Judge Dredd Details

Star Wars meets Ben-Hur in director Danny Cannon's imaginatively over-the-top science-fiction rendering of the celebrated 2000 AD comic-strip hero. In the future, the world has formed into densely populated Mega Cities with the Cursed Earth being the uninhabitable region lying between them. Law and order is maintained by a fleet of elite officers who are judge, jury and executioner all rolled into one, and Judge Dredd (Sylvester Stallone) is the most prolific of the brigade. This is how fans like their Stallone served up best — without subtlety, monosyllabic, biceps bulging and in constant action. Judge Dredd is easily the actor's best role since Rocky, and Cannon blends him into the futuristic frenzy with satisfying skill. Diane Lane as Judge Hershey, the romantic judge with a conscience, has some excellent moments, and Armand Assante puts in a fine performance of manic evil as a villain with a secret. Cannon continually accents the spark and humour of the comic, while ensuring the visuals are always spectacular and epic. Frequently stunning and always exciting, Judge Dredd is an under-rated fantasy gem, full of flash, plenty of bang and packing a considerable wallop.

John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra's comic-book creation of a shoot-first-ask-questions-later cop who is also judge and jury finds the ideal actor in Sylvester Stallone, but the film strands him without a decent script in which he can flex his muscles.