Judge Dredd

Certificate 15

(running time 1hr 35mins)

director Danny Cannon

One cannot help to compare Judge Dredd to this summer's other smash hit Batman Forever. Both of them have a long history and cult followings of their own. That, unfortunately, is where the similarity between the two blockbusters ends. Judge Dredd is weak and almost incomprehensible in plot and dialogue is all too often sacrificed in favour of an inexplicable fight scene.

Judge Dredd, played by Sylvester Stallone, is the most ruthless of the 'street judges'; lawwen of the future and in charge of the overcrowded 'Mega Cities', destined to fight crime in a pair of tights and some versace armour. This is a world of ruthless criminals and a corrupt government which ends up jailing Judge Dredd when he finds out too much about a secret project. In a bizarre parallel with Stallone's own life it transpires that Judge Dredd was in fact a product of a genetic experiment (with no good acting gene!) and an evil twin of the crime fighting hero had been created whose job was to wreak havoc in Mega City One.

The special effects are well worth praise but could have been put to far better use to aid what little of the film could be classed as 'plot'. Judge Dredd isn't even good fun as it is too hard to relax and let the film develop in front of you. It is unclear in the beginning and unsatisfying at the end. Judge Dredd is definitely not as good fun as Batman Forever and doesn't exhibit the well rounded production techniques employed to make Batman Forever so special and worthy of being my number one choice this summer (DJW)