Movie Review: Judge Dredd (1995)

Genre: Science Fiction Action Thriller  

Director: Danny Cannon  

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Armand Assante, Diane Lane, Max von Sydow, Rob Schneider, Jurgen Prochnow  

Running Time: 96 minutes  

Synopsis: In a dystopian future, humanity is packed into megacities to shelter from the devastated Cursed Earth. "Judges" act as police officers, juries, and executioners to try and keep the peace. Fearless Judge Joseph Dredd (Sylvester Stallone) is a protege of Chief Justice Fargo (Max von Sydow), whose rival Judge Griffin (Jurgen Prochnow) advocates for a stricter law-and-order agenda. Dredd is framed for murder, Fargo is sidelined, and Dredd's former partner Rico (Armand Assante) is unleashed to cause mayhem. With help from Judge Hershey (Diane Lane), Dredd has to exonerate himself and uncover a conspiracy involving his own past.

What Works Well: This comic book adaptation is packed full of special effects and quirky humour, and provides a sturdy platform for star Sylvester Stallone to deliver plenty of zingers. The plot is a familiar conflict between the light and dark sides of human aspirations, but never takes itself too seriously. Director Danny Cannon inserts action interludes at regular intervals to maintain momentum, with most of Rob Schneider's comic relief contributions landing just on the right side of the line separating entertaining from annoying.

What Does Not Work As Well: The visual style and star salaries appear to have consumed most of the budget, resulting in a short running time and a sense of muddled expediency. Ideas introduced but truncated include the complex relationship between Dredd and Rico, the rupture between Rico and Griffin, the genetic cloning sub-plot, and the role of Dr. Ilsa Hayden (Joan Chen). What remains is more a highlight reel than any attempt at serious world building or character depth.

Key Quote:

Rico (to Dredd): The only difference between us, Joseph, is you destroyed your life to embrace the law. And l destroyed the law to embrace life.

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Movie Review: The Benchwarmers (2006)

The Benchwarmers is a a limp baseball comedy that starts with a foul ball and ends with play abandoned due to lack of talent.

Rob Schneider, David Spade and Jon Herder are three nerdy adults who were bullied as kids and never had the chance to compete in school sports. Through the intervention of billionaire Jon Lovitz, and a plot devoid of any logic or wit, they form a three-man team and compete against a series of little league teams coached by the guys who used to be the school bullies.

It's all supposed to be a morality tale about the evils of bullying, but unfortunately none of the characters in the movie are remotely realistic or well-rounded enough to carry any sympathy. Every person in this movie is a one-dimensional cartoon spouting witless one-liners. The adults never grew up, and we shudder at the thought of what the kids will be like when they do grow up.

The script by Allen Covert and Nick Swardson is mostly a succession of fart, barf and spit jokes. Director Dennis Dugan is clearly within his zone of effortless comfort operating at the level of this repugnant material. He demonstrates not a single reason why he deserves better material to work with, resorting, in a desperate attempt at showmanship, to clever techniques like split-screen shots that would fail film school projects.

The Benchwarmers was co-produced by Adam Sandler, dabbling in the junkyard of ideas not even good enough for his patchy resume.






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