My best guess is this is based on a comic (aaaaand confirmed, a British anthology type thing starting back in the 70s). Of course there is the previous “filmatic experience” known as Judge Dredd, which I think is kind of equivalent, at least as far as schlocky story telling and bad acting is concerned. Well, maybe not bad acting here, just… kinda heartless? And while I don’t expect a movie like this to be funny, even the most serious crack a joke from time to time. But not here. So serious.
Mega-City One. Last of U.S. civilization in a giant concrete sprawl from like Boston to D.C. Jeebus. Let me take a chance in the wasteland and just Mad Max the fucker, then. Cuz this society? Yeah, kinda screwed. And then there’s the illustrious Hall of Justice, which keeps the peace through their Judges/ Jury/Executioners, all rolled into one. Judge Dredd, apparently one of the more notable and feared ones, gets to take a rookie out on her first day. New gal who doesn’t quite make the grades but, kinda mutanty from all the outer city fallout. It has its pros and cons. But it ain’t exactly a buddy cop film. Buddies crack jokes. Humor, like plants, are nowhere to be found here.
This basically plays out like a video game, minimal plot, lots of shootin and splosions. Story is substandard apocalytpic sci-fi, mostly confined to a giant gen-pop tower controlled by a drug cartel. Shoot til you get to the top floor, take out Donkey Kong, game over. Decent enough for the action and overall look. The drug subplot has some cool visuals. But its still just crime, corruption and pow pow pow. A popcorn movie to the nth degree. Karl Urban gets the thankless task of being the faceless frown with a raspy voice. Olivia Thirlby does an alright job as the rookie. Wood “Avon Barksdale” Harris gives the main thug at least a little malicious cred. And Lena "Game of Thrones" Headey chews the scenery as the villainous Queen, as any good cheezy flick like this deserves. If you want to see this, go ahead, but there’s a lot better ones out there to watch before this. This was a big one released during the short 3D craze at the time. That might make it a little cooler. But, 50/50 chance it may just make ya puke in your popcorn.
