Blade Runner 2049 ★★★★½
DIRECTOR Denis Villeneuve said he would make a Blade Runner sequel for the fans.
With Blade Runner 2049 he has not only achieved that in spectacular fashion, but also created a new audience for the original.
His film is as close to perfect as a sequel could be; the two films slot effortlessly together in every way.
Villeneuve has resisted the urge to create a new vision or stamp his mark on the original, choosing instead to embrace and enhance its look and feel while deepening the story and themes.
Taking that simple, direct approach – to just consider what the exact same universe and story progression could become three decades later – has enabled director, writers, visualists and designers to focus their efforts and creativity on considerably enriching the experience created by Ridley Scott back in 1982.
On technical achievement alone, it challenges The Empire Strikes Back as the best sci-fi sequel ever (with apologies to Terminator 2 and Aliens).
It is beautifully made with amazing cityscapes that not only remind you of the original but are again also used as visual tools to help tell the story of Los Angeles’ partial destruction and literal rise from the ashes.
Just one example, the immaculately devised and presented rubbish recycling wasteland located outside the city limits and seemingly on the edge of modern society.
The use of colour and light within different architectural designs, both interior and exterior, is wonderfully envisaged, again juxtaposing ultra-modern buildings with older and decaying, yet still beautiful, ones.
I loved every moment of the sequences within the stark, ruthlessly efficient headquarters of the replicant creator equally with those set in the crumbling old casino hotel where Deckard has sought refuge from the world.
There are so many call-backs to the original film, not just in the story and characters but also in the locations, music cues, language and construction of scenes, that it’s impossible to consider them all in one review.
A lot of care and thought has gone into this film, even down to how they make the dreaded product placements and tie-ins blend into the background organically rather than stand out awkwardly.
Of the many technical concepts used, the dream creators’ techniques and working environment and the personal avatar were terrific additions to the original film’s universe. And once again, they are not just there for decoration but play significant roles in the story and themes.
The final confrontation is stunningly set in and around a vehicle slowly sinking as the protagonists battle amongst crashing waves, again creating another unusual blend of futuristic and traditional environment.
Ryan Gosling is very good as the blade runner attached to the Los Angeles Police Department who finds himself questioning elements of his own existence as he investigates the mystery of a female replicant’s remains uncovered in a box buried under a tree.
As his avatar companion, Ana de Armas convincingly portrays the extremely difficult role of a synthetic being that has transcended its original purpose to the extent that it wants more than anything to please its owner by acting on human emotions.
Jared Leto is menacing as Wallace, the replicant manufacturer/creator who believes the woman’s remains hold a secret to understanding the true advanced nature of the former Tyrell Corporation’s achievements.
Dutch actress Sylvia Hoeks makes a very good arch villain, not just in the physical sense but also because her performance suggests there may be a deeper, more complicated rationale behind her motivations.
If I had to make one criticism it’s the absence of Rutger Hauer. Of course he couldn’t return from the dead (hello Kingsman) but possibly a flashback might have been warranted.
But then we get a final scene that represents another call back to the original’s most famous moment and a fitting end to an amazing cinema experience.
If you have never seen the original, or haven’t seen it for years, watch that first. It will greatly enhance your enjoyment and appreciation of this terrific sequel.