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I knew from Dredd's opening monologue that we were getting the movie we have all been waiting for, but when Dredd wasted his first perp with the awesomely delivered line "go right ahead, hot-shot!" my face transformed into a grin that I just couldn't wipe from my face throughout the rest of the film and only intensified whenever I heard words like "meat wagon", "recyk" and "high-ex".

Couldn't agree more.  I still get that grin when I think about it.

Aaron

I suppose if he wanted to acknowledge that the film was a true representation of the source material, adopting Garland's version of Dredd and Anderson's first meeting as a component of comic continuity would be an inexpensive way to do so. As Tordelback pointed out, there's no real reason why that couldn't be the case. Anderson is Alan Grant's turf, though.

True.  It would be nice to see Wagner/Grant on the credit badge for a Dredd adventure.  Though, I doubt that'll ever happen.

Best,

Aaron

Congrats Cursed Earth Dweller.  Happy birthday.

I hear you on some of those issues, but for me I forgot about them quickly once the film got going.  I agree with the choice of making the city less dense.  I am hoping that if (by some miracle) there is a sequel they can populate the skyline a bit more, but it is important to convey the scale of things and if it was too dense that would've been an issue.

Aaron

...Anderson tells them to use Boing!® on Death, someone helpfully adds "the miracle spray."

For me, one of the best parts of the movie was when Anderson started to come into her own and take charge of the situation.  I guess that if my own mind, I can imagine the film as being what a meeting between the two of them could've been like when she was a rookie.  In a way, that if probably the best praise I can level on the film.

Aaron

It was like Judge Dredd in The City of God.

I like that.  It would really be something if the producers were able to launch a TV series of this (akin to City of Men), focusing on the lives of the people in that big MEG.  I liked your write up.

Aaron

Has anybody seen the Tron Uprising series yet?  It has a great look and pacing.  I would love to see something like that with the hard edged THRILL POWER we love from JD.

Aaron

The opening is probably the best part in the entire film for me.

I must admit that the Lawmaster weaving in an out of traffic was a sight to see.  And the SFX they used to punch it up really was fantastic.  I now hum it quietly to myself every time I see a bike weaving in and out of traffic on the 405.


Aaron

Should I look under the 'movie' or 'porn' section?

Not sure if Netflix or Redbox has a porn section.  But let me know if they do.

Obi Wan didn't recognise Artoo because R2 units are as ubiquitous in the Star Wars universe as iPods and iPads are in ours. If you came across an iPad in a junkshop twenty years hence, you wouldn't automatically assume it had been one that you'd owned. Obi Wan, being connected to the "Living Force" does not anthropomorphise robots like we do, because they have no connection with said Force. We, with no connection to The Force, are more susceptible to pretending droids have personalities and not just programmed quirks. Obi Wan knows better.

Leia only believes she remembers her mother. Or: Padme was watching over her through The Force. Or: she's talking about Bail Organa's wife, who was tragically taken from the family while Leia was still very young.

Anderson met Dredd in 'Judge Death'. The movie did not happen.

SBT

Fair enough.

Aaron

Patrick, you are correct.  Cannon is a defunct DC superhero from way back when.  Canon is the proper spelling.

The point being that just about every point of view is its own "universe". My universe and your universe may intersect at various points, but that doesn't mean we always live in the same one. Apply that to rival fictional continuities and everybody's happy. Except the kind of pedants for whom the whole point of enjoying fiction is mentally cross-referencing pretend facts.

As for Star Wars, it's obvious Obi-Wan is a lying sod who'll tell Luke whatever will get him to do what he thinks he needs to do. The only inconsistency in Star Wars that really bothers me at all, which isn't all that much, is Leia saying she can remember her real mother in Return of the Jedi. I just assume Lucas just forgot that.

I like your take on Obi-Wan.  The inconsistency with Leia's recollections of her mother in Jedi are much more annoying to me, simply because that was one of the really nice character beats in that movie that I liked.  The prequels sh!t on that though.

Aaron

Though outside of Marvel/DC, there are plenty of longrunning creator owned American comics that happen to have solid continuity.

Yes there are.  But bringing them up didn't help me prove my point so I strategically ignored them.   

yeah, don't try to dovetail the film and the comic if you ask me. We pride ourselves (TB notwithstanding) in not giving a Ratfink's ass about continuity or strict canon, which is why we're better than the Yanks, right? Right?

Honestly, as a recovering DC addict, I can say that the US (or us yanks) use continuity like politicians here use immigration reform.  It's a good thing to talk about when it is a means to an end, but otherwise it is wholly ignored.  DC continuity has had more reboots then Mitt Romney's campaign.  In contrast, the Dredd/2000ad continuity stands out like it's carved in stone.

Aaron

Alien porn eh? You may have just given me a reason to check out the DVD!

Yes...It's worth the rental...In fact my rating of the film would be either $2 redbox rental or wait for Netflix.

Because a lot of us are still in the sub basement and cannot participate in the grownup threads about the film on this forum yet, I'm hoping that this little thread can give all us *newbs* a chance to talk about the film with this thread (because I know we are ALL itching to).  I hope that the Mega Thread one justice department (the moderators) will be nice enough to let us keep this one open to the other *newbs* like us if it becomes popular.

That being said, I have been a fan od Judge Dredd since the late '80s and have loved the slow character arc that Joe has undergone over the years.  I was wholly impressed that this film decided to do a take on the early Judge Dredd (sans Maria and Walter).  There was a scene in the film that really brought his character home to me, and it's not one I've seen people talk a lot about on this thread or the infamous IMDB thread.

While Mama and her crew prepare the gatling cannon attack on level 79 (I think), Dredd walks the hall alone.  He's calm, but knows that something big is about to happen.  We see the citizens scurry away from him, latching their doors and hitting the deck.  They know something's up too.  In that moment, when we see him from behind, walking slowly, Urban nails Dredd in a way I didn't think possible.  Every subtly body movement conveys control and menace.  He doesn't need a gun.  Nor does he need to speak loudly.  Or even say a word.  He is just the embodiment of the LAW of Mega City one.

It is a moment of acting genius that many who don't already have expectations of the character of Dredd would miss.  But to me, who has wanted to see somebody nail him on the big screen for so long, this alone was worth the price of admission.

Best,

Aaorn