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JUDGE DREDD (1995)

Director: Danny Cannon

Sylvester Stallone, Armand Assante, Rob Schneider, Jürgen Prochnow, Max von Sydow, Diane Lane, Joanna Miles, Joan Chen etc

I was a bit sceptical about seeing this film because it had been slagged-off everywhere, and it starred Sylvester Stallone. Oh yes, I liked him in Rocky but a thicko boxer is all I saw him good for. Sylvester actually suited the part very well, as it involved showing no emotions. I was very impressed.

This is an action movie. The plot is simple. It's filled with special effects and violence. It's actually a very good and entertaining action movie, but it doesn't involve any thought. Anyone with a low film concentration level could watch it.

Although it's supposed to be set in New York sometime in the future, the characters in the street are more like the ones you'd have seen in London in the 80s - punks and goths etc. Is America this far behind? Will it almost catch up in the 22nd Century?

The best part in the film I think is the evil Texas-Chainsaw-Massacre-style hillbilly cannibals which brings a dark horror style to the film which I guess is why it has a 15 certificate. The whole film could have done with a darker feel . If you're going to make the middle into a non-family film then why not do that to all of it?

But having said that, I did come away from Judge Dredd thoroughly entertained and surprised. Oh, watch out for a short but good appearance by Ian Dury! And is it really that necessary for Judge Dredd to remove his mask at all?

JOHN MARSHALL - 11 December 1995