Review of Blade Runner 2049 (2017) by P M — 28 Oct 2017

#1 son and I checked out the sequel to the classic sci-fi film. New to my son, we first watched the Final Cut version of Blade Runner and the three short films released prior to the new movie (these filled in some of the story between the two feature films). For BR2049, we saw the 3D version. A a film, this was very impressive. It was clearly made by exceptional people working at the top of their game. Though 3D tends to make the images darker, the filmmakers had paid extra attention to this process and it shows. It's not showy 3D but it worked remarkably well. As for the movie, it's done in the Blade Runner style but it feels like a Daniel Villeneuve film: moody, slow/deliberate, with occasional short bursts of violent action. I think for many, this can be a bit boring for a long movie like this one. The movie never flt boring but it seemed like some strategic snipping could have easily been done.

The movie is all about Ryan Reynolds and he appears in almost every scene. He's mostly emotionless with an undercurrent of despair, making this movie even more gloomy. It was surprising that some key characters only had a few minutes of screen time. Ford's role is more substantive, though you have to wait for it. I think his role requires viewing the original Blade Runner (Final Cut) movie first. Most of the other main characters are women and they did impressive work.

The soundtrack paid tribute to the original film. It was quite immersive, too. But it was also very loud, at times. My ears are still ringing.

My son, who's into films, really was impressed. It's certainly a sight to behold. Though one important theme was about what it is to be human, I found the emotional impact to be wanting. Still, it was and impressive display of talent...an achievement worth recognizing.