Original VS Reboot : Judge Dredd

A remake or reboot is not uncommon in the comic book movie adaptation genre. With long running comic series there are always new stories to choose from or characters to include. So when a reboot comes along, naturally audiences are debating which version better represented the story. Judge Dredd has been a comic book hero since the 1970’s and although it took several decades, there are now two versions that compete for being recognized as the best Judge Dredd movie.

Both films take place in a dystopian society where the global climate and world order are decaying. With only concentrated sections of the planet being inhabitable, large mega cities are established and are separated by a vast nuclear desert know as “Cursed Earth.” These overcrowded epicenters are a breeding ground for crime and a new law enforcement system is put in place to expedite the judicial process. The street enforcers, known as Judges, are responsible for assuming the role of police, judge, jury, and executioner. Joseph Dredd is the most recognized street Judge in Mega City One from his years of service and exceptional performance. He enforces the law without exception and has an unwavering commitment to justice.

While the back story from the comic book series is the foundation for both the original Judge Dredd released in 1995 and Dredd from 2012; these films couldn’t be more different. Separated by nearly 20 years, the original and the reboot each take on their own depiction of an authoritarian hero placed in a hopeless civilization. The setting, story, and filming are almost incomparable between the two. Judge Dredd (1995) takes a direct look at the protagonist, his growth, and personal conflict serving a corrupt society. While Dredd (2012) removes the spotlight from the Judge’s background and internal struggle to allow for a more detailed look at the world around him. Simply speaking, Judge Dredd focuses on the hero while Dredd focuses on the villain.

Both films have elements that movie goers can praise or criticize; but which version did it better? Let’s take a deeper look at how the original and the reboot line up in this Judge Dredd : Original VS Reboot.

Round 1 : Setting

Dredd Settings
Buena Vista Pictures / Lionsgate

Judge Dredd (1995) did not hesitate to literally recreate a world as it was portrayed in the comic book series. Most vehicles resemble spaceships, buildings are eccentric, and there is an overwhelming amount of hologram advertising smothering the city. But with the time period for the story being just after the year 2080, it’s hard for viewers to get submersed in the film. The believability factor was diluted when compared to the film’s release date. But even if audiences could suspend their disbelief, they were likely distracted by the contradictory elements of the Judge Dredd universe.

A confusing fantasy world was presented where technology evolved tremendously, reached a climax, and started to deteriorate; all seemingly within a short amount of time. The result is a hodgepodge of technological quality; such as surveillance systems that record low quality black and white images but the feed can be displayed through voice commands on a mega computer. Or having the capabilities to genetically engineer humans, yet there is no effective defense against clunky battle robots. These dramatic variations create issues with trying to decide what type of world is being portrayed.

In Dredd (2012), the world is relatable and easy to accept. Although the planet is in a state of unrest and civilization is dramatically different, the appearance of Mega City One’s infrastructure and architecture fall within the realm of possibility. Vehicles, electronics, clothes, furnishings, and most weapons all resemble items from the 21st century. The technological enhancements that were included didn’t seem completely out of place; such as The Lawgiver (a Judges handgun). The subtle differences in the Dredd universe effectively conveyed a futuristic setting without beating it to death; giving the film a better chance to stand the test of time.

Round 1 Winner: Dredd (2012)

Round 2 : Storyline

Dredd Storyline
Buena Vista Pictures / Lionsgate

The plot in Dredd (2012) is relatively straight forward. The monologue at the beginning of the film describing the conditions of the world in present day is likely the most complex part of the plot. When it’s boiled down, the antagonist (Ma-Ma) is a powerful gang leader and drug lord that took over one of the enormous residential towers in Mega City One. Judge Dredd and a rookie cadet are dispatched to the tower by coincidence and as they are investigating a gang related homicide, all hell breaks loose. But it’s this simplicity that makes Dredd really entertaining and enjoyable.

The film doesn’t focus on Judge Dredd’s personal struggle, inner conflict, or his stance on the city’s corruption, he is just there to uphold the law, kick some ass, and go home at the end of a shift. Based on the crime rate being so high and the number of Judges being so low, it is noted that only six percent of the crimes reported will be addressed during the day. With that type of statistic it makes sense that the Judge Dredd wasn’t made into the savior of Mega City One. Dredd (2012) can simply be summed up as: “A day in the life of a Judge.”

The complete opposite can be said about Judge Dredd (1995). The film solely focused on the choices Dredd has to make when his complicated past confronts him and when the system he believed in betrays him. While a story about a protagonist finding compassion, understanding, and self-discovery isn’t a terrible foundation for a film, it just feels disjointed when that characters sole purpose is to eradicate slum lords and kill super villains. It seems like the whole film is trying to build up to Dredd finally finding his softer side. And while he does crack a smile at the end of the film, it couldn’t be at a more inappropriate time.

What is there to be happy about when nearly all the Judges and the entire tribunal council are dead and an overflowing criminal population is all that remains?

Round 2 Winner: Dredd (2012)

Round 3: Filming

Dredd Filming
Lionsgate

The life of a Judge is gritty, unrelenting, and violent. Dredd (2012) encompasses this dark reality throughout a majority of the film. The lighting is dim, the environment is bleak, and most of the scenes have backdrops of concrete and steel.  But it’s this cold and lifeless foundation that accents the few moments that were meant to be visually fascinating.

The war against the mass production of Slo-Mo (illegal narcotic) becomes the main point to the story and the visual representation of people taking the drug is phenomenal. The scenes that show characters under the influence are filled with oversaturated colors, dramatic highlights, and high frame rate filming. These short but brilliant shots provide an excellent contrast to the dismal features of Mega City One. But it’s the violent Slo-Mo situations that really merge elegance with tragedy.

The combat scenes are gory slow motion masterpieces. The rippling effects from forceful impacts and the cascading blood splatter are stunning to watch, but it’s the amount of activity that’s captured during those few minutes that’s really impressive. While the camera is focused on an intense situation in the foreground, the peripherals contain equally interesting elements. This attention to detail lets the viewer get completely submersed in the intensity of the environment.

Filming Judge Dredd (1995) with scale models, layering, and a green screen is an admirable method to use when developing a film. But nearly six months went into building a miniature Mega City One and it only seemed to be used for a handful of shots. Overall it could be argued that Judge Dredd accomplished some interesting visuals for the date it was released. But that argument becomes mute when compared to other science fiction films of that era with a similar budget; such as Terminator 2 (1991) or Blade Runner (1982). Judge Dredd (1995) just contains too many scenes with sloppy green screen work and because of that it looks incredibly dated by today’s standards.

Round 3 Winner : Dredd (2012)

Original VS Reboot Winner : Dredd (2012)

Dredd Winner
Lionsgate

Having a simple but solid storyline, a protagonist that stays true to his character, and using realistic accents to conceptualize the future all worked together to make Dredd a great film. It reinforces the idea that a simple concept can deliver a more powerful message than trying to include every minuscule detail.

Dredd is a satisfying standalone film, but by having the story based on just a single residential tower in Mega City One, it leaves plenty of room for a sequel. While it is not clear whether another installment will be created in this series, Dredd (2012) is a film that can be enjoyed over and over again.

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