View Full Version : Blade Runner 2049 Review
NO SPOILERS
Now that I've had time to process it....go see it on the biggest screen you can find.
Go with somebody you actually like.
There is so much to cover. But I can't. This movie not only complements the original but adds so much to it. Forget all the lame sequels and prequels. Forget Alien Covenant.
GO IN BLIND.
I will say that you should
-Watch Blade Runner Final Cut
-Watch the Blade Runner 2022 anime on YouTube
before watching this one.
What I can tell you is for near three hours I was in a dystopian cyberpunk world that was both familiar and yet unsettling in its familiarity.
A living, moving skeumorph of a film that may be lost on younger folk in some cases and yet decidedly fresh.
The cyberpunk bar has been raised pretty high.
Philip K. Dick was an acid popping visionary and yet...I am sure he would be happy with the outcome.
Anyone who saw Serial Experiment Lain might sorta understamd but this takes it further.
Just see it before some asshole ruins it.
I'll probably see it, just because the original was so groundbreaking.
Lacking the influence of Runme Shaw and Shaw studios I'm concerned it will seem a bit off to me. I worry about the anime influence as it usually makes for a more cartoonish film and not in a good way and I also worry there will never be anyone as hot as Sean Young in the original. A lot of it was in the eyes and reflections rather than CGI effects.
But I'll see it if for no other reason than out of respect for the original.
This isn't like an anime. This is not tge Ghost in the Shell abortion. It just helps if you see the little anime short.
This is like Blade Runner but in the future of Blade Runner.
This is just a deep movie. Nothing cartoon about it. A real navel gazer.
But I simply cannot expound further beyond even if you just saw Blade Runner once on late night TV and thought "eh wasnt bad" that this shit will blow your damn mind.
sundance435
10-06-17, 09:27
Can't wait to see it. Just watched the original on ScyFy twice in a row last night (I don't think it was the final cut, which I've seen before). Rutger Hauer's ad-libbed soliloquy, "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe," (Tears in the Rain) is one of my all-time favorite pieces of movie prose - crazy to think he ad-libbed it.
I can’t wait to see it, the anticipation has been huge. I need to watch the BR 2022 anime piece.
Outlander Systems
10-06-17, 19:55
Just saw it.
Holy ****. Cerebral and visceral. The soundtrack alone should have been included in the cast.
The directing was stellar, the acting was superb and the ambience was intoxicating.
The original is my favorite film, and I expected a dud.
Unlike The Star Wars movies, this movie stands on its own and though it departs from the original in a lot of ways, its very much what one would expect Blade Runner fast forwarded 30 years would be.
If you get the chance the supporting short films on YouTube fill in some of the events and backstory of "The Blackout" and act as Easter eggs.
I give this film 11/10.
I fully expected to hate it because of Ryan Gosling and Jared Leto. Negative. They both put out solid performances.
One of the three Short Films:
https://youtu.be/aZ9Os8cP_gg
Outlander Systems
10-06-17, 20:05
Relevant:
https://youtu.be/FqdsYn9TdWQ
I own the original DVD and am looking forward to this.
I'm currently MOBing to go to Qatar, I'm told there is a movie theater on the base, hopefully this will be showing when we get there, I wanted to see it in IMAX but regular screen will do
Whiskey_Bravo
10-07-17, 09:44
Have tickets to see it tomorrow. Looking forward to it.
Outlander Systems
10-07-17, 10:55
Even on the regular screen the breadth and scope are tremendous. The ambiance is oppressive.
I'm currently MOBing to go to Qatar, I'm told there is a movie theater on the base, hopefully this will be showing when we get there, I wanted to see it in IMAX but regular screen will do
Absolutely fantastic. Stunning visuals. Score is amazing.
Averageman
10-07-17, 14:54
Box office is well, well below expectations.
Box office is well, well below expectations.
Most Americans are retards who want Spiderman. They dont deserve Blade Runner and can start a queue to kiss my ass.
This movie genuinely made me verklempt at times. Not just from the story but how far we've come. Blade Runner was made in '82 and STILL looks better than most bullshit today.
In 30 years BR2049 will STILL hold up all the same.
I saw it last night and it was an excellent movie. Large theatre about 3/4 full with audience for a 6PM movie showing. I thought that it was a great tribute to the original movie. Ryan Gosling did a fantastic job as the Blade Runner and his nemisis was well cast as well. She reminded me of a Japanese Geisha/ warrior. The film conclusion really sets-up rhe strong likelyhood of a sequel. It was a long movie, but passes quickly. That said, a little more back story on some of the characters and the 'Blackout' would have been good.
I will definitely be watching it again in IMAX. Highly recommend the movie if you were a fan of the original.
P.S. Another great movie that Ryan Gosling starred in was "Drive" 2011. Excellent movie and well cast if you missed it.
I just tried to watch the anime on youtube and couldn't make it past 'type 8 replicants were created with natural lifespan. Soon, the human supremacy movements began...'
Blech. More social justice warrior bullshit.
I hope the movie doesn't pull the same shit. I grew up with a leftist family and can smell leftist think a mile away. I can't stand two seconds of it.
Outlander Systems
10-08-17, 14:30
Negative.
The SJWs have their tiddies in a kerfuffle over the sexist/misogynist microagressions their simple minds have inferred from the film.
I just tried to watch the anime on youtube and couldn't make it past 'type 8 replicants were created with natural lifespan. Soon, the human supremacy movements began...'
Blech. More social justice warrior bullshit.
I hope the movie doesn't pull the same shit. I grew up with a leftist family and can smell leftist think a mile away. I can't stand two seconds of it.
I thought it was just ok. It took a while to get up to speed. Excellent visuals, great ties to the original. I thought that officer K was the “child”until he met with the woman whom was the memory maker. I wish we could have seen what memory she was looking at of officer Ks. Long movie already, so much more could have been covered. Was Deckard part of a sub society group? He told K about a plan, part of that plan was deckard left before he met his daughter. K was a replicant, hunting replicants.....was deckard a replicant? Great movie.
Saw it last night in 3D.
Firefly, everything you've said is spot on. I went in blind and HO-LEE-COW was it worth it. This movie really nailed everything in place as a follow up to the original. I was very skeptical that any attempt at a sequel would ever live up to the original, but this was pretty much executed with perfection. So deep, so many levels of topics to explore....but no spoilers.
sundance435
10-08-17, 23:10
I thought it was just ok. It took a while to get up to speed. Excellent visuals, great ties to the original. I thought that officer K was the “child”until he met with the woman whom was the memory maker. I wish we could have seen what memory she was looking at of officer Ks. Long movie already, so much more could have been covered. Was Deckard part of a sub society group? He told K about a plan, part of that plan was deckard left before he met his daughter. K was a replicant, hunting replicants.....was deckard a replicant? Great movie.
I thought it was kind of obvious in this one that Deckard was a replicant. What made you think he wasn't (curious to know)? The original leaves it ambiguous - though I thought it was cool that Olmos's character makes a brief appearance. Was he in some kind of home for old blade runners?
The movie was great. Visuals are in a league of their own, along with the score. I thought Gosling was pretty good. The only thing that didn't quite fit for me was all of the time spent on the "Joi" character. I'm sure it was to highlight the blurring of reality, or what really constitutes "reality", but it was almost a distraction for as much time as was spent on it in a 2:44 movie. I also would've like just a little more explanation of the Blackout. I guess I'll have to check out the anime.
Box office is well, well below expectations.
Still beating everything else.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/
The movie was great. Visuals are in a league of their own, along with the score. I thought Gosling was pretty good. The only thing that didn't quite fit for me was all of the time spent on the "Joi" character. I'm sure it was to highlight the blurring of reality, or what really constitutes "reality", but it was almost a distraction for as much time as was spent on it in a 2:44 movie.
For me, her character and the relationship to K were the most visceral, gripping parts of the movie. Considering what they were in reality and the emotional connection they shared was magical, to the point that I described it as perfect love. I really don't want to expound since there are some who haven't seen the movie yet, but for me it is bitter irony that love like that is, in a sense, only possible as an artificial construct.
sundance435
10-09-17, 21:33
For me, her character and the relationship to K were the most visceral, gripping parts of the movie. Considering what they were in reality and the emotional connection they shared was magical, to the point that I described it as perfect love. I really don't want to expound since there are some who haven't seen the movie yet, but for me it is bitter irony that love like that is, in a sense, only possible as an artificial construct.
All good points and I can see that.
Just saw it. Great, but not as good as the original. Still better than anything else showing by far.
sundance435
10-12-17, 13:04
Just saw it. Great, but not as good as the original. Still better than anything else showing by far.
Easily the best of anything out there. I still can't believe how awesome the visuals were - terrifying and beautiful.
I want to see it, even though I do not like the original.
Outlander Systems
10-12-17, 19:58
May be blasphemous to some, but the new one is better than the original.
I want to see it, even though I do not like the original.
Different strokes, for different folks. Granted with 30 something years better ability to do special effects, it wins in that area.
The storyline just doesn’t do it for me though. Good, yes. I guess because the first one was so great, I was just expecting better.
Funny though, after all of these years, I can’t think of another movie franchise that has nailed the probable future of the big cities and how they are going to look.
I wont get into specific spoilers but now that the initial ooh and ahh has worn off....
I still say it was better than BR2019.
There was a certain point where I wanted to believe something too. The Christmas Miracle so to speak. I was right there and it wasn't an asspull and it wasn't like Law & Order. It was there but you get so caught up you actually believe.
No movie in recent years has had me that emotionally invested. Not since A Walk to Remember.
The film was so meta and post humanist that it was pretty deep.
I dont consider it a spoiler but seeing the Sulaco in port was neat.
The movie Soldier (1998) was kind of a shared universe movie with Blade Runner and they stopped using replicants as Soldiers and went back to humans (I guess for the same reason of Storm Troopers over droids).
So part of me likes to think the Sulaco was in port at the Colonial Marine/Space Navy port and Marines were either home to see their folks or a fresh batch was getting ready to head off to quell an off world hotspot.
I think showing some dudes in USCM Chucks heading downrange for replicant tang woulda been cool.
I like the new Blaster. It is like a Glock whereas the original blaster was a Model 19.
It suffers because its a long moviecand hard to market without spoilers but this is a beautiful film.
Not just visually. It touched on both Nostalgia and Futurism.
People wondered for years if Deckard was a replicant and this movie makes the solid case of "Does it matter?"
Ever see D.A.R.Y.L.? When does a machine become human? To paraphrase Turing, When you can no longer tell the difference.
And contrariwise. when does a human stop being a human? When they become wholly and morally unrecognizable.
Movie of the Year if not the decade.
sundance435
10-13-17, 09:53
I wont get into specific spoilers but now that the initial ooh and ahh has worn off....
People wondered for years if Deckard was a replicant and this movie makes the solid case of "Does it matter?"
Ever see D.A.R.Y.L.? When does a machine become human? To paraphrase Turing, When you can no longer tell the difference.
And contrariwise. when does a human stop being a human? When they become wholly and morally unrecognizable.
Movie of the Year if not the decade.
Yeah, you nailed it with Deckard, does it matter if he's a replicant? Same with Joe (and Sapper - cool name, BTW), he "humanizes" himself, while the "real" humans demonstrate no admirable human qualities. They all end up being more human than the humans. We've seen that message before in movies, but rarely is it as well done as BR2049. That line was blurrier in the original - Batty was more of an anti-hero, and while you could empathize with him, he and his crew were not "human".
militarymoron
10-13-17, 17:17
Just saw it with the wife this morning. Heavy and intense; especially the soundtrack. I actually found it exhausting to watch (in a good way); which means that I wasn't bored. I felt like I had to catch my breath when I walked out. It's very hard for me to compare it to the original Blade Runner because the original made such an impression on me (I was 14 at the time); just like Star Wars did, but I thought that it was very well done and worth seeing (feeling) it on the big screen. You feel the soundtrack much like you do a live concert.
Ok, just saw it. Definitely a theater experience film. Thankfully the visuals were impressive without being obvious or cartoonish CGI. It was probably impossible to sequel this film without engaging in some predictable plot lines but the story was good enough.
I know I previously stated there was nobody that could fill Sean Youngs shoes but I was mistaken. I had forgotten just how gorgeous Ana De Armas is, she was really the only reason to watch "War Dogs." Sadly the CGI recreation of Rachel (Sean Young) was weak and the CGI failed to capture the original, reminded me of that Carrie Fisher recreation in the last Star Wars travesty.
Ryan Gossling was ok, could have been worse and been Chris Pratt or somebody like that. Was cool to see Mackenzie Davis / Mariette and it took some time to place her as she looked very different from her "Halt and Catch Fire" character.
I honestly can't remember the last film I saw in the theater and I don't regret seeing this one, even if it was $40 with popcorn and two large sodas. Btw, you may want to think about not getting a large coke because you probably won't make it through the film and there really aren't a lot of boring parts where you can make a quick bathroom run.
Dude... My only complaint about the original was Sean Young. That chick is so anorexic she makes Anexoriea Jolie look like Gina Serano.
Outlander Systems
10-13-17, 18:37
@SteyrAUG
I ****ed up royally and took a peepee intermission right at an extremely pivotal plot twist. :(
Dude... My only complaint about the original was Sean Young. That chick is so anorexic she makes Anexoriea Jolie look like Gina Serano.
I think it was just the form fitting dress.
https://i.pinimg.com/564x/8d/ef/a2/8defa20326f49ee062f30de16801e446--film-stills-movie-posters.jpg
Stripes came out the year before and she looked pretty good there too. She held up pretty good too and looked great in Ace Ventura.
I used to think that Replicants were androids with at least some mechanical components. Evidently they're completely organic beings engineered with various specialized functions (different levels of physical strength, intelligence, etc.). An interesting (and maybe apples-to-oranges) comparison would be to the new Cylons in the reimagined "Battlestar Galactica". They also seemed to be more organic than mechanical.
Averageman
10-13-17, 19:21
Good Movie.
I don't know if it was the Theater I was in or if the sound mix was a bit off over all. Hard to hear dialog with the thumping going on.
Actually, Sean Young DID reprise her role. They kept it super secret. They had to get a body double and CG her face but it was still her. It looked convincing to me.
Hell I was half through Rogue One before I realized Peter Cushing was long dead.
This could have easily been an action packed shoot em up like Terminator Salvation with snarky one liners and self aware parody. But no.
Its literally like life just went on for 30 years after BR2019.
Ryan Gosling was good. He was human enough but still muted without being flat.
Some of the little in-world throw ins like the Soviet Union not collapsing but no more cold war to seeing Pan Am and Atari signs.
It was like they made this whole other world
I think it was just the form fitting dress.
Stripes came out the year before and she looked pretty good there too. She held up pretty good too and looked great in Ace Ventura.
I guess it’s just taste. She’s never done it for me. That pic you posted is a good one though.
Actually, Sean Young DID reprise her role. They kept it super secret. They had to get a body double and CG her face but it was still her. It looked convincing to me.
Hell I was half through Rogue One before I realized Peter Cushing was long dead.
This could have easily been an action packed shoot em up like Terminator Salvation with snarky one liners and self aware parody. But no.
Its literally like life just went on for 30 years after BR2019.
Ryan Gosling was good. He was human enough but still muted without being flat.
Some of the little in-world throw ins like the Soviet Union not collapsing but no more cold war to seeing Pan Am and Atari signs.
It was like they made this whole other world
I actually knew about Sean Young and the CGI makeover, I'm just saying they didn't pull it off. The CCCP and Atari stuff was actually kind of cool. We were in an alternate future that never happened anyway so might as well have fun with it.
Good Movie.
I don't know if it was the Theater I was in or if the sound mix was a bit off over all. Hard to hear dialog with the thumping going on.
Yeah, sometimes the soundtrack got obnoxious.
militarymoron
10-13-17, 23:03
Good Movie.
I don't know if it was the Theater I was in or if the sound mix was a bit off over all. Hard to hear dialog with the thumping going on.
Same here - I noticed this a few times as well. I didn't catch all the conversation.
ramairthree
10-13-17, 23:36
i did nit see the original in the theatre.
i grew up in a rural area a long drvie from one and was on the poor side.
i saw rhe TV version on a 13 inch black and white.
a few years later i saw the vhs on a 20 inch color stero TV,
in the 90s i started hearing the hes a replicant twist and saw the new cut
i was fine with the voice overs ans extra escaped ending.
i watched the original with my son last night and we went ro the movie tonight
i did not know about the mini tie ins and blackout.
it was a fantastic piece of cinematography
rhe score was chilling
seeing gaff and ford walk out old man style with his piece in hand were great moments
but, i did not feel fufilled by three hours of an AI romance and continued no answers on dekkard.
i am also sick of replicants as christ digures.
roy has the greatest speech in movies history, i did not need spiked palms, white doves, and literally saving man from a fall,
joe nailed reuly being human, of all the mortal wounds to take, right where jesus tookmthe spear was just too much again
this movie needs the Ram Air cut.
no ai love stroy.
it would be one hour and 45 minutes
joe would be human from an orphanage
he would track down dekkard.
dekkard was both human and a replicant.
he was a real human blade runner.
he died, not retired.
he was relicated and memory implanted.
sort of like rachel was from tyrells niece.
big moment
dekaed dies sacing joe.
becaused he realized joe was his son,
after learning he was a replianct and necer knew it
i did nit see the original in the theatre.
i grew up in a rural area a long drvie from one and was on the poor side.
i saw rhe TV version on a 13 inch black and white.
a few years later i saw the vhs on a 20 inch color stero TV,
in the 90s i started hearing the hes a replicant twist and saw the new cut
i was fine with the voice overs ans extra escaped ending.
i watched the original with my son last night and we went ro the movie tonight
i did not know about the mini tie ins and blackout.
it was a fantastic piece of cinematography
rhe score was chilling
seeing gaff and ford walk out old man style with his piece in hand were great moments
but, i did not feel fufilled by three hours of an AI romance and continued no answers on dekkard.
i am also sick of replicants as christ digures.
roy has the greatest speech in movies history, i did not need spiked palms, white doves, and literally saving man from a fall,
joe nailed reuly being human, of all the mortal wounds to take, right where jesus tookmthe spear was just too much again
this movie needs the Ram Air cut.
no ai love stroy.
it would be one hour and 45 minutes
joe would be human from an orphanage
he would track down dekkard.
dekkard was both human and a replicant.
he was a real human blade runner.
he died, not retired.
he was relicated and memory implanted.
sort of like rachel was from tyrells niece.
big moment
dekaed dies sacing joe.
becaused he realized joe was his son,
after learning he was a replianct and necer knew it
I'm sorry but that sounds absolutely atrocious, predictable, and the exact cartoon of a movie I am glad they did not make.
If you are seeing Jesus allegories in BR2049 then you are very much in a minority.
Roy Batty was designed to be a soldier who discovered an appreciation for life. He knew at the very end he was going to die. Thats why he saved Deckard. Because Deckard was just doing his job as Roy had done in his 4 years. That's why he says briefly about the things he saw you wouldnt believe. Not as a boast but more of an "earn this" type of moment. Deckard had Rachel and an indefinite time. Roy had mere moments and Pris, his lover, was dead.
The love between two machines was more genuine than between real people. One key scene showed Joi as ride or die.
As for Deckard being a replicant or not....
Does it matter?
Would you feel intellectually satisfied or insulted if some guy (Lessay Will Smith) showed up and said "Ay yo, ya boy Han Solo Jones here is a robot y'all! And he's got swimmers that work. Knaw wha' I mean? Aint that just some shit? MESSAGE!" and bebops out the way so a mindless gun battle can happen?
The allegory is about slavery. BR2019 was like Colonial era Slavery. Lots of Space Tobeys. Skinjob is like really bigoted. So when they leave the plantation and pull a Nat Turner then they send an Overseer to kill them. Rachel is like a mulato or an Octoroon who can pass and it causes the Overseer to have conflicted feelings.
BR2049 is more like Civil Rights era where Replicants are second class citizems and Joe is the token black cop "how does it feel to kill your own kind". And being the badass, yet complicated black private dick that he is, the only one who understands him is his woman. So he saunters the ghetto maybe thinking he was a cast off half and half. Getting all hopeful, but The Man is keeping him down. So he meets up with the old Overseer who still sees him as another in the woodpile. But he does the right thing, because it is the right thing to do.
No Jesus imagery, no trying to save Rammie's eternal soul.
Just a cat that looks out for his brother man.
And when the others say more human than human, it isn't meant to be ironic.
Its that despite the ill gotten gains and systemic racism, they still have feelings.
TL;DR Blade Runner is about Civil Rights.
Ya dig? Sho Nuff.
sundance435
10-16-17, 09:51
I'm sorry but that sounds absolutely atrocious, predictable, and the exact cartoon of a movie I am glad they did not make.
If you are seeing Jesus allegories in BR2049 then you are very much in a minority.
Roy Batty was designed to be a soldier who discovered an appreciation for life. He knew at the very end he was going to die. Thats why he saved Deckard. Because Deckard was just doing his job as Roy had done in his 4 years. That's why he says briefly about the things he saw you wouldnt believe. Not as a boast but more of an "earn this" type of moment. Deckard had Rachel and an indefinite time. Roy had mere moments and Pris, his lover, was dead.
And when the others say more human than human, it isn't meant to be ironic.
TL;DR Blade Runner is about Civil Rights.
Ya dig? Sho Nuff.
Yeah, I definitely wasn't getting a "Jesus-like" vibe. More of a "humanity" is not just confined to "humans" vibe and that it transcends - I can see some parallel in the historical treatment of minorities as subhuman and the Civil Rights movement.
Interestingly, I took something different from Roy Batty. I took the "Tears in the Rain" speech as a lamentation on how wasteful and narrow-minded humans can be. Here is a guy designed to live for 4 years who has seen things humans wouldn't believe, just to be discarded like a piece of garbage at some arbitrary point, along with everything he's experienced - really more of a sermon to Deckard, whether he knows Deckard is a replicant or not. In the end, Batty demonstrates a higher level of thinking than most humans are capable of. He doesn't let Deckard die because why would he? He's not a mindless drone or a narrow-minded human. Roy never found his "purpose" and he despaired at that - Joe really wanted to be the miracle child, but even after finding out he wasn't, he still found a way to give his life purpose.
ramairthree
10-18-17, 00:33
Yes, the Christ figure stuff is there.
I think more to say they have a soul, not as an actual Christ.
I did not create the movie giving characters with stigmata,
All out like white lighted face, spike through palm, and holding a white dove,
Or subtle,
Like the location of a stab wound where Christ was speared.
Take it up with the filmmaker.
I am genuinely happy for Firefly,
If the film was all he hoped and dreamed it would be. No sarcasm.
I was about as interested in the AI love as I was with the two synthetics playing the flute together in an Aliens movie.
Well acted, and poignant.
But I think his need for love and connection would have been better served by another replicant.
Yes.
It does matter if he was a replicant or not.
I would have been happy if he was human.
I would have been happy if he was a replicant.
I would have been happy if he was a replicant body with his human brain.
I would have been happy if he was in his human body with replicant tech keeping him alive.
But I wanted it determined.
Of course I did not want the movie Firefly described.
Yes, I was being sarcastic about the Ramair Cut.
I found it to be a great piece of cinematography with a great score.
Well written and fantastically acted.
But it lacked an efficiency, pace, and clarity I wanted.
And...
I wanted the leader of the replicant resistance to be Rutger Hauer. Old, broken, raspy voiced, and barely still alive. A last experiment from the Rachel branch. A Roy without an expiration date.
I did not in the past, nor do I now find Bladerunner to be a slavery allergory.
I have always found it to be a man playing God genre with the philosophy of how horrible some humans can be, but how human some non humans can be.
I have always found it to be a man playing God genre with the philosophy of how horrible some humans can be, but how human some non humans can be.
I can live with that. Deckart feel in love with a machine, and a machine learned to love "existence" so much that he couldn't kill Deckart. Everyone talks about The Terminator as the ultimate AI film, those who know what they are actually talking about go back to Collusus: The Forbin Project, but honestly Blade Runner translated more deep thought to film on the subject than any other film ever accomplished.
There really are very few films like it. The fact that the Hollywood majors didn't want to write big checks so they went to the Hong Kong studios of Shaw Bros. which were flush with cash in order to bring the original vision to film with no compromises shows how unique a film it is. It was pre CGI and it still puts most CGI films to shame.
It also seems to have invented a genre that didn't previous exist, the neo noir science fiction film. Good luck ever seeing one of those again. Minority Report maybe, but not really.
It'll be interesting to see if, 20 years from now, this movie will have the same cult status as the original.
When Deckard said Rachael was special, he wasn't kidding. Director Denis Villeneuve does a commendable attempt to pay tribute to the first movie, but that's like trying to make Citizen Kane II. Like the original, it's a visually intense movie, but each scene is not a work of art per the original.
The sound track is heavy and disjointed in spots, and spot on in others. Acting across the board is excellent, even if Gosling still not my first choice, he's solid. If this movie falls short anywhere compared to the original, it's in the dialogue. The original had dialogue I still repeat in my head once in a while, whereas this movie, I can't think of a single scene that will stick in my head.
"All these moments will be lost in time...like tears in rain...time to die" never leaves my head.
The evil genius in this movie is more a side character, unlike Tyrell, who was one of the most compelling characters in the original. The movie both pays pays homage to the original, with some characters and scenes being very reminiscent to the first, and many original to this film. By this review one might think I didn't enjoy 2049, but that's not the case at all. This is a must see movie for fans of the original if for no other reason you get to immerse yourself in all things Blade Runner for almost three hours. I don't think it really added anything to the story per se, but it's one of the better movies I have seen in some time, and any time a thinking person's sci-fi movie is made, must be applauded. This one gets an A.
I can live with that. Deckart feel in love with a machine, and a machine learned to love "existence" so much that he couldn't kill Deckart. Everyone talks about The Terminator as the ultimate AI film, those who know what they are actually talking about go back to Collusus: The Forbin Project, but honestly Blade Runner translated more deep thought to film on the subject than any other film ever accomplished.
There really are very few films like it. The fact that the Hollywood majors didn't want to write big checks so they went to the Hong Kong studios of Shaw Bros. which were flush with cash in order to bring the original vision to film with no compromises shows how unique a film it is. It was pre CGI and it still puts most CGI films to shame.
It also seems to have invented a genre that didn't previous exist, the neo noir science fiction film. Good luck ever seeing one of those again. Minority Report maybe, but not really.
That may be the reason it puts them to shame. Look at 2001, it still holds up visually, which is pretty damn amazing. CGI done right does not detract, it adds to the visuals, and of course for some things, only CGI works. The girl in girl scene for example.
For those who have not seen then, does actually fill in some gaps between movies. A well done ongoing Blade Runner anime series would be cool. I actually get more of the original vibe from this anime than I do from 2049 and the music is better:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrZk9sSgRyQ
It'll be interesting to see if, 20 years from now, this movie will have the same cult status as the original.
IMHO... No way.
Just my two cents.
IMHO... No way.
Just my two cents.
Have to agree. I don't think this one will ever surpass the original.
Have to agree. I don't think this one will ever surpass the original.
Agreed, not gonna happen.
Moose-Knuckle
10-27-17, 05:42
So I was fortunate enough to find it showing on an XD screen (IMHO better than IMAX) that has a custom JBL sound system and the brightest digital images delivered by a Doremi server and a Barco digital projector.
This was a bold, BOLD undertaking and they did not **** this up. This IMHO is the best movie I've seen since the first one.
Denis Villeneuv really hit this one at the park and I'm glad he directed under the watchful production eye of Ridley Scott.
The only thing I was disappointed in was they did not bring on Vangelis to do the soundtrack and score. Benjamin Wallfisch and Hans Zimmer did a great job with the new one though I would have liked to have seen err heard Atticus Ross compose and perform it since they did not bring back Vangelis.
I geeked out seeing all the hologram advertisements for Pan-Am, Atari, and Coco-Cola and the plug in for Sony!
Loved that they brought back Sean Young and Edward James Olmos to reprise their roles. Olmos's Gaff even made us an origami sheep a direct hat tip to Dick's novel.
Some of the Easter Eggs I spied so far (only seen it once):
The opening scene of Sapper Morton's retirement was originally story boarded as the opening scene in the first film.
There is a mother ****ing Space Jockey in Wallace's collection. After all Eldon Tyrell was Peter Weyland's mentor.
Also of note that in their timeline the CCCP is still alive and well, reminded me of the Watchmen and that ain't a bad thing.
Johnnie Walker Black Label made it into this one from the original.
David Peoples was a co-writer for the original and wrote the film Soldier hence that film's Tannhauser Gate reference, note the waste disposal plant that was once San Diego and the one on Arcadia 234 where Todd is exiled.
Nabokov's Pale Fire was referenced through out the film.
Peugeot automobiles, that has to be from Villeneuv no doubt as he is French.
Also Roy Batty's famous monologue is referenced by Dr. Ana Stelline when she is talking with K.
On rental now. Need to watch it again and glad i did. I was able to look at little details and such. I came to conclude my biggest worry for this movie, the casting of Gosling, was not only unfounded, I think he's probably the best part of this movie. He really does a fine job of if. If anything, felt like Ford was phoning it in a few times. This really is a solid film, and needs to be seen a second time to appreciate a lot of subtle stuff perhaps not seen on first viewing. There were a bunch of seemingly minor, but important details I didn't see/catch the first time that, like the first, really adds layers to this film. In parts, it tries a little too hard to live up to the first film (like when the creator kisses his creation, etc), and some of the music a bit heavy handed to cause a sense foreboding where it was nit needed, it's a must see re viewing if you enjoyed this film.
Other than a fee minor thins covered in my first review, and considering what they had to live up to, a damn fine attempt and credit where credit due.
It's always a great thing when an actor you thought was a light weight fluff actor turns out to have what it takes, and some inherent screen presence no one can give them. I'd thought Leonardo DiCaprio was a fluff actor till he did Blood Diamond, and I realized the kid could really act. Till I saw Drive, I thought Gosling was also a fluff actor. Glad I was wrong about that.
Moose-Knuckle
01-30-18, 12:49
On rental now. Need to watch it again and glad i did. I was able to look at little details and such. I came to conclude my biggest worry for this movie, the casting of Gosling, was not only unfounded, I think he's probably the best part of this movie. He really does a fine job of if. If anything, felt like Ford was phoning it in a few times. This really is a solid film, and needs to be seen a second time to appreciate a lot of subtle stuff perhaps not seen on first viewing. There were a bunch of seemingly minor, but important details I didn't see/catch the first time that, like the first, really adds layers to this film. In parts, it tries a little too hard to live up to the first film (like when the creator kisses his creation, etc), and some of the music a bit heavy handed to cause a sense foreboding where it was nit needed, it's a must see re viewing if you enjoyed this film.
Other than a fee minor thins covered in my first review, and considering what they had to live up to, a damn fine attempt and credit where credit due.
It's always a great thing when an actor you thought was a light weight fluff actor turns out to have what it takes, and some inherent screen presence no one can give them. I'd thought Leonardo DiCaprio was a fluff actor till he did Blood Diamond, and I realized the kid could really act. Till I saw Drive, I thought Gosling was also a fluff actor. Glad I was wrong about that.
If you haven't seen it, The Place Beyond the Pines is a great film and Goslings second best IMHO behind Blade Runner 2049.
Doc Safari
01-30-18, 13:16
I saw it a few nights ago.
The bad:
Of course it doesn't surpass the original. Are you nuts?
The good:
It does advance the story and in fact raises a couple of "wish I'd thought of that" plot turns.
It helps to re-watch the first movie before viewing the sequel, just because it refreshes your memory of the zeitgeist created by the first film.
Moose-Knuckle
01-30-18, 14:11
I saw it a few nights ago.
The bad:
Of course it doesn't surpass the original. Are you nuts?
The good:
It does advance the story and in fact raises a couple of "wish I'd thought of that" plot turns.
It helps to re-watch the first movie before viewing the sequel, just because it refreshes your memory of the zeitgeist created by the first film.
When I got home from the theater I watched Blade Runner: The Final Cut on DVD.
For me it was like going to church.
If you haven't seen it, The Place Beyond the Pines is a great film and Goslings second best IMHO behind Blade Runner 2049.
I'll check it out. I assume you saw Drive?
Moose-Knuckle
01-31-18, 12:33
I'll check it out. I assume you saw Drive?
Negative.
We rented it but I didn't have the time. My wife enjoyed it, we're eye to eye on films and she has a major celebrity crush on Gosling.
I'll have to give it a go.
You'll enjoy The Place Beyond the Pines, it's on my must own list. Seen it once and it impacted me.
Negative.
I did a review a while back.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?195864-Drive-(Review)&highlight=Drive
It's a solid movie and the one that changed my opinion on Gosling.
Moose-Knuckle
01-31-18, 13:08
I did a review a while back.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?195864-Drive-(Review)&highlight=Drive
It's a solid movie and the one that changed my opinion on Gosling.
Will give it a go.
Drive is NOT a chick movie. It is probably the closest thing to a "Foreign Film" that America has done in some time.
It made me go through a Kavinsky phase.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.