JUDGE DREDD - Re:Action Mega Action Figures review

Re:Action Figures released their 2000 A.D. line of Collector Action Figures in 1999. The line included 6 figures, headed by Judge Dredd.

Dredd stands just a shade over 6 inches tall, at 6 & 1/4", and comes equipped with a Lawgiver Mark 11, a Daystick, a boot knife and a Birdie Lie Detector. The Lawgiver can be stored in a holster on the outside of the right boot, and the knife fits into a sheath behind the left boot. Dredd's right hand is sculpted to hold the pistol, while the left seems a little closed, but can hold the knife, detector and stick ok.

The sculpt on everything is excellent! Ok, well, the stick is a little plain - looks like an all-black whiffle ball bat. Oh, and maybe the knife, too. But, otherwise, all aces. I like the shape and angles of the helmet. It's a little more rounded and wide than the LCBH and One:12 Collective Dredd's. Re:Action's Dredd has a chin that comes to a sharp point, and from some angles his grimace almost appears more like a sly smile. The shoulder pads are attached via a peg to a hole in each shoulder blade. This provides a little give when moving the shoulders, but they are still pretty restrictive.

As far as movement goes, this Dredd has some points, but I don't like the way most of them work, so I'll keep him in his basic vanilla pose on the shelf. The head has a swivel at the base of the neck, but mine is stuck. The shoulders have ball/hinge joints, there are pin elbows and swivels at the tops of the gloves. The hips are just a 1999 T-crotch, and he's got pins in the knees. Not enough to get anything dynamic or natural-looking, other than standing straight ahead and looking pissed.

The colors are good - a very vibrant, almost electric, blue and some great yellows with an orange undertone. The greens are dark, almost olive, and there's a wash over just about everything to make them look used and/or grungy.

I really like this version of Dredd for what it is: a cool-looking 1999 shelf-stander. For its time, I think it must have been pretty good, but probably overlooked. Toy Biz's LCBH version certainly has more going for it in terms of articulation, but Re:Action's Dredd is nothing to sneeze at. I'm glad he's part of my 2000 A.D. collection!