Blade Runner 2049 Review

First, let it be said that I am a huge Philip K. Dick fan. That wily wordsmith with his mind-bending perspective on the world of tomorrow told some of the most influential science fiction tales of all-time.

We need go no further than Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep the source material upon which the original Blade Runner was based. Few science fiction movies have ascended to the transcendental heights achieved by the 1980’s classic.

In a very real way, Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner redefined the genre’s approach to visual storytelling. I can think of no other movie featuring as distinct a visual palette as Blade Runner.

That is…until now.

Blade Runner 2049 arrived earlier this month over 30 years after the original splashed down. That’s a long time to wait for a sequel, especially when one considers that PKD never actually penned a follow-up to the original source material.

So stepping back into this world was a risky maneuver regardless of how you look at it.

Which way did the cost/benefit analysis swing?

Well, that’s a tricky thing. If we look at Blade Runner 2049 in terms of monetary success, we can say, unequivocally, that it flopped in its opening weekend.

And this isn’t just a little flop. We’re talking a massive belly-flop from the high dive.

But then, things look a little different when viewed from a critical acclaim perspective as Blade Runner 2049 is holding down a solid 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Not too shabby, though I imagine the studio executives would trade in a few of those percentage points in favor of a couple million dollars.

Which raises an interesting question: Would you rather be a commercial or critical success?

And no, the third option, “All of the above”, is not available.

Digression aside, let’s chat about Blade Runner 2049 and my thoughts on this flick.

Pros

Visual Aesthetics

Simply put, this is one of the prettiest movies I’ve ever seen. Some of the shots are so masterfully crafted that I was often content just staring at the screen in awe.

One of the distinctive features of the original Blade Runner was the use of light and dark to cast a noir’ish haze over the world. That aesthetic is put to good use here in the sequel, but director Dennis Villenueve doesn’t just reproduce a copy of his predecessor. He expands on the visual heart of Blade Runner in a way that pays homage to the original while simultaneously remaining utterly distinct.

Sound

I’ve never been so profoundly moved by the use of sound in a movie.

To be clear, I’m not talking about the soundtrack or theme song or what have you. I’m talking about the use (or lack thereof) of background noise.

All great communicators understand that sometimes it’s more about what you don’t say. The bits you leave out for the listener to fill in. It’s the same whether you’re writing fiction or shooting a movie.

What you leave out speaks volumes.

And so it is that Villenueve uses silence in a way that I’ve never really experienced before.

Long stretches of film go by where we are encapsulated in a sphere of silence so complete that the only sound you’re aware of is the blood swishing through your veins. When this effect is coupled with stunning visuals, the result is indescribably intense.

I’ve never held my breath so much in a movie. And it wasn’t because there was unbearable suspense or tension. I simply didn’t want to disrupt the silence.

Relationships

Blade Runner 2049 offered a unique perspective on a number of new ideas I haven’t really seen presented in recent sci-fi. One of those being a compelling approach to the future of relationships between non-human entities.

I won’t go into too much detail here, as the nature of relationships and what it means to be human is more-or-less central to the entire Blade Runner franchise and can’t be done justice by only a few short paragraphs on the topic, but I will say that Blade Runner 2049 had one of the best ‘sex’ scenes I’ve ever seen. (No, there wasn’t actually a sex scene. It was more prelude to the act, but that prelude was worth the price of admission alone.)

Cons

Pacing

Blade Runner 2049 is in no rush to get to the end. It is content wringing every drop of suspense and intrigue from every single scene.

It gets a bit tedious at times, to be honest.

If not for the excellent acting, over-the-top brilliant aesthetics, and immersive use of sound, I probably would have gotten bored half-way through the movie.

Overall, I think Blade Runner 2049 would’ve benefited from slimming down about 30 minutes of run-time, but this sin is forgivable as those 30 minutes are filled with some dope vistas.

Story

Some parts of the story are deeply compelling. Others…not so much.

Blade Runner 2049 explores the theme of what it means to be human, or at least sentient. Which is a great topic rife with opportunity, but if not for Ryan Gosling’s amazing acting, this horse would’ve long since been beaten to death by the movie’s mid-point.

Conclusion

The original Blade Runner has been hugely influential in my own work. I referenced the visual aesthetic often when I sat down to write Time Heist, and I often describe that book to people as Blade Runner meets Die Hard.

Building on such an iconic film was no small task, and one I would not have envied Dennis Villenueve.

But, despite the odds and myriad opportunities for this story to flop, somehow Blade Runner 2049 manages to accomplish something extraordinary: It’s actually a worthy sequel.

Not only that, in a lot of way, Blade Runner 2049 manages to stand on its own and surpass it’s predecessor.

That’s an insane thought, but somehow it rings true. If pressed to choose between which film I enjoyed more, I think at this moment I’d have to nod the cap at Blade Runner 2049.

Will you like it? Possibly. It’s hard to say with a movie like this. It definitely won’t appeal to everybody. But if you’re looking for a thoughtfully paced story heavy on the aesthetics, then I’d recommend giving Blade Runner 2049 a whirl.

P.S. This is undoubtedly one of those movies best seen in a theater. Do yourself a favor, make a date night of it. You’ll thank me later.

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[box] What’d you think of Blade Runner 2049? Did it live up to the lofty standard established by its predecessor or did it fall flat? Get down to the comments and let me know![/box]