Blade Runner 2049

Blade Runner 2049

Starring Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Sylvia Hoeks, Jared Leto
Directed by Denis Villeneuve

The Story:
Set in Los Angeles in 2049, Blade Runner K (Ryan Gosling) is sent to "retire" older replicants - those who were created before the upgrades that caused them to blindly obey their masters.  At the house of one of these replicants, he discovers something that threatens to disrupt the entire balance of life itself, and he sets out to find the truth, which eventually brings him to former Blade Runner Deckard (Harrison Ford), who has gone into hiding. 

The Synopsis:
Generally, a sequel that comes years - even decades - after the original fail to capture the original's essence.  Films like "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," "Bad Santa 2," "Dumb and Dumber To," "The Godfather Part III," and "Basic Instinct 2" come to mind.  Yet, there's some sequels that were released decades later that not only kept the essence of the original, but also managed to expound on it and offer something more than just a tired re-tread.  "Mad Max: Fury Road," "Jurassic World," "Toy Story 3," "Finding Dory" and "Aliens" are often categorized in that vein.  "Blade Runner 2049" follows their tradition.

Thirty-five years after the original, the Ridley Scott classic still holds sway over this fantastic sequel, centering on some of the topics addressed in the original: the purpose of existence, the essence of being human, the perseverance and power of memory, and the lengths one would go in order to find the answers.  It's not just a re-tread or remake, or simply a sequel in itself: it's a continuation of a classic science-fiction work that's withstood the test of time.  Placed back-to-back, it could be one strikingly long narrative without missing a beat.

Denis Villeneuve is one of today's most visionary directors, bringing forth films like "Prisoners," "Sicario" and "Arrival," and even he knew the weight he was carrying by taking on this endeavor, and he did the film a great service.  Even though the runtime is an astonishing two hours and forty-four minutes, he manages to keep you riveted from the first scene to the last, with an excellent script written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, some of the most visionary cinematography brought by the eternal-Oscar-bridesmaid Roger Deakins, and career-defining acting by Ryan Gosling. 

Much like the original, "2049" wasn't met with commercial success.  The original only grossed a little over $32 million, but has earned a cult following since then, blending philosophical ideals and then-extraordinary effects.  "2049" had hopes of reaching a $50 million debut weekend, but only managed to gross a little over $32 million on a budget of $150 million.  There's several factors that could play into its weak opening: the long runtime, theaters only running one or two showings a day, franchise fatigue, or simply the fact that it's not a typical audience-friendly film (meaning it's a highly thoughtful product that doesn't answer every question in a nicely wrapped package).  For anyone who's weary of the above concerns, you need not be.  It's a visionary achievement rarely seen in film, one that won't easily be forgotten, and manages to blend the highly intellectual with the ordinary (such as pondering one's existence while feeling the snow falling on your fingers). 

Another aspect that might've kept people away from the movie is that it's not a strictly action film, although the trailer does show a lot of it.  It's not your general summer-blockbuster flair, with shots and explosions going off every thirty seconds.  Instead, it's a slow burn tale, a classic noir detective mystery set decades in the future, with some action tossed in between for good measure.  It's the perfect concoction of external influences that blends into a beautiful finished product.

Taking a look at the aesthetics, you'd be visually stunned by what you behold.  Roger Deakins sets the world in a futuristic dystopia, where the sun hardly shines, people are clumped like sardines in a can, and there's different worlds of red-hued atmospheres and nearly-pyramid-like structures - and it's all in America.  If "Mad Max: Fury Road" can dominate the technical categories at the Oscars, there's no doubt "Blade Runner 2049" will run with them this year, and this could be the one that Deakins wins (he's been nominated a staggering thirteen times - for films such as "Sicario," "Prisoners," "Skyfall," "True Grit," "Fargo," "The Shawshank Redemption," and even battled himself for both "The Assassination of Jesse James" and "No Country for Old Men" in the same year).  He's never held Oscar gold, but this could be his year.  On top of the stunning visuals, the sound is downright enjoyment for the ears, totally immersing you both visually and audibly in the story.  Hans Zimmer, ten-time Oscar nominee and Oscar winner, helped score the music, and there were times during the film when the music would swell that I would associate the same feeling when I saw films like "Interstellar" and "Inception," and I didn't even know Zimmer did the score until the ending credits, but I wasn't surprised.

When it came to the cast, we were gifted with the performance of a lifetime by Ryan Gosling who, although clearly deserves an Oscar, probably won't get it (the Academy Awards are wary of nominating science-fiction films for major categories for some reason).  As a newly formed replicant, he doesn't fully show human emotion, but he still has moments of humanity in his quizzical looks, downright depressed feelings and moments of pure rage and anguish.  Harrison Ford reprises his role as Rick Deckard, and it's like he never missed a beat all these decades later.  Jared Leto plays the founder of the new replicant corporation, and showcases a bravado the lengths of god-like statue.  Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Dave Bautista, Lennie James and Robin Wright also give compelling performances as well.

The Summary:
A delight for the eyes, mind, and ears, "Blade Runner 2049" is a polished, perfect piece of cinema that could withstand the test of time and become a classic in its own right, filled with beautiful visuals and a complex, compelling story delivered by a masterclass of actors with a more-than-capable director at the helm.

The Score: A+