Blade Runner 2049

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Blade Runner 2049 is a neo-noir, dystopic science fiction epic, and the sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 film adaptation of Philip K Dick’s novel ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’. It is directed by Denis Villeneuve, and stars Ryan Gosling, as well as Jared Leto, Dave Bautista, Ana De Armas, Robin Wright and Harrison Ford. When Blade Runner Officer K (Gosling) finds himself on a routine retirement job - killing an outdated replicant model on the blacklist - that doesn’t unfold in routine fashion, he stumbles upon a landmine that reveals a world-shattering revelation of cataclysmic proportions. And that, folks, is all I’m going to say about this plot. This isn’t me being lazy, and I’ve noticed it in many other reviews - the less you know about the plot the better. I was reticent of a Blade Runner sequel; as a fan of the original, and the work of Philip K Dick, I didn’t really need or want a sequel. I didn’t know if it would be completely independant of PKD’s work, and it wasn’t until I found out who was directing this that I immediately knew I was going to buy myself a ticket, and more than likely, I was going to enjoy it. Denis Villeneuve is one of the best working directors in film today, and I was an instant fan upon seeing Arrival, and even moreso after watching Enemy and Prisoners. In my personal opinion, this could very well be his best. He managed to take the expertly crafted world of Ridley Scott’s original, and improve upon it in every way possible. The technology has evolved over the past thirty years to terrifying precision, and the future Los Angeles feels recognizably aged, and worsened. The score is sparse and cold; almost entirely and appropriately void of anything organic, it does well to evoke the stark dystopic setting...and that brings me to my next point - the cinematography. As both a film nerd and visual artist, cinematography is one of my favorite elements of filmmaking. I love shots that make me want to hit pause, and sit down and paint that shot. That being said, Roger Deakins’ cinematography is aaamaaazing. Straight-up hands in my pants cinematography porn. Every shot is stunning, and the majority of the wide exterior shots are landscapes bleak, barren and void of color. One scene in particular hit me like a gut punch; 2049 San Diego depicted as Los Angeles’ landfill. For a guy that used to live in, and loves San Diego, this depiction made me sick to my stomach. It’s a bullseye representation of dystopia unlike anything I’ve ever seen, not unlike the rest of the exterior shots in this flick. Almost any use of color derives from one of two things that blew me away in the way they were used - light and water. The former, is used mostly and obviously in interior shots. Any exterior use of light is either very dulled if it’s natural light, or bright and vibrant if otherwise, ie neon billboards. One character I won’t name had the most clever use of light, in that the opacity of the character shifted depending on the brightness of the shot behind them. It was absolutely brilliant, and gave the character a presence that was both tangible, and ethereal. The use of the latter, was used so well in conjunction with the former as well as in and of itself. Water was used, in some form or other, in the majority of shots in this film; whether it’s used to filter light, or used on a floor to create a reflective surface, it’s there. It’s even used - which a keen eye will notice - to be indicative of what climate change could possibly do to our planet thirty-two years from now; one scene it’s raining. The next it’s snowing. It was a brilliant subliminal approach to integrate the organic, foundations of life juxtaposed by the less-than organic nature of this world. It honestly reminded me of how Hideaki Anno used light and water in Evangelion. The cast is aces all around. I’ve never been a fan of Gosling, but I genuinely cared about his character’s plight, and didn’t have a difficult time investing myself in it. Ford returns as the gruff, Marlowe-esque Deckard in one of his best performances in years. Leto’s Wallace is an unhinged, inhuman madman that’s quite obviously removed from the human condition. Ana De Armas’s Joi was one of my favorite characters. I loved every second she was on screen. Sylvia Hoeks’ Luv was polarizingly incongruent with anything you would associate with a character named ‘Luv’, and she was effectively both intimidating and compelling as hell. One recurring theme in Philip K Dick’s work, is that his human characters always read as one dimensional, and far less complex and interesting as the non-human characters. This film managed to adhere to that trope and represent it to wonderful results. Speaking of PKD’s work, I’m pretty sure there were at least two references to his other works, being the Penultimate Truth and Ubik (my personal favorite). Before I sew this longer than average review up, I just want to say something as a music nerd - the use of Sergei Prokofiev’s ‘Peter & the Wolf’ was fucking brilliant. Six notes, and damn effective. But I digress... This film was absolutely amazing. I loved everything about it; it was heavy on the plot development but sparse enough on the action to when the shit actually does hit the fan, it’s fucking awesome and looks so goddamn good you can’t wait for the next round. It was visceral, and surprisingly packed more emotional potency than I was prepared for, and hit me hard right in a very personal spot which I can’t define because duh - spoilers. If you’re a fan of the 1982 original, go see this right now. You’ll love it. If you’ve never seen the 1982 original, go see this right now. You won’t be lost, it’s history is pretty well laid out for the audience, and you won’t regret it, especially if you love neo-noir, hard science fiction thrillers. It’s easily one of the best films of 2017. EndFragment

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