YOUR MOVIE REVIEW
Greg Thorp has been a huge film enthusiast from a very young age. He is a huge Quentin Tarantino and Wes Anderson fan. One of his all-time favourite picks is Raiders of the Lost Ark. Indiana Jones was one of the first films he had ever seen and is his favourite childhood film. You can email him with comments and observations at: gregthorpreviews@gmail.com Blade Runner 2049: 15, 163 min, 16:14 Entertainment, Alcon Entertainment, Columbia Pictures Starring: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Jared Leto, Robin Wright, Dave Bautista, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks Rating: HHHHH Director: Denis Villeneuve BLADE RUNNER 2049 was a huge risk, and yet, 35 years after the original’s release, it has turned out to be one of the best sci-fi sequels.
Not only is it a great standalone piece, it is also faithful to its predecessor and even transcends it at times. It is among a rare species of film that already feels like an instant classic and will truly not disappoint fans of the original.
Ryan Gosling stars as a Blade Runner known as agent K, working the Los Angeles streets 30 years after the original.
His mission is identical to that of Ford’s Deckard: track down and retire renegade robots (replicants), only the role has evolved into something with more weight and subtlety.
The line between humanity and replicants is more blurred now, raising uneasy existential questions which are quickly blown away by throw-your-hands-inthe-air action.
Interestingly, most of the film’s plot was left out of the marketing. This is a rare occurrence and is well and truly welcome.
It means viewers are flying blind, constantly surprised by the narrative’s unexpected twists and turns. Denis Villeneuve seems to have pulled off the impossible with this film; making a film which is both art and action in tandem.
This is largely due to legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins. Every image is full of colour, life and emotion. The film’s extended run time may seem daunting, but is earned by its flawless showcase of feeling and imagery.
The acting is fantastic, with Ford and Goslings’ characters working superbly together. In the end, Blade Runner has always been about questions surrounding identity and the human condition, and the craftsmen of 2049 continue to raise those same issues in new and intriguing ways while solving Deckard’s story along the way.
This film manages to inject a fresh outlook and avoids simply cloning its predecessor, preferring instead to take what was best and transforming it into something even more powerful.