“I am the Law!” —Judge Dredd
Today’s quick review: Judge Dredd. Judge Dredd (Sylvester Stallone) is one of Mega City One’s most effective Judges, capable police officers with the authority to dispense justice on the spot. But Dredd finds himself on the wrong side of the system when he is framed for murder by Judge Rico (Armand Assante), a former Judge, an escaped convict, and Dredd’s former best friend. Dredd must venture outside the law to clear his name before Rico can throw Mega City One into chaos.
Judge Dredd is a sci-fi action film based on the titular comic book character. Despite a reasonable premise for a 90s action movie and interesting source material, Judge Dredd falls short of its potential. Dredd is not one of Stallone’s better performances, and misjudged writing and a poor supporting cast further hamstring the movie.
Judge Dredd occupies an odd niche where its obvious flaws are not what hurt it. The 90s sci-fi aesthetic is dated and cheesy but not inherently bad. Films like Demolition Man and The Fifth Element used similar designs to great effect, and the shots of Mega City One look good even by today’s standards. Likewise, the plot may seem cliched, but many great action films have been built from the same elements.
Where Judge Dredd suffers is its execution. Stallone should be a great choice for Dredd, but his delivery is too goofy for the serious parts of the role and too straight-laced for the funny parts. This miscalibration is exemplified by Dredd’s catchphrase, “I knew you’d say that!”, which he spouts half a dozen times without any impact.
The supporting cast has similar issues. Armand Assante delivers an erratic performance that was meant to evoke the unhinged antagonists of Blade Runner or Demolition Man but instead just comes across as bad acting. Rob Schneider never really clicks as Dredd’s reluctant sidekick Fergie, and his ineffectual animosity towards Dredd lingers too long. Diane Lane does a decent job as Judge Hershey, Dredd’s friend and colleague, but as an ordinary police officer in a world of extremes, she feels out of place.
Judge Dredd is not a bad watch, but it has clear flaws that keep it from living up to its potential. Seek it out for a healthy dose of 90s silliness crossed with bad production decisions. Those who aren’t entertained by 90s action or sci-fi should stay well clear. Those who are fans should check out Demolition Man instead for a better-executed film in the same vein.
5.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for the makings of a fun movie held back by poor execution.