Dredd 3D is a much better version of the well-loved comic book character than a certain Sylvester Stallone movie some time ago. The film recreates the post-apocalyptic Mega City One in startlingly gritty and realistic fashion for a comic book movie. In fact the only stylised part of the whole movie is the blood and gore as bad guys and innocent bystanders alike are taken out in spectacular fashion. Our hero, Judge Dredd (well acted by Karl Urban who is never seen without his helmet but still shows emotion), has agreed to take a rookie potential Judge named Anderson, actually a psychic, on her first day on the job. Judges are the only law remaining in Mega City One, they have the best weapons and are empowered to dispense judgements and execute sentences on baddies on the spot.
Anderson decides to take a triple murder at mega building Peach Trees, which sells her and Dredd into huge trouble as the building is controlled by evil mega bitch Ma-Ma (played oh so cool and evil by Lena Headey in a role not so different from Queen Cersei in Game of Thrones) who walls the place off and gets the buildings gangs and her own lackeys to try and take the Judges out to protect her empire of drug production and distribution. Violent cat and mouse then ensues in the hallways.
If I hadn't seen a similarly themed movie last year called "The Raid", I would have given this an 8 out of 10 for the clever script, inventiveness of the weapons and the drug "Slo-Mo", the realism and the super cool visual style and restrained 3D. However, The Raid built the tension better and gave us more heart so that this movie suffers by comparison and I'd give it a 7 out of 10. Super violent!
Saturday 1 June 2013
Movie #15 - The Hangover III
Looking for something to do on this rainy Saturday? My #1 suggestion would actually be to travel to Dendy cinemas and see "Sinister" which is finally showing in cinemas after scaring the pants off me at the Film Festival last year. But if you can't/don't do that, The Hangover part 3 is a pretty good second choice. Better than the Hangover Part 2 that's for sure!
The Hangover Part 3 kicks off spectacularly with Mr Chow breaking out of prison in Bangkok and Alan creating some highway chaos. Alan has been off his meds in the aftermath of Part 2 and in the wake of his father's death (not a spoiler, you've all seen the ads) the Wolf Pack, assembled by Alan's sister Tracey, stage an intervention. Alan agrees to go for rehab if the Wolf Pack take him on the road trip. But they really don't get far before Wolf Pack history intervenes and throws them back into another crazy adventure.
A gangster ripped off by Mr Chow in the past (played deliciously evil by John Goodman in a small role) stops the Wolf Pack, kidnaps Doug (yes, Doug again, poor Justin Bartha) and says he will be executed unless Phil, Stu and Alan find Mr Chow and bring him to the gangster. Why? Because Alan's been communicating with Mr Chow in jail and might know where he is.
There have been some pretty bad reviews of this movie but I'm not really sure why. Thankfully, they have realised the mistake of Part 2 being a complete re-tread of the great first movie and Part 3 brings a fresh plotline which is more of a road trip action/adventure than the first two's "re-trace our steps to solve the mystery" plotline. They have kept the stuff that works (writer/director Todd Phillips, Alan's man-child antics and inappropriate comments, Phil's coolness, Stu's maniacal reactions) but given it a different angle. The situations and comments are still funny in this one, I found myself laughing pretty consistently throughout.
The breakout stars of this trilogy are still the ones that pull the biggest laughs in part 3 - Zach Galifianakis amps up the inappropriateness while simultaneously having Alan grow up a little bit, and Mr Chow is just as outrageous as ever. And if you miss the "waking up the morning after to chaos" scenes from the first two movies, do not leave the cinema as soon as the credits start rolling! This is one of the funniest scenes.
Better than Part 2, not as good as Part 1 but still a fun way to spend a Saturday night.
The Hangover Part 3 kicks off spectacularly with Mr Chow breaking out of prison in Bangkok and Alan creating some highway chaos. Alan has been off his meds in the aftermath of Part 2 and in the wake of his father's death (not a spoiler, you've all seen the ads) the Wolf Pack, assembled by Alan's sister Tracey, stage an intervention. Alan agrees to go for rehab if the Wolf Pack take him on the road trip. But they really don't get far before Wolf Pack history intervenes and throws them back into another crazy adventure.
A gangster ripped off by Mr Chow in the past (played deliciously evil by John Goodman in a small role) stops the Wolf Pack, kidnaps Doug (yes, Doug again, poor Justin Bartha) and says he will be executed unless Phil, Stu and Alan find Mr Chow and bring him to the gangster. Why? Because Alan's been communicating with Mr Chow in jail and might know where he is.
There have been some pretty bad reviews of this movie but I'm not really sure why. Thankfully, they have realised the mistake of Part 2 being a complete re-tread of the great first movie and Part 3 brings a fresh plotline which is more of a road trip action/adventure than the first two's "re-trace our steps to solve the mystery" plotline. They have kept the stuff that works (writer/director Todd Phillips, Alan's man-child antics and inappropriate comments, Phil's coolness, Stu's maniacal reactions) but given it a different angle. The situations and comments are still funny in this one, I found myself laughing pretty consistently throughout.
The breakout stars of this trilogy are still the ones that pull the biggest laughs in part 3 - Zach Galifianakis amps up the inappropriateness while simultaneously having Alan grow up a little bit, and Mr Chow is just as outrageous as ever. And if you miss the "waking up the morning after to chaos" scenes from the first two movies, do not leave the cinema as soon as the credits start rolling! This is one of the funniest scenes.
Better than Part 2, not as good as Part 1 but still a fun way to spend a Saturday night.
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