Dredd

About Dredd in brief

Dredd is a 2012 science fiction action film directed by Pete Travis and written and produced by Alex Garland. It is based on the 2000 AD comic strip Judge Dredd and its eponymous character created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra. Karl Urban stars as a law enforcer given the power of judge, jury and executioner in a vast, dystopic metropolis called Mega-City One that lies in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Dredd was released on 7 September 2012 in the United Kingdom and on 21 September worldwide. Critics were generally positive about the film’s visual effects, casting and action, while criticism focused on excessive violence as well as a perceived lack of the satirical elements that are found in the source comic. Despite the positive critical response, the film earned just over USD 41 million at the box office on an estimated budget of USD 30–45 million. The theatrical gross made a sequel unlikely, but home media sales and fan efforts endorsed by 2000 AD’s publisher Rebellion Developments have maintained the possibility of a second film. The future United States is a dystopic irradiated wasteland known as the Cursed Earth. On the east coast lies Mega- city One, a violent metropolis with 800 million residents and 17,000 serious crimes reported daily. The only force for order are the Judges, who act as judge, Jury and Executioner. The Judges are sent in to investigate and learn of a drug den, which they raid. They arrest a thug named Kay, whom Anderson’s mind probe reveals to be the one who carried out the drug dealers’ executions.

In response, Ma-Ma’s forces seize the tower’s security control room and seal the building, using its blast shields under the pretence of a security test to prevent the Judges from leaving or summoning help. Ma- Ma orders Dredd, Anderson and Lex Kaplan to fight their way through dozens of armed thugs to reach the 76th floor of the block. When they meet, Dredd throws Caleb off the tower in full view of Ma- ma’s henchman Caleb to search for the Judges. Meanwhile, Kay tries to execute Anderson with her own weapon, but does not recognise him and explodes, taking his arm off. She escapes and later encounters Lex Kaplan, whom she kills promptly after reading her mind. She later encounters Dredd in the corrupt city of Elsewhere, where she kills him and runs out of ammunition. She is subsequently shot and injured by Lex, but Dredd arrives long enough to arrive to save her. The four Judges relieve Volt and Guthrie from their duty and are allowed into the building and are able to relieve Lex from his duty. When Dredd encounters Chan and Alvarez, he is suspicious that he does not ask about Anderson’s status, but is killed by Chan. When he arrives at the top floor, he kills Alvarez but is subsequently killed by Else Elsewhere. The film has been recognised as a cult film, and has since been recognised for its success following its home release.