Review of Blade Runner 2049 (2017) by Jake R — 18 Mar 2018

'BLADE RUNNER 2049' -- the far-too-long awaited sequel to a magnum opus of modern science fiction film, a film many (including myself) found to be one of the greatest films ever made, incomparable to others in its class and transcendent despite superior advancements in CGI and film technology.

The original film left such a legacy because it explored Philip K. Dick's original story without sacrificing storyline or characters to popular trend mechanics. It was a simple enough tale, with few key characters and action sequences used sparingly but exceptionally.

'BLADE RUNNER 2049' not only keeps up with its predecessor, it brilliantly expands on its overall importance as a pillar of science fiction cinema. Perhaps no other actor currently in Hollywood could have fit the role of Officer K more perfectly than Ryan Gosling.

His complex character rhymes with Harrison Ford's iconic Deckard to deliver pure, unmatched chemistry. Robin Wright is fantastic, Jared Leto is terrifying, and Ana de Armas delivers one of the greatest performances of the year as the film's greatest centerpiece.

The cinematography, exquisitely crafted and blended by Roger Deakins, is unparalleled -- some of the most beautiful moments of filmmaking I've ever seen are proposed throughout the film's unraveling, creating a marvel of cinematic imagery that is overwhelmingly powerful.

There is not much that I can come up with with regards to negative components of this film; Everything seems to work perfectly, due to Denis Villenueve's unbelievable work behind the camera and precision as an auteur director.

He proves himself to be more than capable of adapting the world of Blade Runner into a sequel, something that could have gone horribly wrong in so many ways and yet surpasses all shadows of a doubt and delivers an unquestionable work of modern art.

This is a glimpse into the possibilities of filmmaking that could be explored by so many talented actors, directors, writers and producers within Hollywood, but is so rarely captured as magnificently.

I could not award this film anything less than a perfect score. It will remain one of my favorite films forever.