1982’s
Blade
Runner with Ridley Scott at the helm and Harrison Ford fresh off Star Wars and Indiana Jones, was an imaginative vision of the future (based on
Philip Dick’s novel) that grew in stature over the years to become a sci-fi classic.
With a compelling screenplay, director
Denis Villeneuve (Arrival) has accomplished
the feat of building on the original’s storyline and cleverly expanding it in Blade Runner 2049.
In
2049 Los Angeles, Officer K (Ryan Gosling) is a blade runner who hunts renegade
replicants for termination and discovers
a buried mystery and clues that lead to a revelation with immense ramifications.
K’s search for the truth leads to the
past including Deckard (Ford), a former blade runner, and a mysterious
figure named Wallace (Jared Leto) who has taken over the remnants of the Tyrell
Corporation, the creators of the replicants.
The filmmakers pay homage
to the look and feel of the original film (and a score that honors original
composer Vangelis) by vividly recreating a dark, dystopian world of
overpopulated, grimy streets and saturated commercialism. By
no means a perfect film with its occasional plot holes, you get swept up by its
beautiful, stunning images courtesy of cinematographer Roger Deakins. Its narrative raises questions about reality versus
implanted memories, and what it means to be human.
Gosling
and Ford are quite good and supported by a strong cast including Robin Wright
and Sylvia Hoeks. There is also a virtual holographic companion named Joi well
played by Ana de Armas (not unlike the artificial intelligence in Her) whose scenes with K have an emotional
connection.
Dovetailing
nicely with its predecessor, and at 163 minutes with its methodical, deliberate
pacing, the film is always engaging, finding new wrinkles to surprise you. For
fans of this genre, it is an achievement of filmmaking that demands a big
screen and is destined for Oscar recognition.
**** of
**** (for sci-fi fans)
No comments:
Post a Comment