Non-Spoiler Movie Review: Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Blade Runner 2049 is directed by Denis Villeneuve and it is the sequel the ground-breaking 1984 masterpiece which was directed by Ridley Scott.

Blade Runner 2049 sees Ryan Gosling as Officer K, a new Blade Runner from the LAPD, who is investigating a mystery from the past and he needs the help of Richard Deckard (Harrison Ford), from the first film, to solve the mystery.

 

Denis Villeneuve has requested the media to not revile certain plots regarding the movie and I, of course, will honour these requests. I’m sick of reading reviews or watching trailers where certain plot points are revealed and it leaves the viewer asking themselves where’s the surprise?

 

Blade Runner 2049 is littered with surprises, tons of surprises in fact. So many Easter eggs and tributes to the original. The sushi bar returns, there’s even an updated Geisha girl trailer, and there is even a “tears in the rain” moment as well.

 

Bottom line, Blade Runner 2049 is marvellous. I think it’s a masterpiece, just like the first one. I’m going to go as far to say that this is my pick for movie of the year. I honestly think it’s that good. This is everything I want in a movie and it’s a reminder to why I do what I do. This is why I love watching movies on the big screen, this is a golden example of how movies can take you out of the real world. Many people are going to see this and be inspired to make their own movies. It’s that big of a deal.

 

Or you could watch it and give up knowing that you’ll never make anything as huge as this.

 

People are going to be put off by the 3-hour run time. Believe me, it flew by. I was invested in everything, I was constantly blown away by the visuals just like I was what I watched the original for the first time. That’s all thanks to Roger Deakins. His cinematography is beyond a work of art. This is one of the best-looking movies I’ve ever seen. It is the best eye candy you’ll ever see.

 

I thought Ryan Gosling was very good as K. As he investigates this mystery he is dealing with a lot of conflicting emotions. It’s hard for him to figure out how to handle some of the information he uncovers. It’s much like in the original with Harrison Ford trying to figure out what’s real and what’s not. Harrison Ford returns as Deckard and he gives one of his best performances in years. He’s very traumatised by the things that have happened in the past and you understand why as the movie progresses. The wrestling fan in me was pleased to see Dave Batista, even if it was a small part. I don’t know what to make of Jared Leto. Sure he was very charismatic in the role but he hardly gets much screen time. That’s the only nitpick I have about this film.

 

The biggest compliment I can give this movie is that it is a standalone film. It’s not trying to set up Blade Runner 3 or a spinoff within the Blade Runner universe. From beginning, middle, to end, this is its own movie. This movie has a story to tell and what a story it is.

 

Blade Runner 2049 felt like I was watching an epic.

 

Blade Runner 2049 is one of the best movies of the year, it’s one of the best sequels ever made, it’s one of the best movies ever made. People will be talking about this movie 30 years’ from now, much like how people are still talking about the original.

 

Go to the biggest movie screen you can, with the loudest speakers you can find, experience this movie with a fresh outlook. Sit back and enjoy. Trust me, it’s worth it. This is a movie that reminds you why going to the movies can be a magical experience.

 

Movie of the year.

 

Rating: ***** (Top of the pops)