Sunday, September 23, 2012

Beautifying Death

Dredd (2012) - Travis
dredd
If anything, the new Judge Dredd movie should be lauded for its unabashed visual aesthetics. Presumably unintentionally, it has taken JG Ballard's body/machine atrocity exhibition to a new height. Dredd's post apocalyptic future narcotic is called 'slo-mo'. It literally serves as stand-in for beautifying death in super slow motion- bullets penetrate and exit bodies, explosions makes human skin ripple like a plastic bag in the wind, flying bodies hit the floor from 100 story building Jackson Pollock style. Dredd (Karl Urban), Rookie (Olivia Thirlby) and Narco king pin Mama (Lena Headey in her quite possibly best role) have little or no back story. It's no nonsense comic book adaptation and doesn't seem to have any qualms being an R rated ultra violent 'this is your brain on drugs' campaign.

3D is totally unnecessary for this movie. If you are still curious, save your money and watch it in 2D.