50 Essential Sci-Fi Films of the 21st Century (So Far)

With Pete Travis behind the lens, Alex Garland on the pen, and Karl Urban locked up tight under that iconic helmet, Dredd arrived in 2012, taking us forward to the year 2080, where the Earth is now comprised of sweaty, steamy, overpopulated Mega-Cities with state-of-nature wastelands in between. The only law is the Judges, a policing force who judge, sentence, and execute criminals at their pleasure.

Urban is Dredd, a seasoned Judge tasked with clearing out a slum tenement and assassinating the drug lord at its top, Ma-Ma (Lena Headey). Along for the ride is rookie Judge Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), whose psychic abilities throw something helpful, new, and interesting into the mix in what is essentially The Raid on steroids. The visuals are crisp, the kills bloody, and the humour wry as hell.

A nigh-perfect cinematic adaptation of the 2000 AD source material, which nails the tone and feel of Judge Dredd while bringing his world into a mesmerising three dimensions, Dredd has sadly yet to be followed up with a sequel 13 years later, thanks mainly to poor fan attendance in cinemas.