Blade Runner 2049

Directed: Denis Villeneuve
Writer: Hampton Fancher
Released: October 2017
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Carla Juri, Lennie James, Dave Bautista and Jared Leto
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The story: Based in the year 2049, replicants (bioengineered humans) are servants and slaves in society. K (Ryan Gosling) is a replicant who works as a “Blade Runner”—an officer who hunts down and “retires” (kills) rogue replicants. However, he discovers the corpse of a female replicant who died during an emergency caesarean section.

This scares the authorities because reproduction of replicant was previously thought impossible. Fearful that this new discovery could result in a war between humans and replicants, K is ordered to find and kill the child.

Well, thank Christ we went to see this movie in the ‘Gold Class’ luxury cinema, because the recliner seats made for a comfortable place to sleep.

This snail-paced sequel highlights the reason why sequels to blockbuster originals should not be done.

Admittedly, I haven’t seen the first Blade Runner film from start to finish in one sitting, but I’ve seen basically all of it if you puzzle together all of my attempts. It is a good film – a fantastic film in fact – according to many. And I am happy to agree with this opinion. It certainly was a film before its time in many ways.

Nevertheless, Blade Runner 2049 was slow both in terms of the film’s pacing (made worse by its almost 3-hour duration), and the characters’ slow movements (a bit of a let-down for an action film). It was also a bit weird. Nevertheless, the casting saved it, particularly with Harrison Ford’s great return.

Rick Deckard (Ford): I had your job once. I was good at it.

‘K’ (Gosling): Things were simpler then.

Ryan Gosling and his chiseled jawline. Harrison Ford and his smokey voice. Robin Wright and her ‘don’t care ’bout nothin’, Son’ attitude. Carla Juri and her remarkable expressions (who features in my favourite Sharon Van Etten music video). The talent here saved the film, for sure.

For those of you who haven’t seen the first Blade Runner, I think you’d be more inclined to enjoy it. So long as you enjoy the sci-fi action genre. However, because I knew the tone of the first film, I was expecting it to be vastly similar but updated for the modern audience. Which, I think they certainly tried to do.

Alas, it wasn’t terrible. But certainly hasn’t cast a shadow on the original.

Jodie’s rating: 5/10