218, Dredd 3D

Most of you will remember Sylvester Stallone's meek attempt at being "The Law" in Dredd's last outing - a movie that sadly lacked charisma or indeed continuity with the original 2000 AD graphic novel (which never identified Dredd directly) - where Stallone managing to de-cloak the unemotional lawman within the first 30 minutes of the movie, causing uproar from the die hard followers of the novels.

Well, a new Dredd dons our screen in 2012 with a far more adult themed and visually gruesome 3D effects which have managed take on this underrated hero adventure and restore the fans faith in the franchise.

And what a movie it is! - its a good old fashioned 90 minute action spectacular and with 3D cameras filming everything rather than it being an additional 'afterthought' you certainly get a fantastic depth of field that takes your breath away.  The Plot is simple - Mega City One - home to about 75 Million People is a mass of crime and corruption with the Judges being the only line of law an order, playing as Judge, Jury and more often than not - executioner in a justice system that's as swift as a bird in flight with none of the hassle of actual court rooms!  Convicts are shot on site or taken directly to lock-up.

Dredd and newbie Judge Anderson are called to one of the immense tower blocks, housing over 70,000 residents for a triple homicide, but unbeknown to them - this block houses Ma-Ma, a hooker turned Drug Dealer who oversees the mass production of the cities newest and most addictive drug - on capturing one of her henchmen Ma-Ma is sure he will blab to the judges so overrides security and brings the shutters down of the tower block, trapping Dredd & Anderson inside with the almost impossible task of not only now surviving against an army of potentially thousands with no outside back-up but also having to uphold the law and bring Ma-Ma to justice.

This movie is definitely not for the faint hearted - or anyone thinking that because they liked Avengers - this will tick the boxes too - this is a bloody, gory remake of a cracking Adult Graphic Novel and Karl Urban pulls of Dredd brilliantly - even though you would easily be forgiven for not recognising him under the toughened armoured exterior.  Psychic Judge Anderson is also played fantastically well by Olivia Thirlby and Ma-Ma's goons all play the part of fodder for Dredd's epic armoury with great ease.

This movie barrels along at quite an impressive pace and there are full on decapitations, body's exploding under fire from high Explosive rounds and plenty of bone crushing falls that see bodies literally 'splat' after falls of 200 stories - something that the 3D allows you to experience with full effect.

As far as 3D movies go - this will be one of the best you see and one the kids can only dream of watching but I can say - hand on heart that if Stallone's first enactment turned you off of this potentially brilliant franchise - than Urban will get you back on track!