Not for the purist! (Judge Dredd (DVD))

Member Name: moronboy

Product:	Judge Dredd (DVD)
Date:	14/07/00 (8 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very good sets and well-paced

Disadvantages: A disappointment if you grew up with the comic

Really strong fans of the 2000AD stalwart should probably approach this blockbuster with some caution. Though director Danny Cannon was a fan from way back, this is far more a vehicle for unsmiling tough guy Sylvester Stallone, and as such, works in a thickheaded kind of way.

Some of the elements are present - the comic book designs for the crowded Mega City evoke the comic well, as does the battle droid used by evil Judge Rico (Armand Assante). Stallone certainly looks right with his mask on, and there's fleeting but nostalgic encounter with the unforgettable Angel gang in the Cursed Earth. But while the lavish sets, good effects and passable action sequences make for a perfectly reasonable entertainment, this is still a missed opportunity. The rich vein of satire and years worth of bizarre characters, coupled with Dredd's appallingly ruthless, near fascistic approach is largely absent in favour of more standard action elements.

Summary: