Spoilers Blade Runner 2049 - Grading and Discussion
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Loved pretty much every minute of it. If I did have any complaints, I sure can't think of them right now. After so many years (and so many genre sequels that fail to capture what makes the original great) I'm so happy they pulled this one off.
And so gloriously unspecific in all the right places. I was most afraid that they would ruin the Deck-a-Rep status from the first film, and they handled it so well in my opinion. Is he a replicant? The answer is, it doesn't matter!
*Thought of one super minor complaint. The CG Rachael. Still not quite there.
And so gloriously unspecific in all the right places. I was most afraid that they would ruin the Deck-a-Rep status from the first film, and they handled it so well in my opinion. Is he a replicant? The answer is, it doesn't matter!
*Thought of one super minor complaint. The CG Rachael. Still not quite there.
I thought the CG Rachel was the best of what's been done yet. You can definitely see progress in the right direction!
Overall, I got bored of it through a lot of it, mostly when the focus was on K and Lyla (2099 reference).
K basically being an emotionless killer at the beginning made it really hard to care about what was going on, and my investment didn't seem to increase much from there. Love stories between robots and holograms just don't move me for some reason. Go figure.
Overall, I got bored of it through a lot of it, mostly when the focus was on K and Lyla (2099 reference).
K basically being an emotionless killer at the beginning made it really hard to care about what was going on, and my investment didn't seem to increase much from there. Love stories between robots and holograms just don't move me for some reason. Go figure.
It was definitely made for fans of the original film. I'm glad they didn't try to "update" it too much. I'm sure a sequel will come if it has a good opening weekend. It was interesting to see K try and find his humanity and the replicant villain lady did a great job.
There's spoilers in this review. If you haven't watched the movies and don't want to be spoiled, don't read.
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Gave it a D+.
Frankly, I was disappointed. It's a long movie and felt like nothing ever happened. Harrison Ford showed up so late in the movie and didn't do anything either.
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Gave it a D+.
Frankly, I was disappointed. It's a long movie and felt like nothing ever happened. Harrison Ford showed up so late in the movie and didn't do anything either.
Loved this. So completely loved it. Thematically stronger than the original, with amazing cinematography and some seriously fantastic performances from it's cast. Quite possibly the rare sequel that transcends the original, though I'll need to see it another time or two to truly digest that.
I also really enjoyed the way they played with the ambiguity over issues from the first firm with every reference working more or less both ways. The way they tied this film into the first was quite well done, and does the first film a service rather than merely exploiting it for franchise purposes.
And I thought the script did a really nice job with Ryan Gosling's K, who ended up being quite a bit more of a character than I'd anticipated, and acted in more than just the "New Deckard" role. Not at all what I had expected, but really strong stuff.
End of the day, one of the best movies I've seen this year. Perhaps a little overlong, with a lot of lingering shots and drawn out moments. But I actually appreciated the pace more than it bothered me. It let the movie play to mood, instead of just rushing headlong through the plot. I'll give it a very solid A, with the option to raise to an A+ after I've seen it again.
I also really enjoyed the way they played with the ambiguity over issues from the first firm with every reference working more or less both ways. The way they tied this film into the first was quite well done, and does the first film a service rather than merely exploiting it for franchise purposes.
And I thought the script did a really nice job with Ryan Gosling's K, who ended up being quite a bit more of a character than I'd anticipated, and acted in more than just the "New Deckard" role. Not at all what I had expected, but really strong stuff.
End of the day, one of the best movies I've seen this year. Perhaps a little overlong, with a lot of lingering shots and drawn out moments. But I actually appreciated the pace more than it bothered me. It let the movie play to mood, instead of just rushing headlong through the plot. I'll give it a very solid A, with the option to raise to an A+ after I've seen it again.
Saw it this afternoon, absolutely loved it. My eyes needed a rest after watching it; what a visual masterpiece 
I could imagine some people moaning it was too long and boring; frankly I don't care. Go watch Fast & Furious then. This was such a beautiful piece of cinematography, I enjoyed the story but even without that the love and affection and attention to detail in every scene was just awesome. To simply say "meh it was boring, D"... pft, well, whatever.
-I need a Joi in my life!
-LOVED seeing Edward James Olmos.
I don't really go see movies a second time at the theatre these days, when DVDs/Blu rays come out so quick. But I'll definitely think about seeing this again in either IMAX and/or 3D
I could imagine some people moaning it was too long and boring; frankly I don't care. Go watch Fast & Furious then. This was such a beautiful piece of cinematography, I enjoyed the story but even without that the love and affection and attention to detail in every scene was just awesome. To simply say "meh it was boring, D"... pft, well, whatever.
-I need a Joi in my life!
-LOVED seeing Edward James Olmos.
I don't really go see movies a second time at the theatre these days, when DVDs/Blu rays come out so quick. But I'll definitely think about seeing this again in either IMAX and/or 3D
Boredom isn't necessarily caused by a lack of action, that's a bit presumptuous on your part. Unlikable characters is the first thing to help lose my interest, killing the only likeable character in the first 5 minutes by said unlikeable character certainly didn't help either.
Loved it. If you're going to see it at all, see it on a big screen. Visually stunning. The music isn't as memorable as the original's, but that would be a lot to ask for.
Blade Runner isn't just my favorite sci-fi film or favorite Ridley Scott film or favorite Harrison Ford film. It's my favorite film period. To say I was apprehensive about a sequel is putting it mildly.
Some of those fears were allayed when Denis Villeneuve was hired as director and not Ridley Scott. I love many of Scott's films but I knew he wasn't the right person for the job (see Prometheus and Covenant, and *I'm* one of the few supporters of those films). Villeneuve, on the other hand, has proven to me with Enemy and Arrival that he would be the best person suited for continuing the story of Blade Runner. But even then I remained very cautiously optimistic.
Blade Runner: 2049 is a worthy sequel. The film emulates the original's aesthetic and music without directly copying it. The story continues Deckard's journey, but he isn't focus and the film is better for it. Instead, it's K's (Ryan Gosling), where it further explores existential questions of what it means to live, feel, and create.
The story itself is pretty interesting, even if it didn't quite end in the direction I expected. I loved the focus on K and his turmoil about his existence. He quickly becomes convinced that he's Rachael and Deckard's son and with seemingly good reason and I loved the revelation that meant for him, that he wasn't constructed but rather he was born. And then all of that comes crashing down, not from Deckard but from Freysa, the leader of the underground movement. Suddenly Ana's reaction to K's memory makes more sense, why she would cry upon seeing the memory. She knows its her memory and perhaps she realizes (if she didn't already) that she's actually a replicant who was born and not constructed. I don't want another sequel, but if we do get one, I want it to be focused on Ana entirely.
Another favorite part of this film is K's touching relationship with Joi, his paid-for holographic mistress. Even though she was designed as essentially a love bot, the viewer can tell that there's real affection between both of them. Her dual love scene by inhabiting the body of Marriette so Joi and K can enjoy physical intercourse made think of a similar situation in Her, whether it was intentional or not. Despite K's ultimate fate, my heart broke when Luv inevitably destroyed Joi's mobile device, thus killing her.
The biggest thing that bothered me about film was the unnecessary use of flashbacks to earlier moments in the film as well as to the original. I didn't mind the auditory ones, but all of the visual callbacks that K has in reflect on moments felt like Villeneuve (or someone else) didn't trust the viewer to recall what K is recalling. I also found the full flashback to Rachael's first appearance unnecessary especially we see the replica of that moment almost immediately. Trust the viewer to know what's being recalled!
That being said, I did thoroughly enjoy the more casual visual and auditory callbacks that were built into the story. K being smashed through the wall during his confrontation with Sapper, K's and Luv's verbal commands of directing a camera zoom echoing Deckard's commands, the need to get forensic help on the street, Vangelis' original music when K died which called back to Roy Batty's death, "more human than human," and probably more that I've forgotten and missed. Like the original film, 2049 also echoes Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? animal dynamic, i.e. the need for any animal as a pet, authentic being the preference. And this time Deckard actually gets a pet, even if it wasn't a sheep.
I will have to see the film more times to fully judge it, and while it doesn't quite reach the same heights of the original, it is a very good film indeed.
Stray thoughts:
I went in avoiding spoilers as much as possible (I didn't even know Sapper was a replicant until the second short), so I was genuinely shocked to see "present day" Rachael, seemingly performed (and later confirmed in the credits) by Sean Young. That was a lovely surprise!
Speaking of avoiding spoilers and any press material, was it known that K was a replicant prior to the film's release?
There's only one thing I want for Christmas this year: Deckard's holojukebox. So awesome!
It was a brief appearance, but I loved Edward James Olmos' return as Gaff. The man truly loves the original film.
Tentatively an "A-."
Some of those fears were allayed when Denis Villeneuve was hired as director and not Ridley Scott. I love many of Scott's films but I knew he wasn't the right person for the job (see Prometheus and Covenant, and *I'm* one of the few supporters of those films). Villeneuve, on the other hand, has proven to me with Enemy and Arrival that he would be the best person suited for continuing the story of Blade Runner. But even then I remained very cautiously optimistic.
Blade Runner: 2049 is a worthy sequel. The film emulates the original's aesthetic and music without directly copying it. The story continues Deckard's journey, but he isn't focus and the film is better for it. Instead, it's K's (Ryan Gosling), where it further explores existential questions of what it means to live, feel, and create.
The story itself is pretty interesting, even if it didn't quite end in the direction I expected. I loved the focus on K and his turmoil about his existence. He quickly becomes convinced that he's Rachael and Deckard's son and with seemingly good reason and I loved the revelation that meant for him, that he wasn't constructed but rather he was born. And then all of that comes crashing down, not from Deckard but from Freysa, the leader of the underground movement. Suddenly Ana's reaction to K's memory makes more sense, why she would cry upon seeing the memory. She knows its her memory and perhaps she realizes (if she didn't already) that she's actually a replicant who was born and not constructed. I don't want another sequel, but if we do get one, I want it to be focused on Ana entirely.
Another favorite part of this film is K's touching relationship with Joi, his paid-for holographic mistress. Even though she was designed as essentially a love bot, the viewer can tell that there's real affection between both of them. Her dual love scene by inhabiting the body of Marriette so Joi and K can enjoy physical intercourse made think of a similar situation in Her, whether it was intentional or not. Despite K's ultimate fate, my heart broke when Luv inevitably destroyed Joi's mobile device, thus killing her.
The biggest thing that bothered me about film was the unnecessary use of flashbacks to earlier moments in the film as well as to the original. I didn't mind the auditory ones, but all of the visual callbacks that K has in reflect on moments felt like Villeneuve (or someone else) didn't trust the viewer to recall what K is recalling. I also found the full flashback to Rachael's first appearance unnecessary especially we see the replica of that moment almost immediately. Trust the viewer to know what's being recalled!
That being said, I did thoroughly enjoy the more casual visual and auditory callbacks that were built into the story. K being smashed through the wall during his confrontation with Sapper, K's and Luv's verbal commands of directing a camera zoom echoing Deckard's commands, the need to get forensic help on the street, Vangelis' original music when K died which called back to Roy Batty's death, "more human than human," and probably more that I've forgotten and missed. Like the original film, 2049 also echoes Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? animal dynamic, i.e. the need for any animal as a pet, authentic being the preference. And this time Deckard actually gets a pet, even if it wasn't a sheep.
I will have to see the film more times to fully judge it, and while it doesn't quite reach the same heights of the original, it is a very good film indeed.
Stray thoughts:
I went in avoiding spoilers as much as possible (I didn't even know Sapper was a replicant until the second short), so I was genuinely shocked to see "present day" Rachael, seemingly performed (and later confirmed in the credits) by Sean Young. That was a lovely surprise!
Speaking of avoiding spoilers and any press material, was it known that K was a replicant prior to the film's release?
There's only one thing I want for Christmas this year: Deckard's holojukebox. So awesome!
It was a brief appearance, but I loved Edward James Olmos' return as Gaff. The man truly loves the original film.
Tentatively an "A-."
See, my read on that was that she recreated her own memory, fully knowing who and what she is, to put "a bit of herself" into the replicants she was making memories for. She says that it really happened (to her), but she doesn't say it was a real memory. She said before that real memories are kind of foggy and lack detail whereas that fake memory was detailed enough for K to find the horse.
The only thing I'm at all negative about is the wretched pop song at the end of the soundtrack. It may grow on me, but it feels off. The lyrics are too on the nose and it's odd to have someone who's only known in the world of Christian music doing it, when this movie could have had someone much bigger, or hell, even gone for another Elvis or Sinatra song.
It's not in the movie, it's from the 2022 animated short.
Just got back from seeing it, but I think our cinema mucked up the sound a little. Normally, it's fine, but this time, the volume seemed loud enough to rattle the seats
.
I went in with no spoilers and absolutely enjoyed the film. It's going to be one for the blu collection.
.I went in with no spoilers and absolutely enjoyed the film. It's going to be one for the blu collection.
I will echo much of this. I found the first half a bit too slow and too self-consciously trying to create artistic shots so that it caused a bit of drag but the overall arc of the movie was very compelling. I loved the performances of the replicants as not quite human again.
I read his relationship with Joi differently. When the advert echoed some of the things she had said, seemingly with genuine emotion, he realised that, despite appearances, she was just an adaptive program designed to give him exactly what he wanted. At that point, the pointlessness of his existence really hits home and he decides that obedience is what has kept him at a shadow of his emotional and developmental potential - which has also kept him alive, I suppose.
I didn't really get why open-ended life-spans would be so acceptable just because the modern models are designed to obedient. Obedient to whom? Obedience to an evil master can still do a lot of damage and, over time, replicants will learn more and more but the movie did a masterful job of toying with our expectations of just how far that obedience extended. It's certainly hard to understand how any kind of 'resistance' could have evolved from just a few rogue Nexus 8 rogues if everyone is so obedient.
Sean Young's cameo was indeed awesome. I did wonder if her fate was in part due to the fact that she didn't get along with many of the original cast members ;-p
I presumed early on that the child would have to be female for it to have any significance at all but I didn't put all the clues together as to its identity. Even so, the conclusion did provoke a tear. There was quite a bit of emotional resonance with these damaged characters by the end.
I gave it a B- due to it dragging its heels early on but I suspect that when I watch it again, I will spot a lot more than I did first time round and this admiration will increase. That's what gradually elevated the original to the status of my favourite movie.
This. He spends the whole movie desperately looking for something real, something authentic. But at the end of the day finds he has nothing that isn't artificial. He can't escape the limits of what he is. He has no family. But then he makes the choice to spare Deckard at the end, despite being told he should kill him or let him die. Because dying for the right cause is the most human thing he can do. The resistance intends him to die for freedom, but K dies for family. A family that isn't his, but one he's looked for the whole movie nonetheless.
Ah, okay, missed it there. The song's on the soundtrack, so I wondered if it had played over the credits (we left when the credits started because the theatre seats were uncomfortable and the place was too warm).
Hm, maybe. I'll definitely have to play close attention to her scenes again to see how my reading fits with what actually happened.
As for the clarity of the memory of hiding the horse so it wouldn't be taken away by the bullies, I completely buy it. I clearly recall when I was kid where I once hid a slap bracelet in a hole on the side of our house. I had no reason to do it, other than curiosity, and then I later discovered I couldn't retrieve it. For all I know, it's still there unless subsequent tenants remodeled the house in that area and discovered it. In this memory's case, there was a strong reason to hide the horse and that would lead to a vivid recollection.
Oooh, that's an interesting take on their relationship and perhaps a more accurate one than what I took from it. I'll have to keep both of yours insights in mind when I see the film again. I particularly like the notion of K dying for a family that is not his because he craves a real one so much.
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