Blade Runner 2049 is the sequel to the groundbreaking original released in 1982. Blade Runner became one of the most iconic Sci-Fi films ever. Based on the novel by Philip K Dicks, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. The film blew the minds of the audience by presenting challenging questions on life. Wrapping it up in an incredible future world that is presented with spectacular effects and soundscore.
It's fair to say, that Blade Runner 2049 is one of those rare sequels. It not only carries the original premise of the story successfully. But it actually enhances it in many ways. Lots of sequels have been made over the years, that many people would argue should never have been made. I'm sure you would agree with me, that Star Wars I, II and III, were a total disaster.
For me, within the first ten minutes of the film, I was reminded of the first time I watched the original. Visually this movie is breathtaking and is carried along with a deep expressive soundscore. Ridley Scott directed the original and presented a style that had never been seen before. So to carry this influence forward and do it so well that it overwhelms the viewer is a true triumph.
What is clear, is that all involved with the production of this sequel had huge respect for the original. The director, Denis Villeneuve does a fantastic job. This is the first film I have seen by him and I can't wait to see more of his work. The pace is just right and the camera work is amazing. In fact, the British Cinematographer Roger Deakins came away with a BAFTA and an Oscar for his incredible work. On top of that, the film won a BAFTA and an Oscar for Visual Effects.
One of the best things about the original film was the amazing performances from the cast. So I think you can guess from my praises so far that I loved the cast in Blade Runner 2049 too. I have to say that I was genuinely surprised by the performance of Ryan Gosling in the lead role. Harrison Ford reprises his role as Deckard and is as brilliant as ever. There are solid performances from Robin Wright and Jared Leto. But the performance from Ana de Armas is a real standout.
I must admit, that personally I was worried about this Blade Runner 2049 when it was announced. As a big fan of the original, my fear was that with such a layered story and groundbreaking style. How could anyone possibly do the original film justice with a sequel? Well, they did and to be fair in lots of ways Blade Runner 2049 is actually better. Even the soundscore from Hans Zimmer is a step up from the original.
So to wrap up, if you are a fan of Sci-Fi this will be right up your street. Yes, the deep questions that are probed within the story may be a little heavy for some and the length of the movie may be a challenge. But, for me, Blade Runner 2049 will become a cinematic classic and is strongly recommended.
