Dredd: 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
The Movie:
The future America is an irradiated wasteland — a vast, ultraviolent world where criminals control the mean city streets. Ultimate law enforcers like Dredd (Karl Urban) and his new partner, Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), are Judges — the only force battling for justice. Dispatched by the central authority, the Judges’ target is Ma-Ma (Lena Headey) a ruthless boss bent on expanding her criminal empire through sales of Slo-Mo, a dangerous reality-altering drug. With Dredd calling the shots, the two Judges declare full-scale war on crime.
I’m unapologetically a huge Judge Dredd fan and have been for MANY years now. I even (kinda sorta) liked the first Judge Dredd movie but after multiple viewings the main thing that was missing was the correct feeling of Dredd as a character. Since then I had always wished that would’ve gotten a true interpretation and with this film I do have to admit that they got it spot on. Dredd in the comics is a straightforward, take no crap kind of guy that is never seen without his uniform and Urban brings that exact character to life with his portrayal. Along with Urban I thought that Headey played her villainous character extremely well (no surprise) and brought a dangerous feel to an already dangerous scenario. Thirlby was a fantastic contrast to Urban’s always brooding Dredd. She was a bright spot in an otherwise dark film and her character’s journey was intriguing to watch as the story progressed. Another thing that is great about the film is the cinematography. It’s so beautifully shot and stylized in a way that i don’t see very often and really takes you to the fictional world of Dredd. This film is definitely the superior of the two Dredd movies and if you haven’t seen it then I suggest you watch it as soon as you can. You’ll quickly realize why everyone loves this movie so much. 9/10
4K Presentation:
This film is such a joy to see in this format. The crazy slow motion sequences are the best to view and you can see the clarity and vivid colors that 4K brings. In close up shots you can see skin textures and pores of everyone which is a bit weird at times but still very impressive. Most of the film is very dark and shadowed and the HDR brightens everything up to an appropriate degree which makes the film look that much more detailed.
*Side Note: This release of Dredd does also include the 3D copy as well (on the standard Blu-ray). It just doesn’t say so on the front slipcover.
Special Features:
Mega-City Masters: 35 Years of ‘Judge Dredd’ – A look back at the history of the character in comics and the various people that have contributed to its storytelling.
Day of Chaos: The Visual Effects of ‘Dredd’ – This feature looks at the designs of the city as well as interviews with the effects team and
‘Dredd’ Featurette – A really quick piece on the film that includes a lot of clips and promotional stuff.
Dredd’s Gear Featurette – This is another quick feature that looks at Dredd’s uniform, gun and motorcycle.
The 3rd Dimension – A look at the 3D process and how they used special cameras to utilize the slow motion technique in the film.
Welcome to Peach Trees – A quick look at the Peach Trees building where the majority of the movie takes place.
‘Dredd’ Motion Comic Prequel – This comic gives a backstory on the “Ma-Ma” character that leads into the movie.
