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Blade Runner 2049
(Warner Bros. Pictures/Alcon Entertainment/Columbia Pictures)
By Lucas Allen
If “Star Wars” was like a fun day in the park, then “Blade Runner” was like a dark night in the woods. The 1982 box office flop-turned-beloved cult favorite directed by Ridley Scott has become one of the greatest sci-fi films ever made thanks to the most recent version, the acclaimed Final Cut, released in 2007.
No matter how many times you’ve seen it, you must’ve wished at some point that there should be a sequel. That’s where we are now with this year’s highly anticipated follow-up, “Blade Runner 2049,” with more of the dazzling visuals and pseudo-intellectual dialogue you’d expect from a movie based on a Phillip K. Dick story.
Set 30 years after the first film’s events, the state of California has been in a moral decline since the blackout of 2022, which was caused by rebellious replicants. But years afterward, ambitious Wallace Corporation CEO Neander Wallace (Jared Leto) gathers what remains of the Tyrell Corporation to create the latest breed of replicants that obey. One of them, an officer code named K (Ryan Gosling), does his job as a blade runner despite some prejudice around him while living a decent life with his holographic girlfriend Joi (Ana De Armas).
After succeeding in killing the fugitive Sapper (Dave Bautista), he discovers a case of bones buried nearby. Once he returns to the LAPD, he finds the bones contains a surprising turn that could change history.
His boss, Lt. Joshi (Robin Wright), orders him to look into the clue he found by finding its source and destroy it. But as he digs deeper, he begins to realize that it all connects to his existence, his memories, and a 30-year old mystery. Soon enough, another clue brings K and Joi to the radioactive deserts of Las Vegas. It’s there that they meet the man who may have all the answers, former officer Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford). But time is running out as Wallace’s goons including his right-hand replicant Luv (Sylvia Hoeks) will do anything to keep the secret to the mystery dead and buried.
Much like last year’s Oscar-winning “Arrival,” director Denis Villeneuve uses both enticing visuals and brilliant performances to handle the movie’s complex story. Rather than treading on similar ground already done in the original, he successfully expanded on both the universe and its ideas giving fans old and new something different to behold and amaze. There’s also a healthy dose of action scenes that’s enough to keep the viewer aware of everything they see. At 163 minutes which may seem too long for some, it’s an extended feast for the senses that has to be seen on the biggest of screens.
Even though the writers surely put a lot of thought into the story, some of the aspects of the mystery are more obvious than others. If you’ve seen the original many times and know every scene inside and out, you can see some revelations of the mystery a mile away which can be disappointing. But if you can get past such holes in the story, you’ll still enjoy it for everything else.
Gosling is excellent as a lone cop with a purpose who walks a very tight rope carrying this movie on his shoulders. He certainly holds his own against such ambitious filmmaking making him a very capable actor. Ford doesn’t appear in the movie until around the hour and fifty minute mark which could be annoying for those wanting to see the iconic tough guy back in another great role from the 80s. But when he does appear, he delivers an amazing performance enhancing his classic character with more emotion and gravitas than ever before. Leto and Hoeks are also very good as the villains with the Oscar-winning actor playing a more believable portrayal of villainy than his Joker from Suicide Squad.
There’s a lot more to discuss and analyze about “Blade Runner 2049,” but that would spoil the theatrical experience which is highly recommended. It’s certainly as good if not better than the original at least in its current version that achieves the same level of thinking man’s science fiction that Ridley Scott is able to do. Until the next Star Wars film comes out, this is your choice for a great sci-fi experience.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: R (for violence, some sexuality, nudity, and language)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3.75 Stars (Out of Four)
