The CBR Review: "Dredd"

[thehod]

I will say that I was surprised by how the rookie questioned the morality of Dredd, eventually quitting the job. That was one of the best parts of the movie.

Anderson has always had the ability to get Dredd to look inside himself a little more than he usually does, and Dredd has always had niggling doubts about the justice system.

So whilst it was a nice surprise to someone not versed in the character, it was also a nice nod to those who are.

[Vibranium]

It might be enough to think that for some people. But when it comes to spending one's money, the eye test matters. That's why it's important to have a good trailer. Also, the reviews haven't been killer. They've been good but not so convincing that everyone should see Dredd. A 90 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes means a lot, but I doubt anything less than that gets people excited. That's unfortunate; it's the content of the reviews that should matter, but Rotten Tomatoes has changed the culture of film criticism.

im not sure if its for the worse or better....I have a dips**t friend (well more of an acquaintance) won't see anything that is less than an 85% on RT...says he doesn't want to "waste his time"

[jesse_custer]

It's not an improvement. Citing the percentage of critics who like a movie is tantamount to appealing to authority/popularity, which is obviously illogical. Plus, movies are about feelings and thoughts, not numbers. Yes, I know we like to discuss box office numbers, but when we watch movies, we only care about how we feel and think. The obsession with Rotten Tomatoes pisses all over this.

[thehod]

It's not an improvement. Citing the percentage of critics who like a movie is tantamount to appealing to authority/popularity, which is obviously illogical. Plus, movies are about feelings and thoughts, not numbers. Yes, I know we like to discuss box office numbers, but when we watch movies, we only care about how we feel and think. The obsession with Rotten Tomatoes pisses all over this.

To my mind its less of a "Look it got 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, it MUST be good" and more of a "Well I would've seen it, but the trailer sucked. Having said that its got 85% on Rotten Tomatoes so maybe it is worth giving it a go."

Its not an attempt to change your feeling about a movie after the fact, but more about helping to decide if a movie you'd previously dismissed may have something going for it after all.

[jesse_custer]

But what does it say about movies that could be good despite little critical acclaim? It doesn't help those movies. That's why I'm for reading reviews over checking out percentages.

Don't get me wrong, your line of thinking is respectable; however, I don't think Rotten Tomatoes breeds respectable thinking. Let's not forget that some people get so obsessed with numbers that they threaten the lives of critics who bring down the Rotten Tomatoes rating of a Batman movie, for example.

[Vibranium]

It's not an improvement. Citing the percentage of critics who like a movie is tantamount to appealing to authority/popularity, which is obviously illogical. Plus, movies are about feelings and thoughts, not numbers. Yes, I know we like to discuss box office numbers, but when we watch movies, we only care about how we feel and think. The obsession with Rotten Tomatoes pisses all over this.

and a lot of the RT critics blow independent film soooo hard so they all get over 75 at the jump

[Simbob4000]

im not sure if its for the worse or better....I have a dips**t friend (well more of an acquaintance) won't see anything that is less than an 85% on RT...says he doesn't want to "waste his time"

It's obviously for the worse, they're a lot of shit movies with high scores but with written articles that are like: Well, it's banal...but it's fun.

[Frank]

There's a big difference though. The fact is that Robocop writers Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner were working on a Dredd script prior to Robocop but couldn't secure the rights as Fleetway (the then owners of 2000AD) were working on their own treatment. When they reworked their script for Robocop (based on an idea Paul Verhoeven had after seeing a Blade Runner poster) a lot of the Dredd elements remained, and most of Robocop's catch phrases were taken directly out of the Dredd comic, such as...



Ed Neumeier has stated at length that the persona of Robocop is directly influenced by Dredd and that the screenplay of Robocop owes a debt to the character.

Then there is Robocop's designer Rob Bottin who's original concept sculptures were EXTREAMLY close to the image of Dredd (can't post them at the moment, because my work computer won't bring them up. I'll try at home later)

The Fleetway Dredd movie was quietly shelved once Robocop became so succesful lest obvious comparisons be made between the two in much the same way that Tim Hunter from The Books of Magic and Luke Kirby have both been likened to Harry Potter despite preceeding him by a number of years.


Essentially Robocop is a Dredd movie in all but name, and both the writers and the director have acknowledged the direct influence that Dredd had on Robocop.

Dredd was not created in a laboratory. Robocop being inhuman was a HUGE part of the plot of the movie, it's about one man's journey, it's far more of an internal struggle wheras Judge Dredd tales seems to be plot-driven and him just doing his job. Judge Dredd will always be the law and represent the law. Robocop is about Murphy rebelling against his masters. Only similarities I can see is that they're both created to be lawmakers and they're both in the futur.

Forget 2000 AD, it's Marvel that should sue these guys because of Deathlok.

[thehod]

Dredd was not created in a laboratory. Robocop being inhuman was a HUGE part of the plot of the movie, it's about one man's journey, it's far more of an internal struggle wheras Judge Dredd tales seems to be plot-driven and him just doing his job. Judge Dredd will always be the law and represent the law. Robocop is about Murphy rebelling against his masters. Only similarities I can see is that they're both created to be lawmakers and they're both in the futur.

Forget 2000 AD, it's Marvel that should sue these guys because of Deathlok.

Actually, as a clone, Dredd was created in a laboratory, but I appreciate the point you are making and agree. That is where Dredd and Robocop diverge. However, the persona of Robocop, his style, is pure Dredd however, even if their story lines take a different route.

[thehod]

I said I'd try to post a pic of Rob Bottins supposed original concept sculpt for robocop.

[king mob]

Essentially Robocop is a Dredd movie in all but name, and both the writers and the director have acknowledged the direct influence that Dredd had on Robocop.

Yup, Robocop is a huge take on Dredd as can be seen by the fact Robocop is a violent satire like Dredd at his best is.

[king mob]

I said I'd try to post a pic of Rob Bottins supposed original concept sculpt for robocop.

I believe a lot of those designs would have seen Fleetway sue the fuck out of the studio.

[Vibranium]

Blu Ray DVD out this Tuesday, Jan 8th

[Deep_Sleeper]

The more I think about this movie, the more I think that it's not a movie that was all that good. I liked it as I watched it, but I don't think I'd watch it ever again.

The weird thing is, I went out with a couple of friends and we were talking about movies. This movie came out and I said that if I were given a choice between watching Dredd or watching 300, I'd pick 300 each and every time.

[Sonofspam]

There's a big difference though. The fact is that Robocop writers Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner were working on a Dredd script prior to Robocop but couldn't secure the rights as Fleetway (the then owners of 2000AD) were working on their own treatment. When they reworked their script for Robocop (based on an idea Paul Verhoeven had after seeing a Blade Runner poster) a lot of the Dredd elements remained, and most of Robocop's catch phrases were taken directly out of the Dredd comic, such as...



Ed Neumeier has stated at length that the persona of Robocop is directly influenced by Dredd and that the screenplay of Robocop owes a debt to the character.

Then there is Robocop's designer Rob Bottin who's original concept sculptures were EXTREAMLY close to the image of Dredd (can't post them at the moment, because my work computer won't bring them up. I'll try at home later)

The Fleetway Dredd movie was quietly shelved once Robocop became so succesful lest obvious comparisons be made between the two in much the same way that Tim Hunter from The Books of Magic and Luke Kirby have both been likened to Harry Potter despite preceeding him by a number of years.


Essentially Robocop is a Dredd movie in all but name, and both the writers and the director have acknowledged the direct influence that Dredd had on Robocop.

See i didn't know all that but i def got a Robocop feel from the movie.