Now it is…Review Time!
Before I begin, I want to say on a fun note, I know my one friend is going to love this…
Visually breathtaking, strong performances, unoriginal but relevant themes in today’s society, and a running time of 163 minutes, this sequel of its brilliant and influential predecessor is a worthy watch.
Directed by French and Canadian Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve (who you may know directed the critically acclaimed sci-fi film Arrival (2016) ), Blade Runner: 2049 is set 30 years after the first one (35 years in real-life, specifically 1982, after Blade Runner came into the world of cinema), where a new Blade Runner K (Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling) discovers a long and shocking secret that leads him to find Rick Deckard (Oscar nominee Harrison Ford), a former Blade Runner who has been missing for the aforementioned number of years.
Pros:
Audience Questions:
This is one of those films that makes you think thanks to its setting, characters, themes, and the twists and turns along the way (which will not be spoiled here).
Cast:
Good cast that also features Dave Bautista (who you may know as the hilarious Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy films), Golden Globe winner Robin Wright (who you may know as the titular Princess Bride (1987) and Tom Hanks’ love interest in Forrest Gump (1994) ), and especially method actor and Oscar winner Jared Leto in a menacing performance.
Production Design:
Excellent. I won’t be surprised if it earns a spot at the 2018 Oscars ceremony.
Story:
Based from Philip K. Dick’s 1968 novel; Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the film delivers an intriguing narrative that includes old but pertinent themes about colonialism, an environmental apocalypse that could happen to our world, robot slavery, and perhaps most importantly; what it means to be human.
Cons:
Lack of Poetry from Number 1:
The film lacks a certain amount of poetry that the first film delivered, such as its ending (which again will not be spoiled here).
Vangelis Needed:
Even though Oscar winner Hans Zimmer and Golden Globe nominee Benjamin Wallfisch deliver a beautifully powerful music score, it does not have the same punch as Oscar winner Vangelis’ work from the first film.
Visuals:
Although it is gorgeous , it seems to take over the film by focusing more on that than its narrative and other important aspects.
Overall, a must-see for sci-fi fans, one of the most critically-acclaimed films of the year, and should satisfy those that loved the first flick.
