Movie Throwdown! - The Raid: Redemption vs. Dredd Part 2

Well, here is the rest of my match-up between The Raid: Redemption and Dredd.

SETTING

Next up is a small one: the setting. The Raid takes in present-day Jakarta. We’re pretty much stuck in a 15-story building. We don’t see much of the outside world other than a couple of stuff at the beginning. After Rama’s intro, we’re thrown right into the mission. We also find out that Jakarta has a pretty bad problem with corruption. As for Dredd, it takes place in a post-apocalyptic United States. It’s a wasteland (insert random Trump joke here) and all that’s left is Mega-City One on the Eastern Coast. Since it’s crap, the Judges are there to do what they can. We also got mutants and sometimes they don’t come out pretty like Judge Anderson.

The setting that appealed to me the most was Dredd’s. Even though we don’t get much, a lot of the city is detailed through dialogue. The city itself looks interesting since you got all of these large towers standing everywhere. Even Peach Trees had some interesting stuff in it. The Raid doesn’t get this since the mission is pretty much the thing in the movie. So, this point is going to Dredd.

The Raid – 1

Dredd – 2

Movie Throwdown! - The Raid: Redemption vs. Dredd Part 1

Today’s two post are about something I’ve had my mind on for a while now. In 2011, The Raid: Redemption was released. It’s about an Indonesian SWAT team that’s trapped in a building run by a dangerous gangster. Butts are kicked, shots are fired aplenty, and a lotta folk die. In 2012, Dredd, based off of 2000AD's Judge Dredd, was released in theatres. The movie is about how two law officers (Judges) get trapped in a district (Mega-Block) ran by a dangerous gangster. Shots are fired aplenty and a lotta folk die.

If these two movies sound familiar, then you’re not the only one who thinks that. It’s kind of unclear if the creators got ideas from each other or if it’s just a coincidence. It’s not like the plots for these movies are original, so it doesn’t really matter in the end. Just know that they are both good films in their respective rights. They’re up there with some of the best in their genres. Still, which one is better? I know there are some folk out there that have done this, but I think it’s time to add my voice to “The Raid vs. Dredd” debate.

Before I get to the match-ups, here is a general overview of both movies:

• The Raid: Redemption – The Raid takes place in Jakarta, Indonesia. It follows a Special Forces unit as they are tasked with conducting a raid on an apartment block. Their goal is to take out Tama, the head gangster over the block. Of course, things go bad when Tama finds out they’re coming and unleashes the whole block which is full of a lot of criminals. Rama, a rookie cop, and the rest of the team do their best to survive in the block and meet their objective. Rama also has a personal reason for being there since his brother is in Tama’s gang.
• Dredd – Dredd takes place in a dystopic, futuristic metropolis called Mega City-One. The Judges are the law of the town and enact swift justice on criminals. We end up following Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) and a rookie named Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirbly). They’re tasked to find out about a new drug that’s hit the street. When they make it to Peach Trees, a 30-story tower, they run into trouble. Gangster Madeline Mardgril, aka Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), finds out about them, locks down the tower, and sends the lowlifes after them. Dredd and Anderson must use their weapons and abilities (Anderson’s a mutant) in order to survive and enact justice on Ma-Ma.

Favorites - 20 Best Casting Decisions in Comic Book Movies

Now that I’ve gotten through with the disappointments, I can now look at the good casting decisions. Thankfully, there have been more good ones than bad. You’ll have some actors that’ll do a fine job. They’re not bad, just average. Then you get the folk who absolutely rule in the part. They’re lauded for the role and you wonder if anyone could fill the actor' shoes. Unfortunately, there are a lot of them, so choosing ten great casting decisions in comic book movies would be a little hard. In saying that, here are my 20 best casting decisions in comic book movies. Did you really think I could stop at ten?

20. Jackie Earl Haley as Rorschach (Watchmen) – While I’m not the biggest fan of the story nor movie, I thought Haley was well casted as the Question look-alike. Haley definitely brought the crazed vigilante to life in that movie. He brought out the roughness and grit with that voice of his. He was definitely one of the highlights there.

19. Kelsey Grammar as Beast (X-Men: The Last Stand) – Who do you think could really play Dr. Hank McCoy? I can’t really think of too many actors who could pull off that role. Who ever asked him to be in the movie deserves some reward. Kelsey Grammar was a bright spot in a really lackluster movie. He felt like Beast to me with the look and the dialogue. I just wish we got more of him in the movie and in general.

18. Ron Pearlman as Hellboy (The Hellboy movies) – Ron Pearlman was a nice pick for Hellboy. The guy just has a knack for playing masked characters. It’s his portrayal of Hellboy that basically pulled me into that world. I don’t follow the character much but if he is anything like Pearlman portrayed, then I may be checking some of those comics out one day.

17. Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury (Marvel Cinematic) – (imitating SLJ) YEAH, I SAID IT! WHAT’S WRONG WITH A BLACK NICK FURY ANYWAY? NOTHING, THAT’S WHAT, SUCKA! In all seriousness, I liked him in the role. He may not have been the quintessential version of the character, but he was good all the same. Besides, it’s Samuel L. Jackson. Who else would you get to play a cool secret agent who leads SHIELD? Don’t say David Hasselhoff!

16. Gary Oldman as Commissioner James Gordon (Nolan’s Batman trilogy) – Gary Oldman, a guy who could play just about anyone, was perfect for the role of James Gordon in Nolan’s Batman movies. Unlike past Gordons, this one actually did stuff. He and Batman really felt like a team and Oldman played that really well.

15. Elias Koteas as Casey Jones (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) – For those who don’t remember, TMNT was based on the comics. Heck, the first movie’s story was adapted from the comics. I thought and still think the casting of Koteas as Casey was pretty perfect for that movie. He was one of the best parts to the original and I really can’t see anyone else playing that part. He was cool, snarky, and a little crazy. There aren’t many vigilantes who’ll use sports equipment to teach some “JV low-lifes” a lesson. He was even a bright spot in that pit of darkness called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3.