DREDD reviews. (SPOILERS!)

[SuperSurfer]

Thanks for the info Radiator. Not sure whether to stick to Empire or try VUE Islington.

I'm confused over 3D.

At the Empire I asked if I could use my own pair of 'realD 3D' glasses and was told no as Empire has a better system. The glasses cost about £20 so they are handed out then collected (not active shutter).

I thought the 3D was excellent – in places astounding (even though the glasses were a bit scuffed). Not cardboard cut out so-called 3D as in Avengers.

The VUE website says DREDD is in 'realD 3D' so I wonder if this is the inferior system (according to the guy at Empire).

I notice Dredd promo graphic says 'In 3D and real 3D'.

Wonder if anyone could shed light on this.

[Keef Monkey]

The RealD specs are only 80p a pop and you just bin them for recycling, so sounds like you did see it in a superior format. RealD is generally very poor I've found (although Dredd is definitely the best I've seen it).

[James]

I took my wife to see it last night (my second time); she's not a comic reader, her only exposure to Dredd as a character is me banging on about him and the prog all the time so I was interested in hearing her opinion.

Well, she actually fell asleep at one point so I gave her a nudge. This was just before Dredd entered the slo-mo factory, and she must have nodded off in the 10 seconds since I woke her 'cos as he shot the two guards she actually jumped out of her seat and yelped!

She says she thought it was good, thought the slo-mo effects were good and the violence, which I thought would be the biggest obstacle to her enjoyment, wasn't that bad. The 3 skinned bodies hitting the floor was pretty gross, but the slo-mo gunshots and stuff she thought were very abstract and you were able to prepare for it.

She missed the end (asleep again). The biggest complain she had was 'there was no joy in it'.

Women.

[Cookyman]

Just got back from seeing Dredd for the first time! 

There is not much I can add to what has already been said on the forum but needless to say I loved it and Karl Urban was fantastic. 

I also adored the music which fitted seamlessly into the movie.

A great great movie and I hope it is a huge box office hit in the U.S as I want that sequel!!!

[Tiplodocus]

I like the expediency bit - tend to forget about that.

And I appreciate the point about the city too.  Strangely, James' wife has connected the dots for me. There seemed to be no "joy" in the city. Would have been nice to see hints of it even though focusing on DREDD. (It's a niggle I have with the Daniel Craig Bond's as well; for God's sake, let the boy have some fun!)

[WoD]

I took the 'no joy in the city' to reflect the state that it is in - big conflict (hence Cursed Earth), major struggle to survive, over crowding, unemployment, danger everywhere and a Judge system barely keeping the lid on things.  As technology (derived from necessity) develops so will the opportunity for it to turn in to the Meg that can support more 'fun' aspects.

[SmallBlueThing]

Yep, a dad heading eggs into a bucket while his son carried a surfboard towards the window of their high-rise apartment would have helped!

SBT

[Michaelvk]

Dredd's still good third time round.. Herself enjoyed it too (despite her finding it slow in places.. And having a giggle at bad wigs. I had no idea, personally..), and enjoyed seeing her name in the credits for once too. The co-worker I practically frog marched to the cinema enjoyed it too, being really impressed with the exteriors.. Saw Joe Soap along with his avatar properly.. Herself missed my shout out.. Oh well.. She did say she wants to go see it again (though I think she might find it easier 2D. 3D gives her headaches), which is a result. Off to see it again with Shaolin Monkey next week some time.. Gotta pay for that Lawgiver dummy I nicked somehow..

[Professor Bear]

To be clear: I felt the pace flag a little. I don't honestly care if others didn't -- in fact, I'm delighted if others didn't, but I'm not the only one who felt it. In my case, I strongly suspect it's because I had so much of the film spoilered by idiot reviewers or people on here who couldn't keep their fucking pie-holes shut on non-spoiler threads, so I honestly can't say whether it is an issue with the film.

I avoided any and every thread and didn't have anything spoiled for me, but still thought it meandered around the middle, particularly just before the drug lab/judges sequence.
I had niggles (like Dredd needing to make a super-precise shot and then deciding the best way forward was to set a dude's head on fire) but otherwise it was no more flabby than your typical western action film, which have a long tradition of meandering or action-free middle sections, likely where it's safe to go buy popcorn, have a wee (smoke), or if watching at home to go put the kettle on.

[radiator]

Anyone else finding it a bit weird, all the nonscrots talking about Dredd and saying 'I am the law!' on Twitter.

It's weird, but pretty cool.

[MR. ELIMINATOR]

And having a giggle at bad wigs. I had no idea, personally

Who was wearing a wig?

[radiator]

When the gang members think they have Dredd trapped in the access terminal just after he's done his tannoy announcement, the leader is wearing a very noticable wig and generally looks a bit fruity - like a gang member from The Warriors.

I chuckle at him every time i see the film, but always forget about him until the next time. My girlfriend laughed at that bit too.

[Michaelvk]

Who was wearing a wig?

When the gang members think they have Dredd trapped in the access terminal just after he's done his tannoy announcement, the leader is wearing a very noticable wig and generally looks a bit fruity - like a gang member from The Warriors.

That guy.. I immediately thought 'Milli Vanilli', personally..

Heh.. Fruity..

[MR. ELIMINATOR]

Ha, never noticed, but he did seem quite weird anyway. "Hey Judge, wha dun ya com out fram that der door? Or wall shat ya falla howes!" Or something along those lines.

It would have been funny if you got to see it shot off his head.

[Spikes]

Caught Dredd for the 2nd time, last night.
Though my plan of adding to the films coffers, by getting a groups of my mates, who werent going to go, to go, was scuppered slightly, by one of them having two!! two-for-one vouchers, which we indeed used. Sorry, Alex, 

And as much as i enjoyed Dredd the first time round, i REALLY enjoyed the film this time round. Was great, to sit back and look out for, and take more notice of all the little details.
Caught the Joe Soap nod, this time round, and the Goaty graffiti again (which no-one else seems to have caught? so i may be wrong on this, but it appears graffitied onto a wall, just after Dredd leaves Anderson looking after Kay). And caught a few more references as well - city blocks, etc.
Plenty of nice little scenes stuck out again, Dredd walking towards the crashed van at the beginning. All menace and 'thunk thunk thunk' footbootsteps, the view of city - throughout the film, Anderson looking troubled/conflicted in the lift after finding out she'd killed that womens husband and then the camera panning across to a stoic-looking Dredd. Many more as well, but as ever, my sieve like memory, needs to catch this on Blu-ray!
Once again all the central performances are just spot-on, Urban just is Dredd, simply put, a brilliant performance, that nails it totally. Thirlby does an excellant job as Anderson, and really loved Headey's MaMa. A nicely subtle portrayal of an almost sympathetic villian who is, in many ways, already dead, and is just waiting (hoping?) for the end to come properly.
Was able to concentrate more on the excellant soundtrack this time round. Brilliant stuff, and really added to the overall. Thought the Slo-Mo 3D scenes were fantastic (again), though the 3D doesnt really add a lot to the rest of the film. So yes, really enjoyed this second showing. Happy chappy, thats me.

And a resounding thumbs-up for Dredd from the group i went with, as well. The biggest quibble mentioned, was how Dredd managed to carry on after being shot, but they seemed happy with my explanation that its 'special future medicine' that allowed him to do that, 

Please, please, please let there be sequels!