Review: Blade Runner 2049

By Emilio Milo Feb 2nd

 

Blade Runner 2049 is the long-awaited sequel to the original movie, Blade Runner, created by Oscar-nominated Ridley Scott in 1982, that has come out in 2017. This sequel takes place nearly 30 years after its predecessor, revolving around a new blade runner, that goes by the name Officer K (played by Ryan Gosling). He is a replicant that works for the LAPD. His job is to find and “retire” older replicant models. A replicant is a bioengineered android that look like humans and imitate human behavior. They can have enhanced strength, agility, speed, you name it. Anyways, Officer K uncovers something, a secret kept for decades. This discovery could create chaos, even a war between replicants and humans. His quest then leads him to Rick Deckard, bearing information about this secret. If you haven’t watched Blade Runner 2049, it’s highly recommended to do so before the review begins.

(Spoilers Ahead)

To begin, if you had watched the original Blade Runner and had wanted more after it had ended, this is it.  I very much liked the movie for many reasons, which I’ll go in depth later. I wanted to firstly say that everyone who worked on this film did an amazing job. The sets and shots were done so well, the acting was top-notch, and the story was very compelling. Denis Villeneuve, is the director of the sequel. Some of the movies he has directed are Sicario, Arrival, and Cosmos. He was a fan of the original Blade Runner and was very nervous in directing the film, but sure enough he took the risk. He did create a sequel for audiences new and old. Villeneuve had so much weight over his shoulders, and had still successfully made a sequel to a franchise with a great following.

The actors were amazing, some reprising or being introduced in the film. The amount of dedication these actors put into this film is unknown, but it shows on screen. At times I don’t even think of them as actors, just as their characters. I have no idea if that’s good or bad but it takes away the thought of them “pretending”. What I liked specifically out of everyone's performances was Ryan Gosling. His arc with Officer K was a progressive one. At the beginning, you see him follow orders and do so with no questions asked (like what he’s created to do). Once the story unravels, he begins to discover things that he wouldn’t tell his lieutenant. He discovered that he is this child that was created by Rachael and Rick Deckard in the previous film. This is important, it's because if a replicant can procreate, they don’t even need humans anymore. He shows emotion in the scenes that confirm that he is this offspring. He gets angry when the memory he has is real; yelling and kicking his chair. Then, when Officer K isn’t the actual child (just the copy to hide the real child), he seems to be disappointed. He had thought he was different for once, yet he is still just like the rest: ordinary. He still finds purpose to save the child and Deckard. K sacrifices himself for Deckard and returns him to his child. His journey to find out if he was the child, which he wasn’t. It was about if he had a soul, and sure enough he did. At the end, he reclines on the stairs of the memory factory, slowly coming to the end of his journey.

The visuals of Blade Runner 2049 are very well done. Roger Deakins, the cinematographer for the movie, has worked on countless films. Some of his known work is No Country for Old Men, Skyfall, and The Shawshank Redemption. How he shot Blade Runner 2049 was a very unique style of the future. When him and the director, Denis Villeneuve, had planned what the filmed would look like; they closed themselves off within a hotel, deciding the shots and environments that would be present throughout the film. Using the internet, they had gathered real-life photographs, locations, and some concept art from Syd Mead as templates for the film, they had achieved the look and feel that would seem like it was filmed from the future.

The story, from beginning to end, is well done. Since this takes place 30 years in real time and within the fictional world, the film doesn’t really have to be related to Blade Runner and it would still be entertaining as it is. The screenplay was written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green. Hampton Fancher was one of the original writers in the original Blade Runner, he was appointed by Ridley Scott himself to write the script for the sequel. Ridley Scott has stated that the Blade Runner films are supposed to answer the question; “What is it to be human?”. With Officer K learning about these discoveries with the child and discovers himself in a way, his arc is mainly about if he has a soul. I do believe he does at the end, making a sacrifice that humans may not even take. Taking serious damage and helping Deckard reunite himself with his daughter indicates that he does indeed have a soul.

In conclusion, this film is something unique and eye grabbing. What Denis Villeneuve has brought was something different and nostalgic, to new and old fans. It’s near 3-hour cut may cause some people to not even bother watching it, and that it’s been nearly 30 years since the original, I think that it's worth watching the movie. The cast is great, it looks stunning, it promises to be faithful to the original is a reason to go watch it. It is a excellent film with its flaws, nonetheless.