“I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.” Wow. What an incredibly complex, thought provoking monologue. Some argue that the late Rutger Hauer’s mostly improvised final lines his renegade character delivers are among the best in cinematic history. That’s a lot to live up to for the sequel of the now classic Blade runner from 1982.
Now that most of the world is on lockdown due to the outbreak of COVID-19, a bleaker future seems even more possible than before. Fast forward 29 years or so and imagine androids are commonplace in the world, along with super corporations that control vast amounts of wealth and power. And also a few flying cars. This is the neon noir setting we step into for Blade Runner 2049. Opening into a glum Los Angeles of the future (much like Ridley Scott's original, but this time through the much more advanced lenses of cameras circa 2017), we see a cyberpunk world which has laid cinematically dormant since 1982. Visually, this film is stunning in every way and really captures the imagination while watching. The recurrent use of deep orange and pale blue give a sense of stability and cohesiveness in a fast paced narrative, tying together various settings and timelines. The burnt oranges emphasise the apocalyptic setting and contrast with the serene blue hues, which are present in the urban landscapes. These choices serve to remind the viewer of the ecological destruction and subversion of the world as we know it. In many ways, Blade Runner 2049 feels like a faithful follow-up to Phillip K. Dick's vision in his novel, 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep'.
The story follows a similar premise to its predecessor. Officer K (Ryan Gosling) is a new blade runner, hunting more rogue replicants. While doing this he unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. His discovery leads him to seek the familiar face of Rick Deckard (played by the now legendary Harrison Ford), a former blade runner who's been missing for 30 years. What the pair discover shakes the very core of their beliefs and challenges their worldview.
The best part about this movie is the complex relationship between Joi (Ana de Armas), a fully sentient hologram, and Officer K. The performances delivered by these two talented actors are excellent; the viewer feels so invested in their relationship that we question the nature of reality. Can an android and hologram be in love? Does society's perception of love matter? Can technology replicate true emotion? By the time the credits roll and the viewer has been on an emotional rollercoaster ride filled with twists, turns and more than a few tearjerking moments, it's inevitable that we believe in Joi and K's humanity. While the first Blade Runner and other films within this category ask questions about what it means to be alive and what robots are capable of, this instalment takes it to the next level and raises the bar for future films.
I think we can all agree just how far computer technology has come since the early 1980s. When I first started watching this film I had very high expectations about how much cinematography should have progressed since the original instalment. Blade Runner 2049 surpassed even my expectations. Midway through the movie Rachel (Sean Young), an android in the original Blade Runner makes an appearance, seemingly not a day older than in 1982. Rachel's digitally de-aged version looked so fantastic that it would make even those with the keenest of eyes look twice; truly we live in a wonderful age of modern movie magic where almost anything is possible.
Despite the talent of our heroes, a film is only as good as its villain. With the casting of Jared Leto as the main antagonist of this movie, Francine Maisler and Lucinda Syson couldn’t have set the bar any higher. Leto’s cold and sinister portrayal of Niander Wallace alludes to a vast web of manipulation and power that we never fully see the extent of. Seeing him give life to replicants and so callously end it just a few moments later will shock and scare audiences to their core. Wallace is perfectly acted by Leto - I wouldn't like to get in the way of this method actor while he was in character.
Overall, director Denis Villeneuve has managed to reshape this universe by addressing much of the ambiguity provoked by the original movie, as well as answering questions raised in the newest instalment. Blade Runner 2049 is a thought provoking look into what our near future could look like; challenging our perceptions on what it means to be alive and the various forms that it might take. I personally feel this film deserves the title of 'modern classic', and would even suggest that it far surpasses its predecessor. I deeply look forward to its inevitable sequel. Perhaps it will take 29 years to come, but either way I will be the first queuing at the box office for my front row ticket. I give this film four stars out of five.
Written and published by Lewis Connor Broadway.
Edited by Beth Parker.
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