52 replies to this topic

[Youri Zoutman]

I already see people saying it rips of The Raid, which is annoying.

[garjones]

Yes from the first set pics it always looked a bit more real world than the comic but I guess the budget meant they had to make some compromises.

The block fight bits looked fun. It seems to be playing it very straight though, not much sign of the satirical elements.

[Steve Sensible]

I already see people saying it rips of The Raid, which is annoying.

The first thing that came to mind when I saw it was Robocop 2, what with the "new drug ravaging the city" storyline. Is Mama Madrigal a character from the comics?

[Youri Zoutman]

I *think* so, but I bet someone like Bruce will know for sure.

[Ian Smith]

Looks like someone found the slow motion button on there new camera.

It all looks a little cheap. I think of Judge Dredd being way in the future so seeing him chasing some some guys in a normal lookin van down the freeway, dosen't do much for me.

Edited by Ian Smith, 21 June 2012 - 09:35 AM.

[steveuk]

Not sold, but its not like that matters.

Does this look like a cool, interesting action movie for those outside fandom?

Yes from the first set pics it always looked a bit more real world than the comic but I guess the budget meant they had to make some compromises.

The block fight bits looked fun. It seems to be playing it very straight though, not much sign of the satirical elements.

Which may be quite effective satire?

As long as the people behind the film don't buy into the idea that the Judges are a great idea, they can just show the society that they're a part of and what that means for the people in it?

I miss the more overt stuff, but I'm trying not to let my nerd rage build yet.

[garjones]

I miss the more overt stuff, but I'm trying not to let my nerd rage build yet.

No nerd rage from me either. I like a lot of the look of it, Urban seems to have got the character down.

I'd like more flying cars and fatties and boing but you have to be realistic that it's a British film with a $45m budget. That's a rom-com budget and not a blockbuster action one. If the story's good, the action's good and it stays true to the spirit of the book I'm happy and it seems John Wagner says he liked the script.

The action parts look like they could be very good and I wouldn't worry about comparisons to The Raid because whatever the praise that's had it's an Indonesian (Welsh!) film which will never get a huge audience because of that so it'll be new to the English speaking masses. Which is why Asian films are always being remade by Hollywood.

[Martin Smith]

I liked the trailer enough that I'll probably go see the film in the cinema. Having a discussion with a non-comics-reading but sci-fi literature friend in which he has a very good point though - why doesn't Anderson have a helmet as well? Is there a decent reason or is it just a case of showing off that she's a hot blonde?

[Steve Sensible]

I thought I'd seen a shot of her with a helmet on... but I may have imagined it because I can't find it now.

Maybe Psi-Division don't get cool helmets.

[Martin Smith]

I thought I'd seen a shot of her with a helmet on... but I may have imagined it because I can't find it now.

Maybe Psi-Division don't get cool helmets.

(I wasn't sure if the psychic thing was a spoiler or not). Is it a 'she has to be able to put her hands to head to show she's using her powers' visual cliche thing, perhaps? If so, I hope it's not as bad as James McAvoy in X-Men First Class. It was like he had a button in his temple that he had to keep pressed in to use his powers.

[Steve Sensible]

I hope it's not as bad as James McAvoy in X-Men First Class. It was like he had a button in his temple that he had to keep pressed in to use his powers.

Yeah, that bugged the crap out of me. As did almost everything else about his performance. I know "Professor X is a jerk!" and all, but he shouldn't be quite so punchable.

[garjones]

I liked the trailer enough that I'll probably go see the film in the cinema. Having a discussion with a non-comics-reading but sci-fi literature friend in which he has a very good point though - why doesn't Anderson have a helmet as well? Is there a decent reason or is it just a case of showing off that she's a hot blonde?

There's an answer in the comics. Psi judges are allowed a certain level of autonomy because they are 'sensitive'. They are rare and so are given some more leeway.

The hot blonde is part of it though.

[David Meadows]

I can't remember if Anderson ever wore a helmet in the comics when I was reading it (which was a long time ago). I don't think she ever did.

[brucegray666]

Is Mama Madrigal a character from the comics?

I *think* so, but I bet someone like Bruce will know for sure.

I don't think she's a character from the books - there's been noting mentioned in any of the press I've read and I don't recall her ever coming up in the comics -unless she's appeared at the gap between the Complete Case Files and the time I started buying 2000AD weekly (which is almost a 20 year period of time).

I could be wrong though and she could have appeared for a couple of issues. That's the thing I like about Dredd's enemies - they have a habit of staying dead!

[garjones]

I can't remember if Anderson ever wore a helmet in the comics when I was reading it (which was a long time ago). I don't think she ever did.

No almost never, she does in some of the Cadet Anderson flashback strips. It's very much canon that Dredd never takes it off and Anderson rarely puts it on. That is fine.

I have almost the same gap as Bruce in Dredd lore but have never heard of Mama Madrigal, sounds a very Dredd-like villain name though.

(I wasn't sure if the psychic thing was a spoiler or not).

Not an avoidable one I'd think, it's splashed over the cover of every comic she's in. Hands on the head cliche ahoy.

[Martin Smith]

I read somewhere that Mama was originally meant to be a really large old woman, until they cast Lena Headey, but that change might just have been from the script, rather than a change from source material.

And thanks for the helmet info.

[steveuk]

So... no one dislikes Urban's "Dredd Voice"?

[Steve Sensible]

It's the one thing that makes me think there might be some dark humour in the movie.

[brucegray666]

No complaints with the voice. Much better than Stalone's "stroke victim" slur.

[Dave Wallace]

It's the one thing that makes me think there might be some dark humour in the movie.

Exactly. This is my reading of it too. His performance is the one hint that this is going to be more than just a dumb action movie. His delivery injects some archness and fun into it.