With no prejudice, unfortunately and despite I've read so many positive opinions and reviews, all typical worries of a sequel became true... such a slow, boring and empty script. I will give it the recreation of the atmosphere is well done but one can't help getting fidgety after a while. Very disappointing ☹☹☹
It'll be a classic in the future.
Blade Runner 2049 is a film with memorable cinematography that overly depends on the audience to give it meaning.
If you think about which goals a movie sequel should have, expanding the original is a strong contender. To justify its existence, Blade Runner 2049 should update its predecessor's visuals and messages, specially since its story is set 30 years after the original.
Other commenters here (and everywhere else) have already praised cinematographer Roger Deakins, and justifiably so. Deakins did deliver a brilliant work that draws the viewer in and makes the alternate future look lived-in, dirty and unforgiving. This movie is a visual masterpiece and one can easily predict that it will have an influence over new sci fi releases.
However sitting through almost 3 hours of a movie needs more to be justifiable. Are Blade Runner 2049's messages and questions really deserving of all this investment?
Since Blade Runner's release in 1982, many sci fi movies have tackled questions about artificial intelligence and what it means to be real/human with much more emotional resonance. Not that the Blade Runner universe is famous for being warm, but 2049 isn't really bringing anything new to the landscape, neither feelings or conversations. If anything, the film's slow pace and meandering (sometimes redudant) plot overcomplicate its message. Screenwriters Hampton Fancher and Michael Green throw several ideas in the air, hoping at least one of them will stick. One could say it's a sign of respect for the audience, but it only shows a lack of commitment.
The intense attention to visual impact contrasted with an unfocused story results in a self indulgent film, too entranced by its own beauty to care about what its saying. Blade Runner 2049 heavily depends on the audience's nostalgia and projection – you have your own deep thoughts and assume they came from the movie.
So, despite being a feast for the eyes, this movie doesn't earn its running time, making it a hard pass for anyone not in love with the 1982 original.
DENIS, YOU MAGNIFICENT FUCKING BASTARD, YOU DID IT AGAIN.
ISSA MASTERPIECE.
A solid sequel to a great scifi, Ryan Gosling played the role perfectly and smoothly. Really brought the feeling back of the original movie and I really enjoyed it, it is intense, a bit too hardcore for the general viewer and I can understand why people wouldn't like it, some people just get lost because it isn't your typical scifi movie.
Brought back a lot of memories but I am happy I watched the original last month before watching this.
A cinematic masterpiece. Probably the best sci-fi film of the 21st century.
I'm pretty confident, that Blade Runner 2049 will take a place in my heart and in my memory as one of the best sequels I ever saw (+ ever produced (in my humble opinion)). In terms of storytelling it stays true to its predecessor and follows a similar pace. Some may find this slow or redundant, I found it absolutely stunning and atmospheric. Combined with its stellar audio-visual presentation and a great acting performance it forms a beautiful, oppressive atmosphere I highly recommend to anyone!
2D is sufficient though! Fantastic movie!
Blade Runner 2049
Beautiful visual direction, every shot is a piece of art.
Thought provoking grand scheme but at the same time personal plot.
Stellar acting.
Leaves you wanting more.
Must be seen at the cinema.
9.5/10
#NicksMiniReview
The most cinematic experience I've had since I was a kid. Beautiful, loud, intelligent and exhilarating.
I'm not sure I'd ever used the word 'enthralled' out loud before I walked out the cinema last night, but it was the only one I could get out my big grinning face.
Okay, so Villeneuve really did the impossible. He took the world of the original Blade Runner and expanded it spectacularly, not only in terms of actual world-building but also by providing viewers with new ideas and topics to discuss, which all resulted in a film I loved even more than the original. Going into the film, I never would have expected the main plot line, yet it made complete sense, and raised many questions that relate to the original's debate over replicant humanity that viewers can debate for years to come. Much like the original, 2049 is a very thought-provoking film, and is especially relevant when thinking of our world today. 2049 touches on current issues like climate change, AI, and living in an increasingly digital world, in very clever ways, all while never seeming out of place in the dystopian setting of 2049 LA. I want to say so much more (!!!), but much like the filmmakers wanted, you really should go into this film not knowing any spoilers.
Speaking of this futuristic world, it's stunning. I read one review that said you could watch this whole film on mute and still be engaged, which is true - I've seen the film now 3 times, and really couldn't point out a single scene that wasn't visually engaging. Roger Deakins really went above and beyond, and like everyone is saying, he absolutely deserves an Oscar for this film. The only place, I thought, where 2049 didn't live up to the original, was in terms of the score. If you love soundtracks/scores like I do, don't think that you'll be disappointed by this film's score, just know that it doesn't compete with Vangelis' work on the original. (The sound editing on this film was pretty stellar however).
So overall - Blade Runner 2049 is amazing, and definitely my favorite film of the year. Denis Villeneuve showed how well he can pull off the "human story in a sci-fi film" in Arrival, and he takes this concept even further in 2049. This film is a must watch of 2017, and preferably in IMAX/3D/the largest screen possible!
Let's be honest, Blade Runner didn't need a sequel, so when I heard a follow up was in production, I was a little worried. Would it be a cash-in? Will it tarnish the memory of the original? Well, I needn't have worried. The new film closely mirrors the original classic in theme, atmosphere, and story. It's complicated, but rewards those who are paying attention. Needless to say, this is one film that needs to be rewatched time and again, just like its predecessor. Is it a better film? No, I don't think so, but then it didn't have to be. The fact that it complements the original is good enough, and it may eventually gain classic status, as the first film did eventually.
The Imax version is incredible ;)
Same with Arrival and Sicario, I didn't like this movie as much as other people. Villeneuve is a visually interesting director. The same goes for Christopher Nolan. But both have, in my opinion, the problem with emotions and characters in their movies. In Arrival we had some really bad cliché scientists, Sicario didn't have any interesting characters at all (same old "this is an evil guy, this is a good guy"-type stuff); the worst characters award goes to Inception (no Nolan discussion beyond this, I promise).
When I look at this Blade Runner version, we have the same problem as in Sicario. We have a solid bad character as in Luv (if we count in Mr. Wallace we have two, but was he even a character we cared about? In the end he didn't have much to do anyway, maybe he was in the movie just to implement the new moral system/ideology after Tyrell) and of course the good characters as in K and Deckard. When I look at the original Blade Runner, the sides of good & evil aren't nearly as distinguished as in this movie. Sure, you can say the replicants that want a longer life that threatened other people were the "bad" boys, but here they had their reasons. And in the end of the original one, even the bad ones turned human (or atleast did something we'd call humanistic). This was atleast visionary and why I like the original so much. In the new one? Just a solid, not changing bad character, whose only reason to be bad seems her loyalty to Mr. Wallace and his ideology. This is way behind the moral integrity of the original Blade Runner and mostly just another boring good vs. evil plot without any scope for moral integrity, for humans and replicants alike.
As for replicants and their moral scope, Officer K. didn't seem to even have one at all. Questioning his lifestyle or his side of ideology didn't seem to bother him at all. His character was just too focused on his "who are my parents, are my memories real or not?", so there was no room for him to really change or develop with everything that's happening as the movie continues. In the end, he's just as wise as he was in the beginning without getting somewhere. This is tragic and kinda the point, but did I feel any emotions for him? Not at all, because he wasn't an ambigiuous character to start with. It seems to me that part of the problem and why this movie was made how it is, is that Villeneuve planned from the beginning to do more Blade Runner movies and just touch some themes. So Officer K can just play the role of getting Deckard to the point he his now and in the next movie we could see ideologies crumble (or another boring good guy (Deckard) vs. bad guy (Mr. Wallace)-type story, yawn).
For me, this movie felt like a placeholder for something that could be way deeper and more focused on the philosophical, ethical or moral side of replicants story (which the original movie was). Maybe it was for the sake of more sequels to come (which would be the worst reason in my opinion, the remake and sequel trend in the last few years is just awful for cinema as a unique art form) or also to make it more accessible to more viewers (even with its slow pace, I think Blade Runner 2049 is way more accessible than the original one) Imagine the incredibly long scene with the creepy dolls or the unicorn scene from the original for your "generic" cinema viewer today. I don't think any major movie studio would approve such scenes. Which hurts cinema as an art in the end the most.
TL;DR: The original Blade Runner was a complex movie, Blade Runner 2049 is just overly complicated without getting anywhere (for me).
"Pain reminds you the joy you felt was real".
Wow! WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW! And another WOW!
"Blade Runner 2049" is a fantastic follow up to the first and fixes a lot of the issues people had with the 1982 film. Without any director or extended cut. It's everything a sequel should do. Hell, you can watch this without watching the first and wouldn't get lost. Something "Force Awakes", "Jurassic World", and "Finding Dory" should take notes on. This is the type of film that will inspire young film makers out there to pick up a camera and make art. It's that great.
As I said in my "Arrival" review, Denis Villeneuve can release a movie every year and be close of making a masterpiece. This is the masterpiece. When "Prisoners" and "Enemy" was released, a lot of people saw great promise for him in the future, but never has a director live up to that praise. You can see the love and respect he has for the original without cheating out by playing on your nostalgic to win you over, not with Blade Runner. He also brings something new to the universe and made the whole thing thought-provoking.
Roger Deakins continues to out shine himself with every film his apart of, however this might be his best work yet. The beautiful imagery, framing, the use of darkest and neon lights really adds to the amazement of the world building. It's one of the most good looking films I've this year and nothing will top it. I swear if this doesn't get him that long and well deserved Oscar, then nothing will. I lost respect for the Academy a long time ago, but this will make them look spineless.
The performances from everyone were all fantastic. Ryan Gosling and Robin Wright are great as always. Harrison Ford gave probably the best performance I've seen from him. And Jared Leto redeeming himself after the garbage fire that was "Suicide Squad", despite the small screen time. I finally saw him playing a character, not a try-hard 'look at my method acting'.
The score was incredible and has this blasting roar to it that the speakers at my cinema literally vibrated every time. I didn't see it in IMAX, it's that effective.
What surprised me more is how engaging the story was and how emotional it got. By the end, I felt a tear coming down my eye. Little CGI was used in certain aspects as it went for a more practical path with it's effects. The final result is remarkable.
Overall rating: Villeneuve nailed what many thought was impossible. My eye for his next movie has gone up sky high. Please go support this.
Desnecessário um filme tão longo, tão lento... Muito chato.
Snooze. Sorry, too long. A beautiful movie for sure and it has its moments but whew...........too long.
I really enjoyed it. The world they build is so believable and layered that they could make dozens more movies. The filmmaking and storytelling are top-notch, though it is a bit slow. They probably could've cut half an hour from it with no problem. All in all, a very worthy sequel that improves on the original in pretty much every way.
I was never really a fan of the original. This film truly is a sequel to that film. Setting supersedes characters in story. Adult mystery plods along while loud music fills the room. Fans of subwoofers and set design are sure to be pleased, but when the story is about what makes robots robots and what makes people people, wooden acting is not the best approach. 4/10
Absolutely incredible. As it stands, the best movie of the year.
I don't know how many times I've watched the original BLADE RUNNER so I went to see this today with cautious optimism and was pleasantly surprised. Denis Villeneue has made a slowly paced but methodically precise production (it's 2 hours and 43 minutes), which sounds tedious and boring but, instead, it is finely crafted work of art, a fitting homage to the original while introducing us to a new build (and, yes, it is all primed for a continuing franchise). It was quite exquisite! Great cast, interesting story line, fascinating reality constructs, great CG - really a solid movie experience. I give it an 8.5 out of 10. [SciFi]
Having not seen the original, I can say this movie makes me want to go back and watch Blade Runner.
Definitely worth seeing in IMAX, and I will be coming back to the theater to see it again.
Just got back from Blade Runner 2049... Holy Shit! That was awesome. Denis Villeneuve can do no wrong in my eyes after this and Arrival.
I don't want to get into the story too much as it's honestly a better thing to go into this "sequel" with minimal direct knowledge of the sequel's plot (via reviews and such). However, being familiar with the original movie and watching the 15-20 minute anime short Blade Runner Black Out 2022 (made by the director of the anime "Cowboy Bebop") are definitely recommended imo especially as the anime short fills in some holes about the "Black Out" event that is touched upon in this new movie a few times.
As for the movie itself, it is defined by fantastic direction/editing, story and acting. The themes of discrimination between humans and Replicants, what defines humanity, and what is truly "real", standout in this film even in many of the tiny subtle moments. A fantastic performance by Ryan Gosling is without a doubt the standout in and drives this film, to the point where it almost essentially devolves into a single-man epic at times (of course, in a good way). I wish that there could have been a bit more Harrison Ford, but honestly that is just the homer in me talking. In terms of the actual story and flow of the film, his presence was handled beautifully as a perfect supplement to the movie and the more important story at hand (unlike a few of his more recent reboot/remake cameos).
The runtime is a bit long at 2 hours and 45 minutes, but don't let that deter you. I honestly never felt that bored or overwhelmed by it. A few beautiful action scenes and some atmospheric sprawling set pieces are interspersed among the emotional core and chilling dialogue that drive the film to give it a great pace. I could have watched this movie all day.
This is definitely an easy 9/10 for me at minimum. Once I get a little more time, I'm definitely go in for another rewatch (hopefully in XD/IMAX 3D). I also liked how the ending was handled very tactfully, leaving room for the possibility of a sequel, but not hammering it down our throats like it was rebooting a new cinematic universe. I pray that we don't have to wait 35 years for the next one though...
Morgan from TWD, fuck yeah. Awesome cast, great movie.
There are plenty of reviews of this film, so here are a few spoiler free heartfelt words of my own, which I hope will help those decide to watch this movie, without worry...
It has been 24 hours since watching the 'Blade Runner' sequel and I still have the same feeling of utter joy as I did walking out of the cinema yesterday. I was so happy that I actually cried, because after 35 years I had finally found my perfect score 10/10 movie. When you see a film that affects you so emotionally that you have tears rolling down your cheeks, then I believe you are witnessing something very special indeed.
True, I am probably biased. The original 1982 'Blade Runner' is my second favourite film of all time - a cult classic that made Ridley Scott in to one of the most respected film makers alive today. The sheer wealth of ideas, the photography, the visual special effects, the sets, the tension, the story, the music and the acting all come together with a passion that, for me, was film making at its' finest.
Hence, when I heard that a sequel was planned, my heart sank. Please, leave it alone, I thought. However, my reservations were slowly pushed away when I heard that most of the team that made the original were on-board to make the sequel. Then, after it was announced that Denis Villeneuve was directing, my confidence grew even more. Alright, let me keep my fingers crossed and believe... which was literally how I was in the cinema yesterday. The lights went down, the music started and...
...within 2 minutes I had goose bumps on my arms and I knew it was going to be fine.
I am here to tell you now that this movie delivers on every level. The pedestal was very high indeed and everyone involved with this sequel should be extremely proud with what they have achieved.
'Blade Runner 2049' is respectful, powerful and smart. The director knew he had a tall order and he manages to bring his style to the next level, creating a science fiction masterpiece.
There were moments when I did not blink for fear of missing something, moments when I was gripping my hand with tension, moments of utter wonder at the visuals, moments of shock and moments of surprise. I was pulled in to this movie like no other I have seen and the 3 hours it lasted was no hardship at all for me... in fact, I didn't want it to end.
Granted, I was sitting in the best seat in the one of the best cinema's in the UK with IMAX and it really helped to literally immerse you in the film. The quality of the picture was simply stunning and the sound was ground shaking without any distortion... and 'Blade Runner 2049' deserves the best possible screen and audio you can buy.
This movie has been crafted with love and skill.
This movie was worth the 35 years wait.
This movie is the sequel we all wanted and hoped for.
This movie is a perfect 10/10 for me and I hope that you all enjoy it as much as I did and will do, again and again.
"I always told you. You're special. Your history isn't over yet. There's still a page left."
"To be born is to have a soul, I guess"
EDIT: Third time seeing it and still in awe of how beautiful this movie is and how perfect the score is.
This is sci-fi done right. Everything from the cinematography to score to the color palette to the acting were all fantastic. Denis Villeneuve has another winner. It seems like he did the impossible and gave a worthy sequel to a classic. Hans Zimmer's score really sets the mood. The visuals are where this movie really shines. The colors, the landscapes, the holograms and even the ads are all beautiful and it really expands on what Ridley Scott was able to do 35 years ago. This deserves to be seen on the big screen. Ryan Gosling gives one of his best performances. Harrison Ford was good with his limited screen time but it was Sylvia Hoeks' Luv who really stood out.
I can't wait to see this again and see what new things I will catch. One of the best films of the year and one of the best sci-fi films so far this century.
EDIT: I saw it again, twice in three days, and it just got so much better the second time. Usually if I watch the same movie that close I get bored but I was so into it that the 2 hours and 43 minutes run time went by quick. I think it became my favorite movie this year so far. It still is a visual treat to watch and must be experienced on the big screen. What Roger Deakins was able to do is Oscar worthy and I hope he finally wins one.
Some things I picked up on the second were more of the symbolism of the two female leads, Joi and Luv. Joi isn't real and K has Joi that makes him happy and gives him joy. Even when K gives her the ability to move around freely and the go to the rooftop and have an intimate moment only to be ruined by a work call. That really is what joy is, an illusion of happiness, but it can be ruined by work or something else. Then there is Luv where she is determined to do what Wallace asked her. She ends up fighting with K and destroying Joi, whose last words were I love you. Love will destroy your joy and you will struggle with Love.
After K has been beaten and bruised and lost the only thing that made him happy he happens to run into another (large) Joi is just a slap in the face. Joi repeating phrases K's said earlier and saying he looks like a Joe. I think it is at this point he realized that Joi was never real. He realizes he can be more than human by fighting (and dying) for the right cause. He has to fight for what is real, Deckard and his daughter. This scene was beautiful but I think it has much more meaning and depth.
There really aren't any villians in this movie. Wallace is fighting to help human kind by making more replicants. Lieutenant Joshi is trying to keep the peace by not letting replicants reproduce. The old nexus replicants just want to live their lives in peace. K is caught in the middle of all of this.
P.S. When Ryan Gosling started to play the piano in Sapper's house I really wanted him to go full La La Land and play City of Stars.
Great to look at, sexy and messes with your head possibly more than the original. Don't expect an action packed movie and you'll enjoy it more. As a futuristic detective film, it's right up there with the original. Even if the first is still better.
This film has more nudity and sexual moments than the original. But is, well beautiful nevertheless. Has a very artsy feel to it. Think A.I. Artificial Intelligence, but probably better.
Let me start this off by saying that this sequel did not feel outside of what we remember.
Blade Runner 2049 maintains the mood and feel of its predecessor. The visuals, the sound... the dystopian future, it's all there.
| FIRST THOUGHT |
I love writing reviews, it comes somewhat naturally to me after watching something that I learn to feel passionate about.
This movie taught me to be passionate.
But... it's really hard for me to express judgment. And I'm going to explain why:
Actually, it's very simple. This was a 3 hours movie. Of these 3 hours, 2 were simply... air. Now, don't get me wrong, that isn't always negative, like in this case. It was refreshing air, but still... it doesn't (at first glance) hold anything on the plot.
Because of this, the viewer (me at least), is left with a lot of questions, the picture doesn't explain itself. Also; as a side note - you most definitely need to watch the first one. The great majority of the runtime is inexplicably useless.
The longer it goes, the longer it begins to add new stuff, and then some, then it seems somehow related to what's actually going on, but right after it deviates the actual story on an ideal from the characters involved, that at a certain point, evaporates. I'm really conflicted about this because it looks to me like the screenwriters and director wanted to leave all of this to theory and the fans.
Why is this confusing? Because it's a very strange mixture of linear narrative and non-linear narrative. One is focussed on one objective, the other starts a bunch of other objectives and then it simply dies. No explanation was given, no closure was given.
And this is aggravated by the fact that it's a 3 hours movie, of which 1 hour of the actual story is spread and mixed amongst 2 hours of absolutely nothing. VISUALLY IMPRESSIVE NOTHING. A VERY INTERESTING BUNCH OF LITERAL VOID.
This is actually the only thing I did not like about the movie. Which, again, if you are like me and enjoy movies that aren't patently explaining themselves, it's not a bad thing. I just feel like it could've been much more interesting if they explained somehow what happened to all the side characters, or just cut them out.
|STORY & ACTORS |
Aside from what I've mentioned before, the more "linear" part of the story is actually not that bad. It's nothing impressive. A part of what I said earlier connects to the fact that this movie constantly keeps juggling between what is real and what is not. Be it by robots, or actual reality that the characters are living. So it came out pretty obvious that the movie would have a twist at some point, somewhere. I will admit that I did not get it until the very end, so, don't be discouraged.
Ryan Gosling was great, also because he as an actor was perfect for his role. Being so that he has this way of being and looking conflicted, and so it portrayed really well on the protagonist.
Harrison Ford had less value to this movie than he did in the last Star Wars.
Jared Leto's character is a mystery to me, but he did a phenomenal job talking random shit.
All of the other actors, Jared Leto included, were there to push the story forward (or to add random bullshit) and that's it. They did a fantastic job, but unfortunately, as mentioned above, at first glance it looks like they don't mean shit.
| CINEMATOGRAPHY |
The movie is visually pleasing, it's bliss for people with OCD. It's perfectly round and at the same time perfectly square. It keeps smooth lines combining great color combinations in the palette, and utilizing great solid colors at the same time.
As I said before it holds perfectly a spot near its predecessor, the mood and feel are almost identical. (Having watched the first one only an hour before going to the theater to watch this one)
I have to say, this one looks A LOT, like A FUCKING GIGAZILLION LOT more gruesome and splatter than the first one. The fighting scenes are brutal, they do not go into dramatic effects, they just are what they should be. A punch in the face, exploding heads and blood.
There is no doubt that this movie looks fucking amazing.
It sounds amazing as well. It has a collection of deep, pure sounds. There is not a lot of music, but when there is it's powerful and present and it makes you wake up and amaze. Same goes for the special audio effects: I have watched it in ATMOS and I have to admit, they did not utilize it at all, except for one scene later in the movie, but the way it goes from absolute silence to seat trembling sensations it's really amazing. The sounds were so powerful I could literally see the movie screen shake and the subwoofer hit made the whole room shake.
I would also like to add that in the Italian version, you can clearly see that they used "incorrect" words grammatically, they used a lot of anglicisms, I guess they've done that to express how language is evolving? It's actually current of our generation, I see a lot of people adapting English words in Italian, so I was very impressed by that.
| FINAL THOUGHT |
I feel like everyone needs to understand, before watching this movie, that you need a time, a mood and a place perfectly fit to sit for a 3 hours movie that it's going to feel like a 6-hour long journey into colors, shapes, and absolute "living" silence.
This is NOT a Marvel movie, there is action, well-done action, but it's not about action. You need to sit, relax and don't think about time, because, trust me, it's going to fuck you.
Please like my comment if you enjoyed my review, it makes me really happy.
Note that all of this is driven by my personal opinion. If you think I wasn't objective in some of the parts of what I've written, you're welcome to make me notice where.
On Twitter, I review the entire world -> @WiseMMO
Just came home from it, got a lot of nostalgic scenes in it that's great for fans of the first one, so many that i would call it a service. Don't get me wrong i like the movie a lot and clearly the people behind the camera studied the first one extensively, possibly frame by frame to get the style right. but the noir and gloomy feel to it went wrong at some point in the second half of the movie, as it got completely overshadowed by Scott's newer styles. So yes this movie have moments that gives me the nostalgia of my favorite movie blade runner, but in way more circumstances i feel like I'm watching Martian or Prometheus. (or any other 21 century Ridley Scott sci-fi movie)
If you liked the style of the first one but thought it needed to be more dingy, then this one's for you.
For all those who want to get in the mood of Blade Runner, you should watch these 3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgsS3nhRRzQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ9Os8cP_gg
and the awesome anime version by Shinichiro Watanabe:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrZk9sSgRyQ
Can't wait for release !
With Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford at the helm.... I'm counting on this to be a winner
Words can't express how excited I am for this. Bring on October.
My birthday wish is that this will be good
Shout by DeletedBlockedParent2017-10-18T09:14:02Z
Greatest movie of the year. Visually stunning, deep, great characters, amazing sound.
A worthy successor of the first Blade Runner!
(don't expect an action-filled, dumb super-hero movie)