Blade Runner 2049: Movie Review

"Blade Runner 2049" took 35 years since its predecessor came out and the decades-long wait was well worth it. This sequel builds upon the original's themes and masterfully creates its own web of philosophical intricacies that pushes your own thoughts and boundaries further and further. This is as thought-provoking and shocking as the original - maybe even more. All of this while being a visual and aural juggernaut. "Blade Runner 2049" is not only a film that you will watch - it is a spectacle.

Much has changed in the three decades in the first film. Replicants have been decommissioned and now recommissioned with the successful takeover of Niander Wallace (Jared Leto) of the Tyrell Corporation. LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), a new blade runner and a replicant himself, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge society into chaos. K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) and find the real answer to the mystery.

"Blade Runner 2049" takes its time to tell its story and reveal all of its secrets. Much like its protagonist Officer K, you'll be played, you'll be shocked and surprised once everything has been unveiled. Even with a running time of 163 minutes, we never really felt it bogging down. And if there's actually one thing that we really loved about the film more than anything else is its long-form narrative. While it was not perfect, it is was packed full of thought-provoking themes. Admirably, the film was able to expand on the mythos of replicants further while adding new themes of its own. Unfortunately, we won't reveal much here as most are major plot points for the film but do trust us when we say that you'll get more than you expect it to be. On the other end of the spectrum, the acting for the film was simply exquisite. Ryan Gosling was outstanding as the conflicted and confused Officer K. Every scene he acted was nuanced and captured the sheer emotion of what his character was experiencing at that moment. The other members of the cast were also great with noteworthy performances from Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas and Sylvia Hoeks. Finally, as expected, "Blade Runner 2049" is a visual feast to behold. You should see it on the biggest screen you can find. Every shot seemed to have a purpose and life. Most of them could easily be captured and used as artistic set pieces especially the ones inside the Wallace premises - much like the original. Denis Villueneve has created a film worthy of the original and that alone is an astounding feat. This is a deep and smart scifi experience leaving you breathless in more ways than one.

Rating: 4 and a half reels




Why you should watch it:
- respects and still expands on the original's storyline
- superb acting from the whole cast
- this is a visual and aural spectacle

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- the long-form style may be off-putting for some
- the narrative had some minor question marks and holes