“Dredd 3-D” is the latest film featuring the infamous Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) who serves as judge, jury and instant executioner in the city of Mega City One. Mega City One is a large, violet metropolis that exists on the East Coast of future America, an irradiated wasteland, running from Boston to Washington D.C.
Judge Dredd is assigned to evaluate Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), a powerful psychic rookie. A call comes in about a violent, heinous crime to Peach Trees, a 200 story vertical slum controlled by the ruthless Ma-Ma clan headed by Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), a prostitute turned drug lord.
When Dredd and Anderson venture into the neighborhood, they uncover a large drug epidemic. The new drug “Slo-Mo” leaves users experiencing reality at a fraction of its normal speed. The two become a part of a dirty, vicious war started by Ma- Ma to protect the empire she has built.
The war began with a drug-bust gone wrong when Dredd captures one of the clan’s allies, Kay (Wood Harris). The director, Pete Travis, met Harris with him in mind for the role of Kay.
Harris is known for his roles as Julius Campbell in “Remember the Titans,” and Avon Barksdale in the TV series “The Wire.”
Harris’ role in this science fiction film was not within his “normal” range, but Harris said, “In the scope of an actor there is no normal if you’re lucky.”
“Dredd 3D” was filmed primarily in Africa, which Harris thought of as a “true blessing.” He prepared for the role by looking at what was going on in Africa.
While in Africa, Harris took the opportunity to meet people there and see the safari. He even flew his mother and one of her close friends to Africa for her 70th birthday. Harris’ two kids also joined him while he was filming.
The kids kept him grounded while playing the violent role of Kay. In order to separate himself from Kay, Harris had to flip a switch from his character.
It is like “divorcing from the character,” said Harris. “The minute it’s over, it’s over.”
Most roles that he has prepared for in the past involve research into his character because he plays actual people.
For the role of Kay, Harris said, “It was like having an empty canvas and doing that splatter art, then calling it art.It is up to your interpretation.”He hopes that his fans will see him in this role, appreciate it and enjoy the film. Sometimes he wants them to have an interpretation that he is delivering in his performance, but he said the film has multiple aspects that are for entertainment and it is not about his performance.
One aspect of the film that audiences will appreciate is the special effects used. The effects of the “Slo-Mo” drug are just the start of the special effects.
“It was seamless.There was a green screen, but it was a wonderfully made set,” said Harris. “The sets were really authentic and they were dangerous, like walls or bars that could come down that weighed 6000 pounds.”
The set allowed for a realistic atmosphere for the actors. Though audiences may think it requires more imagination to act with multiple special effects, Harris claims it is required that “you use your imagination in a better way, maybe less, because things are so real already.”
The film also has a different type of 3-D than most modern movies. Instead of things coming at the audience, this film makes the viewer feel more a part of it. Viewers will not feel the need to duck or be nauseated by the 3-D.
“I think [viewers] will like the film a lot,” said Harris. “It’s a bit of a classic.This is the first Dredd movie, film, it’s a film. It’s European.It’s got some depth and artistry.”
The cinematographer, Anthony Dod Mantle, is an Oscar-winning cinematographer for films such as “Slumdog Millionaire.” Harris believes that made the stakes for this film higher.
Harris is going back to his roles as an actual person playing Malcolm X in an upcoming Lifetime movie “Betty and Coretta” starring Angela Bassett and Mary J. Blige. He enjoys playing real people and has met many of the people who he is portraying.
“I’m going to learn from Malcolm X. I learned from Jimi Hendrix. I learned from Julius Campbell.” said Harris.
He said it puts pressure on him when he is playing a real person because he wants to do them justice.
He gets called to do acting jobs portraying actual people more often, but Harris does not prefer actual people to characters created by a writer such as Kay.
Audiences can see Wood Harris as Kay in the film “Dredd 3-D” that was released Friday, Sept. 21, 2012.
