Review of Final Analysis (1992) by Dhinged — 18 Sep 2014

I love this movie, but it's mostly because of the sets and scenery and cinematography, not to mention the palpable sense of living in a cyber-dystopic future surrounded by whirling fans, dark lighting, grates, and the immense technological and populous detail Ridley Scott created from his imagination. It's overwhelming in a tasteful sense, feeling like it's saturated but unavoidable and inevitable, a dark cynical but feasible future that lays at the back of our minds in our modern world. It reminds of the detail of Star Wars and Aliens, the former of which I'm sure inspired Ridley Scott and the latter an obvious predecessor. Even Deckard's cupboards and blinds resemble the halls and rooms of the Nostromo.

My issues however with the movie, and what sets it from going to the top, are that the substance is less than the scenery. The plot itself is riveting, but the detail and development is definitely thinner than the long scenes and abundant set flourishings belie. The tension between the characters is just as riveting, but there is much more implied than the dialogue holds up and their actions follow through on.

Ridley Scott had a lot of philosophical material to work with here, but unfortunately the writing doesn't take full advantage of it so it feels more in my head than onscreen. There's also some nonsensicle behavior by the characters seemingly for the sake of effect or drama, which I think got in the way of what could have been some real brain-twisting questions with the androids and what humans are capable of creating.

Overall, unforgettable for me, and growing up, a unrivaled definition of a dystopic alternate-future, as if Ridley took a camera through his own mind exploring every dark grated tunnel and over-populated night street. Deckard's apartment alone is unforgettable for its abundance of technological art forms, but I only wish there was more meat to this bone as there was garnishings.