At the end of January, Dredd will be leaving HBO Max, and if you love action, this is one movie you’re not going to want to miss.
This is the second adaptation of the British comic book Judge Dredd, following the 1995 film starring Sylvester Stallone.
The earlier film clearly had a much bigger budget than Dredd did, and yet the 2012 adaptation blows its predecessor out of the water.
That’s why Dredd is Watch With Us‘ pick for the one great movie you have to watch before it leaves HBO Max in February 2026.
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Karl Urban Delivers an Intense Performance
Olivia Thirlby and Karl Urban in Dredd. Joe Alblas/©Lionsgate/Courtesy Everett CollectionThere’s truly no comparison between Stallone’s Judge Dredd and the version played by Karl Urban in this film. Stallone portrayed his incarnation of the character as a standard action hero of the ’90s, and he committed the greatest sin in the eyes of the comic readers by taking off Dredd’s helmet for extended parts of the film. In the source material, Dredd’s face is always obscured, even decades after his debut.
Urban honored that with his performance, and never takes off his helmet in this film. More impressively, he embodies the unyielding intensity of Dredd himself. He’s not the kind of hero who tells jokes or makes quips. He takes himself seriously, and the way Urban plays him elevates the movie to another level. Dredd may not be the easiest character to root for, but he is extremely capable even when facing overwhelming odds.
Olivia Thirlby and Lena Headey Are Terrific
Most of this film’s emotional weight falls on Olivia Thirlby, who plays a rookie judge, Cassandra Anderson. In the source material, Anderson is Dredd’s peer, not his trainee. But the change works for this film as the events become her final exam on her way towards becoming a judge. Her telepathy also allows Anderson to feel more empathy for the victims of crime than Dredd is capable of doing himself. She provides the heart of the movie, and it’s kind of shocking that Thirlby didn’t get more action roles after this one. She has the makings of a great action star.
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A woman holds a machine gun in ‘Dredd.’ Entertainment Film DistributorsGame of Thrones‘ Lena Headey gets to play a very different kind of villain in Dredd. Madeline “Ma-Ma” Madrigal sees herself as a woman who pulled herself up from nothing to become one of the top drug lords of Mega-City One. She revels in her power, not unlike Cersei in Game of Thrones. But Headey is more frightening and intimidating in this role, and she doesn’t hide her cruel streak or her lack of humanity. She’s the perfect foil for Dredd and Anderson for this story.
The Action in ‘Dredd’ Rivals the Best We’ve Ever Seen
Admittedly, Dredd is a little short on star power compared to its ’90s predecessor. But it more than makes up for it with the incredible action. Locking Dredd and Anderson inside a massive apartment complex may have been done for budgetary reasons. Regardless, their floor-by-floor battle to reach Ma-Ma’s penthouse plays a lot like The Raid, one of the best indie action films of the 21st century.
Dredd doesn’t reinvent its action sequences, but the low budget didn’t stop the filmmakers from making it thrilling to watch. There’s genuine suspense and drama as Anderson and Dredd go through their ordeal. It was so much fun to watch that some fans are still hoping for a sequel 14 years later. As a standalone film, Dredd is stellar, and the action is the true star of the movie. If you’ve never seen it, now’s your chance.
Dredd is streaming on HBO Max until February 1.
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