Blade Runner 2049 is a masterpiece worthy of seeing for a second time. Duration aside, the film answers questions audiences have been asking for well over 30 years, casting a phenomenal lineup in the process.
Unfortunately, not everyone has embraced the long awaited sequel. It is obvious that one film critic walked into a theatre with high and unrealistic expectations of the film, cutting down every aspect that it showcases. His final verdict labeled it as, “…the sequel we didn’t need, a film that mimics the original’s style, but falls short of capturing its danger and romance”. Not to take a stab at the older generation, but these critics belong to a very specific group of cinema snobs, those who believe all films deserve a reboot, but replacing the entire cast with females.
If we go back to the films predecessor directed by Ridley Scott, Blade Runner has been helmed as one of the most popular cult films of all time. It introduced a revolutionary storyline, combining the genres of science fiction with a noir detective fiction. For those who studied the film in English classes, tearing apart every scene trying to answer rhetorical questions as ‘what did the author really mean’, they would be quite familiar with the concept. For those who have forgotten, Blade Runner follows ex-police officer Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) who is forced to continue his old job as a Replicant Hunter, better known as a Blade Runner. In the 1980’s, directors had this strange idea that the future would be far more advanced, but Blade Runner continues to act as a futuristic film beyond our comprehension. To save you from the long and tedious explanation that you can just watch for yourself, Blade Runner 2049 is set 30 years after these events.
Officer K (Ryan Gosling), a new blade runner for the LAPD, unearths a long buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of a crumbling society into chaos. His discovery leads him on a quest to find Deckard, who has been in hiding for 30 years. The odd, yet charming coupling of Gosling and Ford see’s two generations collide, teaming up to create what we might now classify as a film that defies cinema.
Everything that the sequel has to offer (with the exception of Jared Leto who I cannot forgive for Suicide Squad) is executed brilliantly. The cinematography, the coloring, and the overall tone trigger audience’s nostalgia no matter their age or pop culture background. The CGI that brings actors back from the dead, is far more advanced than what we saw in Rogue One, so it’s safe to say the wait was worth it.
Blade Runner 2049, despite all the criticism that it has received over the past week, is a must see film of 2017. Be sure to watch the original first, as the sequel hides flashbacks, subtle references, and throwbacks to the 80’s.
-Chris Daniel
