Judge Dredd (1995) and Dredd (2012) Film Review

I recently watched the film Judge Dredd (1995) for the first time, and the very next day I watched Dredd (2012) for the first time as well. The difference between the two films is stark and immediate. For the purposes of this review, I will always refer to both the 1995 film and character as “Judge Dredd” and the 2012 film and character merely as “Dredd.” The omission is not without metaphor.

Judge Dredd is virtually invulnerable. He wades through bad guys and dispatches them with ease. Dredd must defeat his enemies the new-fashioned protagonist way — with some effort. In this way, ambiguity enters the film almost immediately. In Judge Dredd’s introduction, you never believe for a moment that the character is even in danger. His entrance is absurd — yet in the film’s absurdity, it still manages to say something interesting.