Judge Dredd - Movie review

Released in June of 1995, this science-fiction action thriller by director Danny Cannon made only $20 million in profit against its sizable $90-million dollar budget. Opening with a montage of old comic book covers, as if to remind folks this picture is indeed an adaptation of an existing character. James Earl Jones dutifully narrates a expositional scroll that sets the scene for the morbid, criminal-infested society a thousand years in the future. Backed by Alan Silvestri's wonderful score than is frankly too good for the material, this 96-minute picture rather expertly combines models, animation, and paintings showcasing a lush and intriguing future: where the traditional justice system has been replaced by a single position known as "Judges" - the most dedicated of whom is the title character, played by Sylvester Stallone. Yelling silly dialogue with his trademark slur, he does a fine job of puffing out his chest and looking menacing, but he seems to portray the iconic role with a bit of a chip on his shoulder: and die-hard fans of the franchise reacted harshly to Dredd removing his helmet, something the comic book character never did. From the goofy and flashy outfits, to the 4:3 TV monitors, and the voice-activated weapons, much of this future seems curiously clumsy and backwards: but the R-rated adventure plays things fast and loose enough that you never have time to complain. As the comedic foil, and buddy-protagonist, SNL-alum Rob Schneider is an interesting casting choice, but it pays off - his jokes are occasionally funny, and he's the only person in the film that audiences can actually relate to: a reformed criminal down-on-his-luck looking for a second chance. Armand Assante chews-through the scenery as the unblinking villain, professing his case, " Guilt and innocence is a matter of timing." Meanwhile, Stallone, who "earned" a Golden Raspberry nomination for "Worst Actor" famously remarked on the film, "we shouldn't have tried to make it "Hamlet"; it's more "Hamlet And Eggs". The set pieces are grand and impressive, especially a fly-over sequence of the film's biggest "mega city" area: but why must the climatic fist-fight take place inside the Statue Of Liberty's head? Besides being completely unmotivated and unexplained, it just seems pointless, however cool the visual imagery of it is. Between the corny catchphrases, sub-par acting - there's actually a great deal of fun here, if you shut your mind off... at least on an initial viewing. "Judge Dredd", "Inconsistent and ridiculous , but charming". Now that you've heard my opinion, lets check out some of yours. Our scores for "Judge Dredd"... a DOUBLE FIVE. Calling it campy, stupid, but still fun - you thought this movie was ALRIGHT. I completely agree, this is your typical Stallone picture: nothing outright awful, but hardly forgettable either - an enjoyable way to spend an hour and a half with your friends, I thought it was ALRIGHT as well.