Judge Dredd

The comic-book (or should I say graphic novel?) character who made 2000AD a must-read for almost two decades gets the big-screen treatment, thanks to Sly and a budget which could pay O.J. Simpson's legal bills.

Quickly throwing us into the action with a plot-crawl a la Star Wars (but this one is read out for you, in case you can't handle anything bigger than a speech bubble), and a huge battle sequence, Judge Dredd certainly knows how to satisfy the need for gratuitous violence and special effects. Our square-jawed hero is framed for a political murder which shakes the very foundations of Mega City, and sent into Cursed Earth. Little does Dredd know that behind such nefarious goings-on is his long-lost twin brother, Rico, who just happens to have an evil plan for world domination.

Judge Dredd gathered together many of the legendary SF actors for one outing, there's Max 'Ming the Merciless' von Sydow and Jurgen Prochnow (of Dune), not forgetting Sly - undoubtedly hot property after The Specialist won so much acclaim.... um, yes. Released at the same time as Batman Forever to make the most of those exciting summer audiences, Dredd disposes of tiresome things like plot, originality and character development in favour of guns, bigger guns and even bigger explosions. Stallone makes an efficient Dredd (despite his sore lack of helmet), but one can't help but feel that Schneider steals the show as fast-talking Fergie, with many a hilarious one-liner and the now familiar Sly impression.

Don't forget: I um der law.

Mark Chambers