RYAN GOES BLADE RUNNER
CERT 15, 163 MINUTES, IN CINEMAS 5 OCTOBER
THE PLOT Thirty years after the 2019-set events of Blade Runner, the glitch that allowed the Tyrell Corporation’s original Replicants (bioengineered humans) to rebel has now been fixed. But LAPD officer K (Gosling) remains tasked with hunting down rebel Replicants from the original batch – in other words, he’s a “Blade Runner”. The discovery of a set of female Replicant bones at the site of his latest assignment triggers a chain of events that drives this film’s storyline – about which director Denis Villeneuve (Arrival) has politely requested critics to reveal as little as possible.
WHAT’S RIGHT WITH IT? Although little-celebrated at the time of its 1982 release, Ridley Scott’s original
Blade Runner (loosely based on a Philip K Dick sci-fi novel) gradually won acclaim for its retro-future aesthetic, haunting score, intelligent themes and distinctive mood. All those pluses are present and correct in this sequel, and Roger Deakins’ ravishing photography will surely excite awards voters. Strong female performances dominate the supporting cast, notably Dutch actress Sylvia Hoeks as kick-ass adversary Luv. WHAT’S WRONG WITH IT? The generous running time, which is 46 minutes longer than the original film, seems indulgent given 2049’s relatively slender quest storyline, and the pace lags in the first hour. VERDICT Ryan Gosling reworks his taciturn Drive performance, holding the centre of this beautiful, brainy, slow-burn of a narrative. Fan adulation is a given, but broader audiences may well be entranced, too. ★★★★★ Charles Gant