Review of Final Analysis (1992) by Bradysmith — 18 Dec 2013

Blade Runner is an extremely stylized, visually unique, and darkly atmospheric sci-fi classic, but it's held back from true perfection by some very noticeable flaws. The noir jazz music doesn't always mix well with the rest of the soundtrack.

I kept wishing that the saxophone would just go away. Harrison Ford's voiceover also felt vey forced and cheesy to me. Other than some minor gripes however, this is still one heck of a movie. It's all enveloped in an eerie atmosphere unlike anything else out there.

Much of this comes from the visual decisions. The art direction is superbly gothic and near non-stop rain plights the futuristic city of L.A. for almost the entire movie. The action is also unique in that it possesses a cold, strange, and gritty aesthetic, most evidently seen in the scene where Decker is being hunted by the lead replicant inside of the abandoned building.

There are also scenes of emotional intensity here, mostly related to the replicants' yearning for a less abbreviated life. It's not as tightly directed as Scott's other sci-fi classic Alien, but what is? It makes up for this by tackling much more ambitious thematic content than that movie.

It's mostly successful at this, but it still doesn't feel as weighty as it could have been to me. Perhaps it will grow on me with repeat viewings.