Review:
*Originally written October 6th, 2017*
"More than Human"
The original Blade Runner is a film that took me far too long and multiple viewings in order to appreciate it. It's a classic that is beloved by many, so obviously the prospect of a 35 year later follow up is one that will obviously be met with cautious and intrigue. Ridley Scott not directing would once be a strike against it, but based on his recent filmography (The Martian aside), I am so glad Scott was nowhere near the directors chair here. His replacement in Denis Villeneuve is an inspired choice, as he's responsible for some of the best films of recent years, including, Sicario, Prisoners and Arrival. Needless to say, he's made a modern classic and one of the greatest sequels of all-time. One that may even surpass the original. Which seems like an outrageous thing to say, but my god, the man has talent.
2049 takes place 35 years after the events of the original and finds a new Blade Runner 'Agent K' (Ryan Gosling) involved in a mystery that leads him to Deckard (Harrison Ford). That's all I really want to say about the plot. There were so many surprises to be found here. So much stuff was kept out of the marketing material, it was so rare for a film to surprise its audience from its incredible opening scene alone. I will not spoil anything, but while 2049 stands on its own as a separate film, the original is integral to the plot of this one.
Ryan Gosling continues his incredible career path in one of finest performances yet as Agent K, playing him as cold and heartless, but also providing him with a heart due to the relationship with his AI girlfriend Joi (Ana De Armas). It's a similar side of Gosling we've seen before in Drive and Only God Forgives, where he conveys a lot of emotion without really saying much. I was also very pleased to see they didn't just update Deckard for a modern audience. K is very much his own character with a compelling story and character arc.
It was insanely refreshing to see a mainstream film with this kind of budget that was completely focused on character and story. While there is a couple of set-pieces and action scenes, this is mostly a very talky thriller that uses its budget to create incredible sets and special effects that served the narrative. 2049 has a compelling narrative that packs a genuinely emotional punch when it wants to. It's so, so rare that a film this expensive spends it budget it things that actually matter to the experience, rather than mindless, never ending scenes of explosions and gunfights.
Even at a bordering 3 hour run time, I was never bored once. In fact, I can't wait to see it again. My biggest regret was the two minutes I left the theatre for in order to take a piss (Must stop drinking Coke Zero Vanilla). It's slow-paced, but so wonderfully worth it. I imagine mainstream audiences finding this hard to get through. I'm interested to see the what the general public consensus is and how this does at the box-office overall. My biggest problem with blockbuster films these days is their bloated length. So I'm so happy to see such a long film make every frame worth it.
Speaking of every frame, Roger Deakins really is the man. He is working overtime here in order to create one of the most beautiful films of all time. Every frame is a goddamn painting, he really is gunning for his Oscar and I hope he gets it. I can't imagine a more gorgeous film coming out in 2017. Hans Zimmer's score is also fantastic, perfectly complementing the gorgeous world on display here. It's not your typical Zimmer either. In fact, I didn't even recognise it, which is a good thing. Zimmer is a composer who has really started to repeat on himself lately, so it was sweet to see him mix things up a little bit.
As a sequel, 2049 still feels like a massively original film. Expanding on the world the original set up while being unique to itself. There is so many minor cool things here that Villeneuve throws in. It feels like the original Blade Runner too, that smoky neon look of a polluted futuristic city is left intact. Although there is a lot of incredible CGI that blends into the film perfectly, there is a massive amount of built sets that only look perfect. This is all some of the best stuff I've ever seen put on screen. I know I sound hyperbolic, but trust Dan.
The original Blade Runner covered a lot of ground and philosophy on what it means to be a human and 2049 further expands on that. Putting Agent K and an older Deckard on a massively engrossing journey that really does that emotional. Harrison Ford also does a wonderful job as a more weary and older Deckard. This isn't a lazy, phoned in Ford performance, he is on top form here reliving an older character from his glory days. In some ways it reminded me of Sylvester Stallone's role as Rocky in Creed.
While I loved every second Blade Runner 2049, I'm not saying it's a perfect film. There are definitely things I missed on a first viewing and multiple viewing will definitely enrich this experience, but there are some minor things that's can't be saved by re-watches. I think you all know where I'm going with this... Jared Leto, in the "Villain" role. I was actually pleasantly surprised by Leto in this. Not because his performance is good, it's the opposite, but because he is barely in it. His screen time amounts to around 2 scenes. Less Leto is always good Leto. I still can't help but wonder how the late David Bowie could have done in this role though. I'd argue 2049 didn't really need a clear villain though, the character journeys on their own without an antagonist works. I can't help but feel I wouldn't be saying this if Jared Leto wasn't in this though.
As we come up to the end of 2017, which has been an incredible year for cinema, my number one spot for film of the year is beginning to look blurry. It's going to be a hard year for my top 10. I feel I've given a lot of 10/10 scores this year, but I'd argue they've all been earned. 2017 has been the best year for cinema in the entirety of my existence. I like to say "Cinema is Dead" a lot, but with films like this, my faith is restored in this industry. This is the sort of visionary film making that makes me want to work in the film industry one day.
Blade Runner 2049 is a near perfect sequel. A masterpiece that more than lives up to its predecessor and maybe even proceeds it. A gorgeous, engrossing and emotional sci-fi epic that will go down in history as one of the best sequels ever alongside Terminator 2, The Godfather Part 2 etc.
10/10 Dans
Blade Runner 2049 is in cinemas now in the UK
Watch the trailer below:
Follow us:
Twitter: @FigmentReviews and @ArronRoke91
Instagram: @thesurprisingadventuresofdanb and @ArronRoke
YouTube: Figment Reviews
Letterboxd: Dan and Arron
No comments:
Post a Comment