslinger]

Hi,

I just cam across this, as I don't frequent this area of the forum normally. Anyway, Trailer will be around tomorrow on the Machinima website (http://www.machinima.com/). I'll post a direct link then if someone hasn't beaten me to it!


A High- res taster for tomorrow's trailer:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrHfq0QWFoE&feature=player_embedded

Not a lot to see but it looks fantastic! I had reservations over the more contemporary looking vehicles, (and I'm still unsure) but I think they might just work in the version of the Meg they're trying to make.

I was also worried that Urban might take Dredd's voice down the Bale Batman route, but it sounds just right in that clip. Rough and gravelly but not over the top.

Roll on tomorrow!

Oh, and Dodge - you might know this already by now as there have been other pictures, but the eagle is on Dredd's right shoulder. It's not the statuette of the comic though. It's more of the badge style. From a practical point of view that makes sense not to have pointy bits jutting out.

You can see it here. (http://www.geeksofdoom.com/GoD/img/2012/06/2012-06-11-dredd1.jpg)

[fernandito]

Oh man, that looks fucking awesome! James is going to go apeshit when he sees this :lol:

[DoctorDodge]

What makes you think I haven't? :lol: Now I just need to hear it: computer at work has no sound on it, dammit!

EDIT: ok, yep, from the tiny amount of footage I've seen...yes, first time I watched it, I went into MEGA EXCITED HYPER OBSESSIVE FANBOY MODE, and still was the first few times after that, and that was with the sound off. Watched it at home, with the sound on...ok, agreed with Brainslinger on all points. It does initially look considerably closer to modern day than the world of Mega-City 1 in the comics, which I only really have a problem with from the vehicles, they do look too modern, as Wagner said. However, that's hardly a dealbreaker, and everything else looks AMAZING, particularly how the SLO-MO scenes seem to be handled. Really excited about the trailer tomorrow.

Oh, and as for Urban - the biggest reservations I've had about the film was whether he could play Dredd perfectly. In recent pics, he certainly looked the part, but does he sound like the Dredd I know?

If he sounds like he does for those 2 seconds for the rest of the entire movie, then I can answer that with a resolute YES.

Right, that's the pre-preview done, now for the trailer! :lol:

[DoctorDodge]

UPDATE: The full trailer has been leaked!

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00051600.html

[stkmw02]

Haha! I was totally going to share this with you! My husband just found it. How silly of me to think you wouldn't find it first. :P

[DoctorDodge]

Now how'd you work out I was a fan of Judge Dredd?

;)

Looking at it (not hearing, have to wait another 2 hours to get onto a computer with sound, darn it), it looks ok. Mega-City 1 doesn't look quite as, well, "mega" as it does in the comics or as claustrophobic, but holy grud, Lena Headey looks scary as main villain Ma-Ma.

It does have the slight problem of having a plot that's really similar to very recent Indonesian film The Raid, so it seems to be getting unfavourable comparison across a few websites. I wouldn't worry, though: hardly anyone I know - on this board or in the real world - actually saw or even heard of The Raid, so I doubt it'll suffer too much from people thinking it's a ripoff. It still has to get past the bad image left of the character by the Stallone flick, though. Trailer for it looks ok, personally I'm hoping it's a really fucking good action flick that does justice to the character of Dredd, at least. We'll see, anyway.

[stkmw02]

Do you think this will be better in 3D?? I choose my 3D movies very carefully and am often disappointed...

[DoctorDodge]

Better? Dunno. If the local cinema shows it in both 3D and 2D, I think you can bet that I'll watch both versions, not just for comparison but also to get past the initial fanboy reaction and judge it fairly. Afterwards, I'll post a review. It comes out in the US a couple of weeks after it does in the UK, so whether it's any good or any different from the usual cult action flick, I'll let you know.

[fernandito]

No sound on my work comp. -____-

[stkmw02]

Well, I can tell you both... the sound is interesting. The song at the start of the trailer didn't do much for me, but by the end I felt it fit well. Judge Dredd sounds a little like he's trying too hard to sound like Batman, imho. But otherwise, I imagine the explosions will sound wonderful in surround sound!

And, btw, I might not be anticipating it nearly as much as you, Doc, but I'm a big fan as well.

[DoctorDodge]

Excellent! And here I was thinking that no American's actually read the comics! :lol:

Cheers for the thoughts on the sound as well. Regarding the voice, the two words I heard in the teaser seemed to sound perfectly Dreddish to me! :D Seriously, I'll let you know my thoughts later, but as long as Dredd is easy to understand and is clearly speaking English, I won't have any problems there.

"I am...DER LEUR!"
Nonono, even better:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6cyDsuNx_U
You know what? Even with the sound off, that still makes me laugh! :rofl:

[Brainslinger]

I know you've posted a link already but here's the larger version from Machinima.*:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PifvRiHVSCY


That was interesting. I quite liked the tune at the start. It had a very Blade Runner sound to it.

While the city didn't look much like the comic version, I thought it had a very interesting look. All the city blocks a far apart with loads of smaller in between giving them a kind of sentinel type aspect.

Action and visuals look fine. I'll admit I winced a bit when Dredd said to Anderson: "It's judgement time". It felt corny. But his soft delivery of "Ma-ma's not the law. I am the law." before delivering the incendiary round... yes please. Put's Stallone's "I. AM DER LURGH!" in perspective.

*Incidentally, I couldn't find it when I went directly to their website. I ended up going to the Dredd website and linking back from there.

[DoctorDodge]

For a link to it in HD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PifvRiHVSCY&feature=player_embedded

Ok, watched it with sound, and...I've gotta say, I think I can get past how modern MC1 looks, because the rest, particularly the characters, looks and sounds amazing. Yes, Urban is sounding a bit like Batman, but the voice does suit the look. Speaking of looks, holy shit!!! He pulled off perfect Dredd expressions from what I could see. Here's one example:

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q46/DoctorDodge/PerfectDredd1.png

That's Judge Dredd, right there. That's what I see from the comic every week. This is why I am so glad they kept the helmet. That just looks fantastic.

And also: Olivia Thirlby, surprisingly, just might make a great Anderson, a character so cool she got her own series. Twice: one that runs concurrent with the Dredd strip, another more recent one with her as a cadet. So again, they seem to have picked well.

There's one or two nitpicks from what I could see ("Judgment time" is just a bit too cheesy for me, tbh), but everything else? I loving the look of what I'm finally seeing, I'll say that much. Genuinely can't wait now.

Where's Fernando? I'm eager to know what he thinks.

[Yaksha]

Have to say this looks pretty badass. And at least Karl Urban can say the word law correctly

[Brice]

No sound on my work comp. -____-


Surely there are ways around that. :)

[DoctorDodge]

I know you've posted a link already but here's the larger version from Machinima.*:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PifvRiHVSCY


That was interesting. I quite liked the tune at the start. It had a very Blade Runner sound to it.

While the city didn't look much like the comic version, I thought it had a very interesting look. All the city blocks a far apart with loads of smaller in between giving them a kind of sentinel type aspect.

Action and visuals look fine. I'll admit I winced a bit when Dredd said to Anderson: "It's judgement time". It felt corny. But his soft delivery of "Ma-ma's not the law. I am the law." before delivering the incendiary round... yes please. Put's Stallone's "I. AM DER LURGH!" in perspective.

*Incidentally, I couldn't find it when I went directly to their website. I ended up going to the Dredd website and linking back from there.

Missed this earlier. Unsurprisingly, agreed on a lot, especially on just how bad the line "it's judgement time" was. However, as you said, the way he said "I'm the law" sounded awesome, so as long as the script is more like that rather than really corny one-liners, it should look pretty cool.

And Yaksha: yes, I'm so thankful Urban can say the word "law" correctly! :lol:

[mystima]

When he says judgement time it looks like they cut out part of the conversation. But this looks awesome...I love movies made from other media a lot. and this looks so cool. can't wait till September.

[DoctorDodge]

Neither can I. In the meantime, if you do want a taster of what Dredd's like at his best, here's a few recommendations:

Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgment in Gotham
This was, essentially, my introduction to the comic proper, and seeing how TDKR is out soon, this seems like a perfect time to read it. Better still, it's an excellent story in it's own right. It's a great way of introducing the world of Dredd to people brand new to the comic by a veteran writer of both characters: Alan Grant, who's quick to show just how much of an arsehole Dredd can be. As someone who had only seen the film before reading this, this effectively blew my mind as to the kind of man Dredd is - not really a hero, borderline antagonistic in Judgment in Gotham, and that made him a very interesting main character. Coupled that with how his meeting with Batman is handled, along with Judge Death playing a prominent role, and you've got yourself a winner.
(Can be found in The Batman/Judge Dredd Case Files)

Block Mania/The Apocalypse War
Now this would look awesome on the big screen. It certainly looked awesome in the comic: block wars running rampant across the entire Mega-City before leading to a war that leads to the death of millions and leaves Dredd constantly fighting an almost unstoppable enemy, this is Dredd at his best. The ending I particularly like as being rather dark and morally ambiguous to say the least. A major turning point in Dredd's run, and one of his very best.
(Can be found in Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 05)

America
My all-time favourite Dredd strip, and just might be one of my favourite comic strips altogether. It follows the life of a single citizen in Mega-City 1 over the years, and takes a rather hard, dark look at the fascist system of the Judges. Wonderfully written, beautifully painted, this is a true classic that has to be read.

That's a few suggestions anyway. They certainly made me a fan of the comic and eventually subscribed to 2000AD, a comic I've now been collecting for nearly 6 years.

[Brainslinger]

I've only been getting 2000 AD for a few years myself* and I've yet to read the first two you listed. I particularly want to pick up the batman cross-over stories at some point.

I have read America though. A great story as you say. Apparently there's a new edition coming out soon. (http://www.2000adonline.com/news/19-06-2012/coming_back_to_america/)

* I met up on Saturday with a bunch of guys from the 2000 AD forums (http://forums.2000adonline.com/), many of whom read it from childhood. We meet up on occasion and buys stuff from Forbidden Planet and, well, drink. This time Pat Mills and Simon Bisley were signing for the new edition of Slaine: The Horned God.

[DoctorDodge]

Fucking awesome, dude! Sounds like another forum I need to visit. And damn, I had forgotten about that signing.

I'm glad they're reprinting America. Looking at it on Amazon, all that's available are really expensive 2nd hand copies. I'm really surprised it's taken them this long to reprint it, tbh. Makes me glad I got it as soon as I could, really. I need to re-read it, soon.

[Brainslinger]

Fucking awesome, dude! Sounds like another forum I need to visit.

Sure, come over! They're largely a nice enough bunch. Our next meet up of the Southern Contingent* will be to see the Dredd film, although no specific date is set yet.

*A Rogue Trooper gag there. The board members tend to base their meet ups on the part of the country their based, hence Northern Contingent/Souther contingent, with a bit of friendly rivalry on the boards. Amusingly, on Saturday's meet up one of the guys brought along a bunch of badges done in the Souther logo style which we all wore. How geeky is that? Heh. It's a lovely designed badge.

[DoctorDodge]

Dude, that sounds awesome! I signed up a while back, but as with most forums (bar this one), I forget to visit often, partly because I was usually behind on 2000AD progs. Think i'll come over soon. Would be awesome to meet with you guys, as well as have an excuse to meet the only other 2000AD fan I know on this board! :D And awesome on the Rogue Trooper name and badges! Actually got a Rogue Trooper t-shirt myself, althought it's a little worn out. Wore it to a convention a few years back, met the creators of Brodie's Law, and the artist drew me a sketch of Rogue based on my t-shirt. Still got it hanging up, so cool!

[Yaksha]

I have only read a few Dredd comics myself which amounts to Tale of a Dead Man and Necropolis. But what I read I really enjoyed. I am gonna have to go pick some of these up to prepare for the movie

And is Anderson gonna be a Psi-Judge like she is in the comics?

[DoctorDodge]

Oh, I love those 2! Pretty much what drew me in to reading the series. Fair amount of continuity though, so I've been reading the Complete Case Files to fill in some stuff, which I buy whenever I can and read when convenient. Actually won the most recent one, 19, by sheer luck last week, which was the only one I needed! Double rainbow!

Awesome sig/av theme, btw! Guessing you like the character of Judge Death, then?

[Yaksha]

Oh hell yeah. I read the Batman Judge Dredd crossover with the Scarecrow and Judge Death when I was a kid and always liked the character and Necropolis clinched it for me. He's such a psychopath

[DoctorDodge]

Yeah, he's a fan favourite of a lot of people. I think that's why a lot of fans, as excited as they are about the actual film itself, many seem to be hoping it'll be good/successful enough to earn a sequel with the Dark Judges. To be fair, I can't say I blame them, but with the budget the filmmakers had, they definitely made the smart move keeping it small.

Oh, btw, saw this and just had to post it here:
http://www.motifake.com/image/demotivational-poster/0908/judge-dread-demotivational-poster-1251494477.jpg

[Yaksha]

Dude Judge Fear just got soul punched

[DoctorDodge]

10 things you need to know about Dredd (http://www.empireonline.com/features/10-things-dredd)

[fernandito]

He looks so fucking brutal in that upper right picture.

One thing I've always wondered - why do notable British comic writers/artists love setting their stories against American backdrops ? Watchmen, Dredd, Hellblazer, Gaiman ... does it suit the tone of the story better ?

[DoctorDodge]

I think so. The thing is, the superhero genre is a very American market. The only British comic book superheroes that I can think of are Captain Britain and Jack Staff, the latter of which is more of an "indie" thing. I guess there's also the American settings, especially New York, leaves more room for superheroes to do cool things, (spidey, I'm looking at you) or even for comics outside of that genre, it has a lot of cooler places for visual storytelling in general. Britain's not like that, the only real key setting is London.

With Judge Dredd though, there is something more British about him than most other comic book characters. For starters, he's not a superhero - he's really a cross between a cop and a fascist. Which leads me to my second point - despite the fact that he's an American character, he was really done as a kind of extreme parody of the Thatcher government in Britain back in the 70s/80s. I think that's why he hasn't been as popular in America as he is over here (the number of exaggerated jokes at consumer American culture, such as the League of Fatties and the HUGE number of fads in MC1, probably didn't help). Really, he started out as a joke. It's a testament to the character that he's still going strong today, I think, UK wise. Partly because there's always something to make fun of, partly because the cross between extreme satire and serious action helped make Dredd an incredibly complicated character, but mostly because he's so ridiculously fucking badass! :lol:

[DoctorDodge]

Had to post this here, after seeing a guy post about what happened when he just missed the screening for Dredd last week:
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/548571_10151073204985985_464454704_n.jpg

Totally fucking awesome!

[Brainslinger]

Yeah I saw that. What a lovely gesture! (I am Mardroid on that forum.)

OH, and.. not movie related, but the latest outcome of Day of Chaos? That. Many.

[DoctorDodge]

Regarding Day of Chaos: I know!

Can't imagine how much lower the number of people living there is going to get with the number of people that might think that, after a nuclear war, a necropolis, and now an uber-violent plague, it might be a good idea to move out of Mega City 1. :P

[Brainslinger]

Too far away for me (http://www.2000adonline.com/news/03-07-2012/what_would_you_do_to_see_dredd_in_3d/), (assuming plane tickets aren't included) but...


Okay, I largely linked to it for the terrific animated poster.

[DoctorDodge]

Dude, that is just awesome! Argh, so wish I could go, too!

One slight niggle, though: anyone else bothered that they seem to have added "3D" to the title? Just seems unnecessary, to say the very, very least. Also sounds like the distributor isn't too sure it would do well otherwise. Look at the BIG 3D movies - Avatar, Captain America, Avengers - and the not so big ones - Piranha 3D, My Bloody Valentine 3D, Saw 3D. Then again, I'm not expecting it to be a huge blockbuster, in fact I think aiming to be such was a big part of where the first Dredd went wrong, but the added 3D to the title just kinda bugs me. Especially as I'll be seeing it in 2D (well, one of the times I'll see it, anyway, and that's if I definitely enjoy it. We'll see, anyway).

[Brainslinger]

My (granted limited) 3D experience hasn't been all that great* but hopefully it will be good in Dredd. It was filmed in 3D from the start rather than being converted, which I understand is the case of most 3D films. I'll agree, it's far from being the most important thing to me.

As for advertising the 3D, I don't mind if it's done in small print like the picture bar in your signature. It was a bit much that article I linked too though. Never mind. As long as it helps get bums on seats...

*I saw The Avengers in 3D, and while I enjoyed the film, the 3D effect wasn't that great for me. Way too blurry. That might have been the fault of the cinema though, I haven't seen enough to judge. I do remember seeing a 3D film on an imax screen in Vancouver years ago, and that was pretty great. It was just a gimicky thing with footage of rollercoaster rides and undersea stuff and, IN YOUR FACE stuff, but it was great fun for what it was.

[fernandito]

The problem with real-3D is that the resolution must be scaled down to make room for the dual overlapping images that create the effect. That's why I will always prefer films in non-3D IMAX settings. The highest resolution possible, with the biggest screen possible.

[Brainslinger]

Dredd previewed at the San Diego Comic Con recently. From the reviews (http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,36445.0.html), it seems to have gone down very well!

[DoctorDodge]

I was just reading the IGN review. Promising, I must say. It's exactly what I hoped: a good action film that does fair justice to Dredd, no more, no less. Hopefully, it'll sell well in the US enough for them to make sequels and expand it a little. For the moment, all we can really hope is that the film is decent, at least.

[fernandito]

I was going to post that on here, but I completely forgot. :lol:

Yeah, I read the IGN review this morning too. The part that got me the most excite was this

"In many ways, Dredd feels like an action film from a simpler time, like Assault on Precinct 13 or Escape From New York..."

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/12/dredd-review

[Brainslinger]

Here's a new clip. Shows that the slow-mo isn't regular slow motion. I hope it's used sparingly though, but it's pretty effective here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=g8lMmRe6Z44

[DoctorDodge]

Agreed. Liked how the colours got brighter in slow-mo. Very brutal, very bloody. Really liking it.

[fernandito]

Convinced my lady friend to watch this with me. IT IS ON.

[Brainslinger]

The yankies* had their chance... now it's ours (http://judgmentiscoming.net/).

*No offence to our American cousins. Incidentally, I'm using 'yanky' in the British way here which doesn't just mean inhabitants of the northern States.

[fernandito]

We're too focused on TDKR over here to really care about anything else haha.

[DoctorDodge]

Understandable, feev! :lol: Definitely looking forward to TDKR, and I know it's gonna be good, but...the thrill of seeing one of my favourite comic characters done right for the first time on the big screen, which all these reviews seem to be pointing towards (of which I've read a lot)...there's something a lot more exciting about that for me, personally. Not that I don't think that TDKR will be a better film on multiple levels, but yeah, i'm really excited about Dredd, especially with all the positive press it's been getting.


Convinced my lady friend to watch this with me. IT IS ON.

Guessing she likes really violent films then? :lol: I mean everything I've heard about this film makes it sound like one of the most ultra-violent comic book movies ever made, and that slow-mo clip seemed to confirm it in spades. Which has got me wondering: will they release a red band trailer? Might be a better way of showing what kind of action film Dredd is than the standard one. (Which I liked, but mostly for getting a first glimpse at Mega-City 1 and Urban as Dredd on screen.)

[DoctorDodge]

This won't last long, certainly not by the time the film is properly released in September, but it has to be pointed out:
100% on rotten tomatoes right now. (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dredd_3d/)

Only 8 reviews, but still, this film is doing even better than I hoped, review wise. Let's hope it is as good as they say in less than 2 months. (Over in the UK, anyway.)

No question that the guys definitely made the right call at screening the whole thing at Comic Con - after months and months of not seeing anything, not even a trailer until last month, the hype that screening has generated just might pay off. For a while, even I was skeptical. Now, this is genuinely the most anticipated film of the year for me! :D

[fernandito]

Just read through the reviews, gotta say I'm really loving what's being said about it so far.

[Brainslinger]

A comic, but related to the film:

Dredd film prequel (http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=39960). Not sure why they're emphasising the 3D but...

Oh an error there- Mama is not a prison warden. She's a drug dealer crime boss in Peach Trees block.

[DoctorDodge]

That (along with the proper comic) will keep me going a little bit until September, then! :D

Btw, this seriously made me laugh. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpRvB5g02vc

Skip to 1:06 to see why, but it's clear that Urban is such a fanboy! :lol:

[fernandito]

http://www.flicksandbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Dredd-movie-poser-2012-judge-dredd-karl-urban.jpg

[DoctorDodge]

Holy shit, that's even more awesome than the last poster. And I'm pretty sure it's paying a little homage to the opening pages of America. Not bad, not bad at all.

Btw, for comparison, first two pages of America:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6UZSP9h3aJk/T4qL4yXR6aI/AAAAAAAAEFA/6voGaVpTHeA/s1600/Judge_Dredd_in_America_01.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DJro5rzldl8/T4qL4a4pTWI/AAAAAAAAEE0/aSe3wMFbzlY/s1600/Judge_Dredd_in_America_02.jpg

[alkanto]

Now that is an epic poster! Still sad that I don't think I'll have anyone to see this with, though. I hate going to movies by myself...

[Brainslinger]

And I'm pretty sure it's paying a little homage to the opening pages of America. Not bad, not bad at all.

Btw, for comparison, first two pages of America:

Good catch! (http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,34200.msg697564.html#msg697564)

[DoctorDodge]

Oh, that's awesome! But yeah, the first two pages of America just leapt out at me, one of my favourite images in comics. So glad they've used it for the new poster (which continues to remain totally fucking awesome, particularly when listening to "I am the Law" by Anthrax).

[fernandito]

I gotta admit, my hype meter for this is steadily rising.

[DoctorDodge]

Glad to hear that Dredd seems to be filling that gap of "Movie I'm most looking forward to watching next" after finally seeing TDKR. I'm just hoping it lives up to my expectations, although the signs do look pretty darn good, both from the reviews and from that 1 minute clip of the film.

Btw, read this earlier. http://www.sfx.co.uk/2012/08/05/isn%E2%80%99t-it-about-time-you-gave-the-stallone-judge-dredd-another-chance/

Some interesting points made. I think the best point made in the defense of it is that its worst point is being labelled as a Judge Dredd film. In its own way, its not completely terrible. Hell, first time I saw it, I kinda liked it. Then I read the comic and was blown away by how awesome it was, which admittedly changed how I perceived the film. It wasn't the Dredd film any of the comic fans wanted, and that was its biggest failing. I'm hoping the new one will please the majority of us, this time.

[DoctorDodge]

Stumbled across this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC1TxmOalaA

Anyone else think, with a little adjustment in sound quality, that this would be perfect as an actual tv spot?

[Yaksha]

Is it wrong that I am still relieved that Karl Urban can say the word "Law" correctly?

Can not wait for this. Beyond excited

[DoctorDodge]

Is it wrong that I am still relieved that Karl Urban can say the word "Law" correctly?

Hold on, let me check:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6cyDsuNx_U

Nope, you definitely have every right to be relieved about Urban saying "law" properly. :lol: Just a little under a month until the UK release now! :excited:

[Yaksha]

Yeah that's what I though

[Yaksha]

Okay Dodge saw this and could not stop laughing


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueYUwcZV-n0&feature=related

[DoctorDodge]

:lol: Dude, that is some funny shit!

[Yaksha]

Yeah I knew you would like that.

[DoctorDodge]

New featurette on Dredd, featuring interviews with not only the cast and crew, but also with creator John Wagner and, best of all, some brand new footage to go with it:

http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/video/exclusive-5129897/dredd-3d-exclusive-featurette-30282728.html

Can't hear anything at work, but I'll say this much: the more I see, the more I like what I see.

And I really hope that awesome old school logo seen in the vid is the way they open the film, too!

EDIT: I've heard the yahoo link might be region locked, so here's a youtube link:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X3hpRgjGXU&list=FLDFRTziGmfISL29PEgiiPAQ&index=1&feature=plpp_video

Now that I've both watched and heard it, I love how they're really pushing what makes the comic so great. Also, the more I hear of it, Urban's Dredd voice is growing on me more and more. And I still love that old-skool logo! :D

[DoctorDodge]

And another decent review: http://www.starburstmagazine.com/reviews/movie-reviewsthe-latest-releases-reviewed/3231-movie-review-dredd-3d

Favourite quote: "Tremendously violent, brutal, loud and unashamedly British, the movie is the ultimate antithesis to 2012’s summer of superheroes. Dredd has no powers except for an unwavering belief that the law must be obeyed and justice served." And that's exactly how it should be! :D

[fernandito]

8/8 positive reviews on Rotten Tomaties, averaging a 7/10 rating.

Things are looking great!

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dredd_3d/

[Brainslinger]

New clip:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjh4ljaZ9Rs&feature=player_embedded

[DoctorDodge]

I really do love the slow build up of "Oooooooh fuuuuuuuck"ness in that clip. Helped a great deal by Lena Headey doing what she does best: being one seriously badass bitch.

Also heard that they've started showing tv spots of Dredd finally in the UK. Haven't watched 'em yet, but it looks like they're really ramping up the marketing, now. Very cool to know.


8/8 positive reviews on Rotten Tomaties, averaging a 7/10 rating.

Things are looking great!

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dredd_3d/

I didn't expect anything less.

Well, ok, maybe I did, especially a year or so back, and it's bound to get a few negative reviews once it's actually, you know, released, but until then, this fanboy is just gonna enjoy the ride! :D

[DoctorDodge]

First tv spot now online. It's called "LEGEN-"

...wait for it...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kBtJYmaxDE

DARY!

[DoctorDodge]

EDIT: Dang double post!

[DoctorDodge]

A link to Alex Garland answering the questions of 2000AD forum members: http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,36741.0.html

Amazing: someone heavily involved in the movie based on a much loved comic book actually giving a shit what the fans think, and being so polite about it, too. Amazing.

New tv spot, too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-NRC5SwPVA

[Brainslinger]

A link to Alex Garland answering the questions of 2000AD forum members: http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,36741.0.html

Amazing: someone heavily involved in the movie based on a much loved comic book actually giving a shit what the fans think, and being so polite about it, too. Amazing.


Yeah, I thought he would just pick his favourites but he went through and answered them all! Even my silly little "I can't really think of anything film related but want to ask something" question (I'm Mardroid on that forum).

[DoctorDodge]

That's just awesome that he answered every question like that! The fact that he does hold the fans opinions so highly is such a great sign!

Btw, Dredd has officially been given a certificate level of 18, of which, I'm strangely relieved. Of everything I'd heard about this film, the level of violence has been the most consistently mentioned. I know there's a lot they can get away with in a 15 these days - after all, look at the Final Destination movies - but still, I'm glad they haven't taken the easy option and made even tiny cuts to make it sell easier. True, it may make less money in the long run, but at the end of the day, I'm just relieved I'll be seeing an uncut, uncompromising Judge Dredd movie.

Also, I can hopefully book my tickets soon. :P

[Brainslinger]

A whole bunch of guys on the 2000 Ad forum have one tickets for a special screening tomorrow. Introduced by Karl Urban himself no less! I didn't win a ticket, but that's probably fair enough as I'm working tomorrow and it's rather short notice!

I'm very much looking forward to the film though. I doubt I'll see it the day it comes out, but I'm hoping to catch it with some of the forum folk very shortly.

[DoctorDodge]

Apparently, Garland thinks that Dredd could work as a tv series. (http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/BatFreak/news/?a=66534) That's an interesting approach. If it was made by HBO or AMC, then yeah, I could definitely see that working. Dredd's a very much "case-of-the-week" strip, so who knows. Let's see how well this does first, though. I strongly suspect it'll be decent - whether it'll be actually successful, especially with Looper coming out a week after Dredd's US release, is another matter.

Btw: another Dredd clip. Probably my favourite so far, as it really shows off just how good Urban is as Dredd. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE6UjtmNZds

[fernandito]

The idea of a HBO/AMC based Dredd TV show makes me happy in all the right places.

A lot is riding on the domestic success of the film, however. Hopefully it delivers financially so that these projects can get off the ground.

[DoctorDodge]

Fingers crossed!

Also: ONE WEEK!!!! :excited:

[DoctorDodge]

Ticket booked for 2pm Friday. Traded the last bank holiday I worked to have the day off. This is gonna be awesome! :D

[DoctorDodge]

Also included this in the RTLMYS thread, but thought I might as well post this review here.

****

Having finally seen Dredd, one thing that’ll leap out is that, despite being based on a comic book character, it doesn’t feel much like a comic book movie, not the traditional kind, anyway. Despite the earliest trailer suggesting otherwise, this isn’t a movie about Dredd saving the world from the evil clutches of Ma-Ma’s empire, or even the entire city – hell, Dredd has never even heard of Ma-Ma before the start of the film, that’s how “major” a criminal she is to the Judges. There's no "origin" story for Dredd, nothing that shows how he came to be the Judge he is today. In fact, Dredd has a lot more in common with a ton of old school cop movies, in particular Dirty Harry and Die Hard – there’s the rookie Anderson he has with him on the case (who of course, Dredd doesn’t initially approve of), there’s the rather casual attitude to violence and the bleakness of the world that he has, mixed in with being trapped in one building and facing hundreds of armed guys in the process. If all of this sounds a far cry from the big scifi epic the Stallone film approached, believe me, it is. And it is all the better for it.

The simplicity of the plot is a great way of slowly introducing not just Dredd but his world to the audience, despite most of the film being set in just one block of Mega-City 1. As I mentioned before, this doesn’t come across as a major deal for Dredd – in fact, by the end of the film, you get the sense that he has to go through this kind of shit every day of the week. But as the film goes on, we get a sense of what living in Mega-City 1 is like: the bleakness, the violence, the harshness of it all, without overdoing it. The only thing that makes this any different for Dredd is that he’s temporarily teamed up with a rookie, and it’s through Anderson’s eyes only that all the violence is a big deal.

Speaking of violence, this film is full of it. Bodies are shot to shit, blown to shit, burned to shit, in fact, if there's any kind of shit possible for a perp to end up in, Dredd sends that perp the fastest way to it. Not only is it cool to look at, but occasionally throughout the film, we’re left to think about the consequences, although the pace is decent enough that it’s not during the film that we think about it, but afterwards. The right shot of the bodies of innocent bystanders that no one reacts to says far more about just how fucked up Dredd’s world is than any kind of overly sentimental wankery dialogue that screenwriter Garland could’ve included. Fortunatly, there really isn’t any of that, and what’s not said about the violence fits the film perfectly.

Moving on from the world, we move onto the characters. Dredd doesn’t come across as a three-dimensional character who develops much, that’s Anderson’s role. What we do get a man who feels like the living embodiment of the law, an uncompromising, unstoppable force of nature. Sure, he bleeds, he’s not superhuman, but he won’t let you know that. Shoot him, and if you don’t finish the job, he’ll just carry on and fuck you over anyway. In short, he’s a total fucking badass. Both Garland’s writing and Karl Urban’s acting really show that they totally get the character in a fundamental way that the makers of the Stallone movie didn’t.

As for the other lead, Thirlby is great as Anderson. Really, it’s through her eyes that we see just how fucked up Dredd’s world is, and as she gets put through a lot of shit on her first day on the job, so too does she emerge almost completely changed by the end of it. Really, it’s kind of an old character plot to use, but like I said, in a film like Dredd, it definitely works.

Another thing I’ve gotta mention: how fantastic it looks. On a visual level, Dredd can look amazingly beautiful at times. Not just because of the Slo-Mo, which looks surprisingly effective, especially with some wonderful use of bright colours that make it look more surreal than the average slow motion in an action movie, but Anderson’s psychic abilities, flash grenades, the lighting in general – at its best, Dredd looks as close to the original comic as you can get while looking fantastic in its own right.

A couple of problems: sometimes, the action can start to get a little samey after a while, not helped by every single floor and corridor looking almost exactly the same like a 70s ep of Doctor Who. And while we are introduced to a lot of Dredd’s world, such as the power of the Judges and how chaotic life in the city is, I would’ve liked to see a bit more expanded on it. This is why I greatly hope for either a sequel or, as Garland suggested, a tv series even, but I know that the chances of either happening for an R rated hardcore action movie aren’t exactly great.

So if this were the only film of Judge Dredd to be made (what, we’re not counting the Stallone film, are we?), would I be upset? A little, but not too much. The plot may not feel like a MAJOR Judge Dredd story, but it does feel like a decent Judge Dredd story, and for that much, we can be thankful. It won’t be the most popular comic book movie this year, and it hardly has much depth, but it is a refreshingly awesome hardcore action movie, old school in the best sense, and one I plan on rewatching asap. 8/10

[Brice]

I am guessing you gave Stallone film a 10, right James?

[DoctorDodge]

Hmmm. Let me see if I can justify my reaction, Brice:
http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/gallery/no/clint_ew.gif
http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/gallery/no/wvnOO.gif
http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/gallery/no/tracey-morgan-nope.gif
To be honest, Brice, I didn't rate the Stallone film that highly.

[Brice]

Oh, clearly only a 9.9 for you then.

[DoctorDodge]

Stallone was as right for Dredd as Lucy Liu is for Watson. (And I still can't fucking believe that's ACTUALLY HAPPENED.)

Anyway, saw it a 2nd time yesterday. Really looking forward to finding out what everyone else thinks of the new film! Just under a couple of weeks until its US release! In the meantime, here's the latest awesome tv spot.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZvfAYdn4DA

[DoctorDodge]

It's official: Dredd is currently no. 1 at the UK box office! Not too shabby, considering only people aged 18 or over can see it!

How does this relate to its potential success in the US? Well, not much. I was kinda hoping it'd do well over here - not enough to make it's money back just yet, this is the UK, after all, but do really well chart wise due to the character's slightly iconic status at least. It won't have that kind of power in the US, so fingers crossed the good reviews and word of mouth can give it some boost, but still, fantastic to know it does well in its own country, at least.

[Brice]

Stallone is gonna be the next Doctor Who with Lucy Liu as companion. :evil:

[DoctorDodge]

Seriously Brice, are you gonna check out the new film?

[Brice]

Eventually maybe. I doubt I'll see it in the theatre though.

[DoctorDodge]

It's awesome stuff, Brice. You're sure to enjoy it for the violence alone: within the first few minutes,

Dredd kills a guy by setting his head on fire from the inside out.

[Brainslinger]

I saw it on Saturday. I met up with some guys from the 2000 AD forum at Leicester Square's Empire cinema for the 8:45pm showing. I arrived early* and a couple of the guys were already there dressed up in Planet Replica (http://www.planetreplicas.com/) judge outfits. They had arranged with the manager to meet there to help promote the film, and lots of pictures were taken with members of the general public. Quite amusing.

Anyway after a bit, the others arrived and the manager had set aside 20 seats for us.

Overall I'd say I thoroughly enjoyed the film. I did start to feel a bit bored somewhere in the middle, but that was only for a little while, then it got interesting and exciting again.

If I had any complaints it would be that the various promotional material on-line did spoil the story for me a tad. I'm not one of those guys that freaks out over stuff like that (seriously, I find the way some people react to minor spoilers ridiculous) but in the case of this film, the story is actually very basic. That's not a bad thing in this case, being an introductory film, but spoilers go further if that makes sense.

A good film. I'll certainly get the DVD or Blu-Ray. (Not that I have a Blu-ray player yet.) Urban, Thirlby and Headey were great in their respective roles. As was that minor character with the ginger hair who played Mama's tech guy.

By the way, you may be interested to know that the prequel comic will be bundled with the next issue of Judge Dredd Megazine. (It should be available soon in the UK but I think those Stateside will have to wait a good while longer.) Or there's the free web version (http://www.scribd.com/doc/104439907/DREDD-MA-MA)... And a motion version. (http://www.scifinow.co.uk/news/dredd-prequel-motion-comic/)

I'm waiting for the Megazine version as I get that each month anyway.


*I wanted to pop in Forbidden Planet before it closed to change a faulty book. If books can be described as 'faulty'. Basically it repeated pages and missed pages out...**

**In case you're curious it was The Incredible Hulk: Silent Screams written by a certain Peter David. A good read by the way.

[DoctorDodge]

Glad to hear you and the guys enjoyed it as much as I did, Brainslinger! Sounds like you had an awesome time, overall! :D

(And yes, not only do I know about the Megazine, but, well:
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q46/DoctorDodge/Snapshot_20120911.jpg
God bless early deliveries!

[Brainslinger]

Glad to hear you and the guys enjoyed it as much as I did, Brainslinger! Sounds like you had an awesome time, overall! :D

(And yes, not only do I know about the Megazine, but, well:
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q46/DoctorDodge/Snapshot_20120911.jpg
God bless early deliveries!

Nice! I usually download the Prog and Meg from Clickwheel (www.clickwheel.net) to save money, but I'm tempted to get the hard copy this month...

[WeDealInLead]

I can't wait for this movie. I read an interview with Urban on bleedingcool.com. It sounds pretty cool. I'm not expecting this will get an Oscar but I'm sure I'll watch it at least twice at the movies.

[DoctorDodge]

I'm really hoping you enjoy it as much as I did, WDIL. Planning to go watch it a 3rd time either tonight or tomorrow! :D

Just a week to go until its release overseas! Eager for all your opinions on this one, guys!

[Merlin1958]

I'm really hoping you enjoy it as much as I did, WDIL. Planning to go watch it a 3rd time either tonight or tomorrow! :D

Just a week to go until its release overseas! Eager for all your opinions on this one, guys!


This looks really good!!! Can't wait!!!!

[Garrell]

Love Simons' take on Dredd, comic fans know what I mean:)

[Brice]

Is it true that this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QspuCt1FM9M is from the soundtrack? LOL

[DoctorDodge]

Kinda: I think what I actually heard is that the composer heard it and tried to match it as much as he could. Amazingly enough, when it is used, it's totally awesome to hear! Never thought I'd say that about anything "inspired" by Justin Bieber! :lol:

[Brice]

For realz! Little did I know he's some kinda' space-aged ambient/techno genius. :rofl: Dude, give me about ten hits of good X and this shit and I'm gone for days.

[DoctorDodge]

Totally! Suddenly, the whole Slow-Mo drug plot of the film makes total sense: if slow motion can make Justin drokking Bieber sound awesome, god knows just how fucking beautiful the rest of reality would be like! :lol:

[Brice]

Maybe this is what he intended all along. Maybe this is what all the teenage girls are really hearing when they play it?

[DoctorDodge]

That's what I was thinking myself, Brice. It would explain a lot if this is how Bieber sounds to teenage girls - they hear songs differently to everyone else.

Or possibly they know how to get hold of some seriously awesome weed!

Anyway, who's seeing it tonight, or this weekend? Eager for new discussion on this one, of course! :D

[Brice]

I am unlikey to see it this month. LOL


And I seriously doubt the teenage girls are getting better weed than I can. ;)

[Randall Flagg]

Just viewed the movie in 3D. Other than 2 or 3 epic shots the 3D isn't needed for the movie. Several scenes have artifacts that I presume would not be present in the 2D version.
The bleakness and distinct lack of sympathy really knocked me out. By my count only 3 "bad guys" received anything less than death. 3/500 is a low percentage. Numerous inventive and graphic approaches to a shooting (Death Sentence) only add to the pleasure. This is dystopia and instant judge/jury/executioner all in one.
I give it 5/6 beers on the Randall Flagg Six Pack Rating System ™.

http://www.thedarktower.org/custom/images/1348347080-5%20%20beers.jpg

[DoctorDodge]

Glad you enjoyed it, RF. And yeah, that ultra-low percentage of bad guys who didn't die in an incredibly brutal way seems to match. :lol: Definitely one of the most hardcore action scifis I've seen in a while, in fact, not only did I love just how brutal it was, it also reminded me why I love R rated scifi films and as a result I've been watching a few classics of the genre the past few days. It's not exactly the very best the genre has to offer, but it is incredibly well done, at least. Again, glad you enjoyed it.

[Brice]

Is it true that this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QspuCt1FM9M is from the soundtrack? LOL

Conversely for those who like their Bieber fix in smaller doses...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD8NacNN4EE&feature=related

[educatedlady]

Conversely for those who like their Bieber fix in smaller doses...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD8NacNN4EE&feature=related[/QUOTE]

That's about as much of the Beeb as I can take. haha

I'm going to try to catch this tomorrow afternoon. It looks great.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

I really haven't read this thread yet, but I'm planning to when I have more time. I saw the movie in 3D yesterday and - I LOVED IT!

[DoctorDodge]

Well, considering how shockingly low the box office has been for the film for so far, (a little over $6 million for its US opening weekend,) hearing another person loving the film puts a smile back on my face! :D In all likelihood, this film won't be getting a sequel, which is a damn shame, as I still feel that so much could be expanded on in a sequel, but on the big plus side, I'm still pretty glad that a decent Judge Dredd movie has finally been made, and while not many have seen it, those who have at least have mostly enjoyed it.

[Randall Flagg]

I had a feeling numbers would be low. We went to a noon showing on Saturday and there were 8 people total in the theater-ouch.

[WeDealInLead]

I was sad to sit in a 1/4 full theatre. I liked the movie. No Oscar winner it is, but it was everything you'd want from Judge Dredd. I hope it makes enough money so the sequel happens. I'd love to see Dredd and Anderson take on Judge Death.

[WeDealInLead]

It scored pretty high on Rotten Tomatoes too:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dredd_3d/

[fernandito]

I'm going to the matinee today, will post impressions later.

Also, it's such a shame that this film did so poorly over the weekend. It pretty much killed whatever remote possibility there was for a sequel. :(

[DoctorDodge]

Agreed, feev. This film really could've benefited from a sequel more than any other film I've seen this year, and that definitely looks like it's not gonna happen now. Worse than that: it's another film that, despite being a "remake" in the very broadest sense, took a big risk by being an action movie that for once didn't aim for the PG-13 crowd. What happens when a film takes a risk like that? It bombs. That's the rather unfortunate message that's being sent to film studios atm. Hopefully, Looper could prove to be a success and therefore break the trend of constant PG-13 scifi action movies. Not that they're all shit, just that Dredd was a solid reminder of why I loved R rated movies like the first 2 Terminator films, the Matrix and RoboCop. I'd hate to see decent films like that gone for good.

Still, at least the people who have seen it have been enjoying it. And I'm sure it'll become a cult classic in years to come, anyway, making its money back from blu ray/dvd sales, at least. Like WDIL said, it's everything you could want from a great Judge Dredd movie.

[Still Servant]

It saddens me to see Dredd doing so poorly at the box office. I think there are a few reasons for this. One is the September release. Two is the lack of a big name in the cast. Third is the R rating which was discussed earlier. Dredd is actually getting good reviews, but it's going to make a fraction of the cash that other horribly bad PG13 movies make on a weekly basis.

It's a shame that this country is so hung up on these ridiculous rating systems. There's probably just as much violence in Dredd as there is in The Avengers, but because there is no blood spilled in The Avengers and they don't say any naughty words, it's PG13. Violence is violence. I know the term the studios use for films like Avengers is "cartoon violence" but that's a bunch of BS.

[DoctorDodge]

It is a damn shame, but I think I've learned to accept that Dredd won't be getting a sequel. It's difficult - as I've said, this is one of those films that could really benefit from a sequel that not only expands but also subverts what's already been setup - but it'll have a healthy life on dvd and blu ray as a true cult classic. Considering at least 2 of my all-time favourite movies were exactly the same - underappreciated at the box office but massively appreciated when it comes to video, dvd and so on, I'd have no problem whatsoever with Dredd joining them, if that were to happen.

Not to mention I've got plenty more of the awesome comic to read, anyway! :D

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

I just got a 3D DVD player and TV, so I can't wait for DREDD in Blu-ray 3D!

[Still Servant]

It is a damn shame, but I think I've learned to accept that Dredd won't be getting a sequel. It's difficult - as I've said, this is one of those films that could really benefit from a sequel that not only expands but also subverts what's already been setup - but it'll have a healthy life on dvd and blu ray as a true cult classic. Considering at least 2 of my all-time favourite movies were exactly the same - underappreciated at the box office but massively appreciated when it comes to video, dvd and so on, I'd have no problem whatsoever with Dredd joining them, if that were to happen.

Not to mention I've got plenty more of the awesome comic to read, anyway! :D

The thing that bugs me is that they are making a US version of The Raid: Redemption, which has a very similar storyline to Dredd. They will fill it with a bunch of big actors and just blow shit up and it will do great at the box office. It won't be as good as the original Raid and it won't be as good as Dredd, but the box office will be huge.

My hope is that Dredd makes a lot of money overseas. Other countries aren't hung up on violence like we are and the international market is booming for film. Places like China are going crazy for American movies right now.

[fernandito]

Saw it today : wow wow wow. What a great fucking movie man. It's just so goddamn ... COOL. It's unabashedly violent, and dripping with atmosphere. I'll write a full review tomorrow when I'm a little less tired and faded, but suffice to say (for now) that I loved it.

[DoctorDodge]

The thing that bugs me is that they are making a US version of The Raid: Redemption, which has a very similar storyline to Dredd. They will fill it with a bunch of big actors and just blow shit up and it will do great at the box office. It won't be as good as the original Raid and it won't be as good as Dredd, but the box office will be huge.

My hope is that Dredd makes a lot of money overseas. Other countries aren't hung up on violence like we are and the international market is booming for film. Places like China are going crazy for American movies right now.

I know. Actually just re-watched The Raid the other day, awesome film. But you're right, there's no way an American remake could match either it or Dredd. And you're right in that it'll be more successful at the box office than Dredd.


Saw it today : wow wow wow. What a great fucking movie man. It's just so goddamn ... COOL. It's unabashedly violent, and dripping with atmosphere. I'll write a full review tomorrow when I'm a little less tired and faded, but suffice to say (for now) that I loved it.

I know, right? Right from the opening titles that smash their way through the screen (actually a little before, when Dredd puts on the uniform covered in shadow), the film is just pure awesomeness. Looking forward to the review, Fernando! So glad you finally got to watch it!

[DoctorDodge]

Ok, now that quite a few of us have seen it: favourite moments? Seriously, I've been dying for some discussion on this film, not on the level of depth that I give on the Lost or Life on Mars threads, but for the sheer number of ridiculously fucking badass moments there are in the film. Seriously, that's my favourite thing about this film: it's not worried about being too awesome like so many action films do these days, especially with its lead character. This is definitely shown in my personal favourite moment when Dredd takes out Ma-Ma's lead henchman halfway through the film. Now, let's face it, since the dawn of action movies, it's usually been expected that the hero won't take out the villain's main henchman until right before the villain himself at the end, maybe a little while before (or in Die Hard's case, a little while after). And when it does happen, it's some big fight scene where the hero nearly gets killed (which does happen, albeit with the corrupt judges later in the film). But no, Dredd is just so ridiculously awesome, that he not only quickly disarms the guy off screen, he doesn't even give him any dignity when he deals with him - you just see Dredd pushing him, throws him over a ledge, and walk away without even a one liner. The look of "Oh shit..." on Ma-Ma's face, the fact that you barely see Dredd before he's covered in smoke again...just a perfect moment of badassery!

It's moments like that that make me sad to know that this won't get a sequel, or that there aren't many films like this around these days. :(

[WeDealInLead]

Man, only 11 million. Even Resident Evil made 3 times that.

[DoctorDodge]

New trailer for the upcoming blu-ray release:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=225Glg5CoVY

So cannot wait to watch this film again. There's just so much I love about this movie. Again, such a shame so few people saw it. Still, won't stop me being glad that it actually got made, at least.

[DoctorDodge]

Watched it 3 times on blu ray this week. :D While I don't think the HD quality is the best I've seen, and I'm really disappointed with the UK release especially due to a few missing extras, I still love how goddamn beautiful this movie is.

Ma-Ma's death especially only gets better in rewatch. The music, the colours, the shots, the bloody end...still have no words for how great that is.

Oh, and while you all know my thoughts on Stallone's Dredd, that doesn't stop this from being pretty fucking epic:
http://youtu.be/tpEshNXqoY4

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

Just got the 3D Blu-ray and the soundtrack CD. I'm happy.

[DoctorDodge]

It's a pretty awesome soundtrack, isn't it? Sounds like John Carpenter mixed with Trent Reznor. Mega-City 1 I love especially for the sheer build up of it.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

I do not know who Trent Reznor is, but if his stuff is like the Dredd soundtrack, he must be pretty darn good. The theater walls were shaking with the music when I saw it.

[DoctorDodge]

Main singer/songwriter of Nine Inch Nails. Also has done soundtracks for The Social Network and the US adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Love his earlier stuff.

I know what you mean about the music making a real impact. Liked how it would go from hardcore to beautiful so easily, particularly during the slow-mo sequences. I think a genuine surprise for me was the song that the tech guy was playing: it was the theme song to one of the most bizarre and brilliant British comedies I've ever watched, Snuff Box. A great little bonus for me when I heard that! :lol:

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

Oh yeah, Nine Inch Nails! Love 'em!

[needfulthings]

http://imageshack.us/a/img820/5042/img560g.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img195/8953/img561x.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img39/8863/img562.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img818/143/img563r.jpg



http://imageshack.us/a/img541/3573/img564o.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img826/7407/img565g.jpg

DOES THE U.K. VERSION TAKE PLACE IN THE U.S.A.?

http://imageshack.us/a/img716/2488/dscn7027e.jpg

[DoctorDodge]

The comic? Yeah, it's always taken place in America, on the east coast. In fact, the new film was actually pretty much made by some of the Brits who made 28 Days Later, with the help of some of some South Africans who worked on District 9. It's why it got a lot of the core concepts right - such as Dredd being faceless the entire time and the high level of ultra-violence to show how shit Mega-City 1 is.

I'm curious about that novelisation of the Stallone Judge Dredd, actually. Wondering if it's any better than the actual film itself. It actually kinda appealed to me, the video cover looked just like what little I had seen of the comic when I was a kid. Then again, this was the VHS cover in England:

http://www.movieposterdb.com/posters/05_05/1995/0113492/l_16010_0113492_64a80a63.jpg

[needfulthings]

Thanks for the info I had not read the comics or the paperback and was not sure where Mega-city was. Assumed U.K. being a U.K.comic THANKS AGAIN

[DoctorDodge]

Any time. Really, I think an American setting was chosen because, if you want a MASSIVE urban landscape and cops with guns, it's more believable to have a cop story like that in future USA than on our tiny island. Although there is a Brit-Cit in the Judge Dredd universe. I absolutely love that even our own cultural stereotypes are used: whereas the American Judges uniform uses clear symbolism of the Eagle as a shoulder pad, for Brits of course, it's lions.

http://th09.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2011/192/6/9/brit_cit_judge_by_skupilkinson-d3n6y1s.jpg

[DoctorDodge]

Btw, for those only with some serious cash: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/propstore-auction

A little sad, really. Just another clear sign that the sequel's not happening. I do hope that, somehow, the story of the Garland version of Dredd gets continued somehow. Even through animated films, perhaps. Just not through comics, though. I mean, seriously, what's the point?

[DoctorDodge]

It's not like I didn't know that this was going to happen...but it doesn't make it any easier.

Producer: 'Dredd 2' Officially Dead, Could Live On As A Short (http://geek-news.mtv.com/2013/03/26/dredd-2-short-film/)

Damn. I'm still so bloody grateful for the one film we did get being so bloody brilliant. Yes, it could've greatly benefited from a sequel expanding on the world we caught such a tiny glimpse of, but maybe a short will help with that. A little, at least.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

That's too bad. By a strange coincidence I just finished listening to the soundtrack today. I still haven't watched my 3D DVD yet. I'm waiting a while so I forget most of the movie and can enjoy it all over again.

[DoctorDodge]

Understandable. Watched it so many times first week I bought the blu-ray, of course. :lol: I'd love to watch it in 3D again, though. Speaking of which, for some good news, it actually won an award recently - The Art of 3D in the Empire film awards. Beat the likes of Prometheus and The Hobbit. Can't say I'm surprised - it's the only 3D film I've ever seen that has even made me remotely consider getting a 3D telly to watch it.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

The 3D in DREDD was fantastic. The other two you mentioned had okay 3D, the HOBBIT's especially dissapointing, although I did like all 3 movies. I loved PROMETHEUS, 3D or 2D. Another recent film that has fantastic 3D is JACK THE GIANT SLAYER, which went right to the top of my favorite movie of the year list when I saw it. But the year is still young! (I wish I was still young too, but one can't have everything)

[Brainslinger]

I'm glad to see someone else liked Prometheus. I mostly read disdain for that film on the web.
Mostly.
(See what I did there?)

[DoctorDodge]

I will say, I did enjoy it, but only because I had zero expectations for it. I couldn't believe the amount of hype it received. I've enjoyed Ridley Scott's movies before, but it's only Alien and Blade Runner that I've loved. In fact, the biggest reason I saw Prometheus was because The Raid was gonna be shown straight afterwards, and I had nothing else to do until then. Prometheus is full of plot holes and more than a few cliches at times, but I don't think it's the greatest crime against scifi as others thought. It's enjoyable enough so long as you accept it for what it is. In a lot of ways, it's the exact opposite of Dredd: unless you were a fan of the comics and kept up with the production details, no one expected it to be any good, and yet got loads of praise from the people who did see it at least.

[fearless-freak]

i take it you've all seen the Judge Death costume?

oh and on another note the Judge Dredd fan film Judge Minty is now online

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aavS_XUITXU

[DoctorDodge]

I've heard about that. Definitely gonna check that out later. Gotta love that they referenced it in Dredd. :D

[fearless-freak]

go to any comic con and you may come across someone dressed as Judge Dredd, but now someone has created the worlds first Judge Death costume based on the design of Brian Bolland

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj28/dark_judge_death/JudgeDeath35_zps86bb19de.jpg

an no photoshop elements either

[fernandito]

The special edition finally went down from $30 to $20 so I'll be picking this movie up shortly. Can't wait to experience it again.

[WeDealInLead]

Holy shit,that Judge Death looks incredible.

[fearless-freak]

i know one of the guys who did this over at the Hellbound Web and even though its not officially endorsed by 2000AD hopefully there will be a Dark Judges fan film

[Brainslinger]

i take it you've all seen the Judge Death costume?

oh and on another note the Judge Dredd fan film Judge Minty is now online

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aavS_XUITXU

I just caught this recently. It's really rather good isn't it? It's under half an hour yet has the feel and plot of a longer film. The comic faithful judge costumes work very well (not that I'm knocking the ones in the Dredd film, they're both good) and the CGI is excellent. I've seen TV shows and full films with worse!

[fearless-freak]

i'm hoping they'll do a sequel to Judge Minty

[fearless-freak]

looks like Dredd 2 could be back on

[Brainslinger]

In the mean-time... (http://stephenreid.wix.com/thedreddproject)

(That's a link by the way. Should be obvious as a emboldened and underlined it as it's not always easy to tell on these forums... ;) )

[DoctorDodge]

There's been a lot of buzz once again regarding a sequel recently, with the blu-ray once again rapidly climbing the charts in the UK and, to a smaller extent, the US last month. Gotta admit, I'm really pleased that the film has, after the disappointing reception at the box office, it's rather quickly become a cult classic with its own hardcore fanbase. Maybe I can hope for a sequel after all.

Btw, finally watched Judge Minty the other night. Holy crap, that's an awesome fan film. Loved how well shot and edited the whole thing looked. Really seemed to get that mix of grittiness and the craziness of Dredd's world just right. (Especially the craziness, which we got in much smaller doses in the film, although I genuinely love both interpretations.) Might rewatch that again, after re-reading the original comic strip it's based on. Been a while since I read it.

And that animated Dredd project looks very cool, Brainslinger. Seems very promising. There's another fan film being made at the moment called Cursed Edge (teaser trailer here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfOK1rXDaDo)). I think that's another thing I really love about this movie - it really seems to have inspired a lot of love for the character and his world, with not just the fan projects but also the high demand from so many people who had never been interested in the character before (which is more than understandable, given the Stallone film) wanting to see more of the Dredd universe. Times like this that remind me why I love being a fan in the first place. :)

[DoctorDodge]

Btw, not related to the film, but:

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q46/DoctorDodge/WP_20130827_004_zpsba1588ce.jpg
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q46/DoctorDodge/WP_20130827_003_zpsd44f9626.jpg

Finally, the best crossover of 2012 - no scratch that, quite possibly ever - is finally out in hardback! I wasn't impressed with the cover when I saw it online at first, but that was before I found out it was lenticular and showed both Dirty Frank and Jack Point on each version. Anyone keen to check out more of the Judge can't go wrong with this collection, in my opinion. Even for those who read it in 2000AD, there's something for the collector: cover galleries, images from the marketing campaign, and even some concept art. Worth every penny, in my opinion. :)

[Brainslinger]

I read it in comic form and I don't usually get stuff I already own, but that turned my head...

Anyhoo. In sort of Dredd film news, the next issue of Judge Dredd Megazine starts a sequel to the story of the first Dredd film.

By that I mean, it's an authorised sequel to the film, set in the movie universe. Albeit it's in comic form. Just to be confusing, but I'm sure you get what I mean.

[fearless-freak]

i'm reading the IDW release along with Year One

[WeDealInLead]

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/04/02/eccc-14-dredd-2-is-next-on-alex-garlands-books/

Dredd 2, oh yeah!

Or maybe I'm looking too much into it.

[DoctorDodge]

Dark Judges mini-series by Dredd producer Adi Shankar coming soon online (http://www.thewrap.com/dredd-ep-adi-shankar-reveals-dark-judges-miniseries-coming-soon-online/)

[DoctorDodge]

I have been waiting for this day.

Judge Dredd to become TV show (http://ew.com/tv/2017/05/10/judge-dredd-tv-show/)

[Still Servant]

This just makes sense. I just hope they do it right. It also needs the right platform. I have no desire to watch Dredd be watered down for basic cable that's for sure.

[DoctorDodge]

This just makes sense. I just hope they do it right. It also needs the right platform. I have no desire to watch Dredd be watered down for basic cable that's for sure.

Very much agreed, Mike. I've dug up what I can, and what's been interesting so far is that the producers want to keep the grittiness that the film had, but they also want to include some of the crazier ideas from the comics. That's something that's going to be really risky. The comics get the balance right, and they're a joy to read, but, whether set in the film's universe or not, it's going to be really tricky getting that balance of grit and crazy without coming across as cheesy, at least. I hope they can pull it off.

And for more exciting and promising news: Judge Dredd TV Series Producer Comments On Karl Urban's Involvement (http://comicbook.com/tv-shows/2017/05/17/judge-dredd-tv-mega-city-one-karl-urban-casting/)

So to sum up, there have been no talks with Urban yet, but producers (understandably) really want him involved. What are the chances that he will be? I say 50/50. Urban has been a pretty busy actor in the past, and he's getting some really major roles lately. On the other hand, he's not only starred in a TV series before (Almost Human, in this case), but he's easily been one of the biggest and strongest voices for demanding a sequel to Dredd. It'll be interesting to see if they can get him on board if he has the time for it. I don't know if the fact that Mega-City One will be an ensemble show will help or hurt the chances of him deciding to join. Perhaps a focus on a larger team, with Dredd almost (but not quite) in the background could take a lot of the pressure of him to avoid filming too much. Or perhaps only doing limited filming for an ongoing project might be off putting when he could have a good chance for bigger roles on film. It's definitely going to be a wait-and-see thing with this series.

[DoctorDodge]

Judge Dredd TV Series: 9 Things We Want (http://ca.ign.com/articles/2017/05/24/judge-dredd-tv-series-9-things-we-want)

Agreed on a lot of this. Especially the first two points. Anderson I'd love to see return, I think she's a brilliant character in both the comics and in the film. As for Judge Death - when he shows up, it has to be done completely right. Maybe a season finale, I don't know. I'm curious to see what this show will bring, anyway.

[DoctorDodge]

You knew it was coming. I've shared IGN's list, now here's mine:

Judge Dredd: Mega-City One - 5 Things I Want to See (https://jamesdoctordodgeaggas.wordpress.com/2017/06/01/judge-dredd-mega-city-one-5-things-i-want-to-see/)

[fernandito]

I want continuity; please keep Urban and Thirlby as the two protagonists.

I want a happy balance between Dredd being used sparingly, and Dredd tearing shit up whenever he is on screen. It will be difficult to balance his screen time, but can be done if handled properly.

[DoctorDodge]

Agreed on both points, Fernando. Honestly, I think the direction this series could go in will depend on whether Urban will reprise the role on screen or not. I can kind of see a continuation working without Thirlby (as much as I fucking loved her in the part), but definitely not without Urban. I think the series is in an early enough stage of planning that if they don't get him on board from the get-go, they could easily push for it as a reboot. I'd be upset about that if that did happen, especially as Dredd was such a fucking perfect starting point, but I'd keep an open mind.

As for Dredd tearing shit up - yeah, definitely agreed with ya there. As I said in the blog, I'd love for there to be a moment that has the exact same level of impact as that Vader scene in Rogue One. I think if they built it up well, they could definitely pull it off.

[DoctorDodge]

For the longest time, I was worried that the TV series had fallen into development hell. But finally, we get some good news. Really good news, actually:

Comic Writer Rob Williams Has Completed 'Judge Dredd' Pilot Script (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/comic-writer-rob-williams-has-completed-judge-dredd-pilot-script-comic-con-1128980)

There's a lot that's really exciting about this. Rob Williams is one of the best modern writers of the Dredd comic for the past few years now. Trifecta in particular is a very strong read, and could lead to a great example of what this series could do: wildly different perspectives on Dredd's world. Also, knowing that the plot for the first two years has been completed is incredibly exciting. Let's hope that this gets past the pilot stage, and the team really fulfill their ambitions.

Anyone else excited that we're finally getting news on this?