"J" is for Judge Dredd

It

Okay, I'm probably going to get a lot of crap for admitting I enjoy this movie. It's a guilty pleasure, and it is taking a lot of personal fortitude to acknowledge to all five of my readers that yes, I like the god awful Judge Dredd. In my defense, I like it for all the reasons so many others despise it.

I never read the comic it was based on, so right off the bat I don't have to worry about the natural outrage at having the canon and mythology of the original story being dismembered. I also really like Diane Lane, and think she shines as a counterpoint to the cardboard acting delivered by Mr. Stallone. She plays a fellow judge, Judge Hershey, whose tough and smart, and more than a match for Judge Dredd. I understand that there's no romance at all in the comic book, but the one hinted at in the movie version was just enough to keep me entertained.

I could have done without Rob Schneider, but at least he's not at maximum annoying. He's mostly likable, and actually fits into the storyline reasonably well.

Armand Assante plays Rico, the brother of Dredd who happens to be psychotic. He breaks out of prison so he can put his evil plan into play. He wants a world populated by clones of himself, not that he's a narcissist. He's also smart enough to frame Dredd for murder, ensuring Dredd's ejection from society, thusly keeping the plot moving forward.

Poor Sylvester Stallone. I really liked him in Demolition Man, and had great hopes for him in Judge Dredd. It's a sad testament to his acting 'talent', and my sometimes perverse appreciation of bad movies, that he's the main reason I can't not love Judge Dredd. It's Mr. Stallone's ability to deliver every line with a curl of his upper lip and nearly no inflection that keeps me giggling and watching every time this movie comes on. It's a train wreck for me. I can't turn away. I'm just not that strong.

The world of Judge Dredd is presented with a lot of detail. It's crowded and noisy, and not a safe place to be, especially when street Judges start getting killed off. The smallest infraction can land you in prison. Power is held by a select few, and not handled judiciously. There's a lot of potential with the story, and you can see where they were trying to go with it. Even though they zigged when they should've zagged and went for more camp and cheese than a plot richly infused with political intrigue, the end result still has merit.

I realize this movie is so bad that it's not for everyone. Maybe there's something wrong with me, and that's why I laugh my way through it every time it comes on. There's a remake in the works, and it sounds like it's going to be done in a much more serious vein. That's all well and good, but this first version is corny, cheesy, laughable, and completely up the alley of The Queen Of Cheese.

If you've watched it before and hated it, give it one more try. Maybe time will have healed some of those wounds. If you've never watched it, give it a shot. Be brave. It's bad, but sometimes a bad movie is just what you need to make your own corner of the universe feel like a better place.

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[...] “J” is for Judge DreddIt’s a guilty pleasure, and it is taking a lot of personal fortitude to acknowledge to all five of my readers that yes, I like the god awful Judge Dredd. In my defense, I like it for all the reasons so many others despise it. … Read more [...]