Judge Dredd
Another fascist action bash from Sylvester Stallone, this one based on an English comic book series and borrowing heaps from the set design of Blade Runner and, in at least one scene, the makeup of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. In a future lawless America where James Earl Jones or somebody who sounds just like him still reads aloud roller titles, an appropriately semihuman Stallone administers his form of justice. It’s a camp performance decked out with a permanent sneer, twisted grimaces, and constipated line deliveries. Stallone wears a cartoon football outfit, worries about the fate of his brudder, and occasionally does battle with a growling robot thug. They paid Max von Sydow to appear in this as a father figure; also on hand are Armand Assante, Diane Lane, Jurgen Prochnow, Joanna Miles, Joan Chen, and, for teenage belly laughs, Rob Schneider. Directed without inspiration by Danny Cannon from a stupid script by Michael De Luca, William Wisher, and Steven de Souza (best remembered for his witty contributions to The Flintstones). (JR) Read more