Last year, when I saw "Arrival", I was afraid that I would go mad with the pleasure received from the director's work and a brilliant script. For me, this film deserved all the Oscars, all the awards that it was nominated for, and not just for Best Sound Editing.
The director of "Arrival" was Denis Villeneuve. I watched his " Prisoners", "Enemy", "Sicario". I was not very impressed by the last one, but "Arrival" completely made me crazy and I was waiting "Blade Runner 2049" like the kids are waiting for Christmas. Denis Villeneuve immediately joined Christopher Nolan in my rating of directors who are able to give me a Miracle.
Blade Runner 2049
Blade Runner 2049 is the sequel to the movie Blade Runner 1982 with Harrison Ford starring in the lead role. The original film was based on the novel by Philip Dick "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", and directed by Ridley Scott. Now, this film is considered a masterpiece in the genre of fiction, but when he came out in 1982, the critics took it extremely cold. Ridley Scott had a limited budget and a cheap scenery, but the happy end really took a negative review. I advise you to watch the digitized director's version before you go to the cinema. The director's version with an open ending is a cult movie. And if you do not, it's okay. The second part is a complete movie. Yes, there are many references to the original film, but if you do not know something, then you will immediately give an explanation.
In the second film, we are moved for 30 years ahead. The Officer K is a Blade Runner. He needs to investigate a case, the publication of information about which can change the world forever.
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Dave Bautista, Jared Leto.
The music. Vangelis' main theme was preserved, but at the same time multiplied by the talents of Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch. The immersion from the sound effects was enormous, I had the impression that I was flying up to the ceiling. The same thing I felt during the watching Arrival. As if all my guts were twisted with broaching music and immediately dropped into a meditative state. All these sounds caused trembling and were perfectly combined with the depressive world of the future, dying, gas-contaminated, where no person could see a living tree.
Visual. The film is impressive with its picture. Blade Runner 2049 MUST be watching at IMAX if you have it in town.
Cast.
Narration. I should say, if you expect an action, the battle of robots with people, the invasion of aliens, explosions here and there and perfectly set battle scenes, then you need to visit the other film. In Blade Runner 2049, the narrative develops very slowly. I would call it viscous and sticky, so you either stick it or not. I read that many people leave the movie, expecting some kind of Marvel's film. But Denis Villeneuve does a clever speculative fiction. We have to contemplate and think. There's no many dynamics in the film. The main character just walks from one suspect to another. Of course, there're fights, chases, and action, but no too much.
IMDb 8,6
And now to my main disappointment. The plot. The plot is simple, but my main claim is the lack of depth in the film. "Arrival" struck me with its philosophy and drama. I thought for several more days, answering the question, what would I do? In Blade Runner 1982, there was the question of feelings, yes, yes, the feelings of the robot, the replicant. In my opinion, Roy Batty and his entire team are not negative characters, on the contrary, they are hostages, victims of the system in which they were. Who knows, maybe people are replicants too? Everyone has their own answer to this question. In the original film, there were many references to the Bible. God created man, man created a replicant. And who gives the right to decide who to live and who does not, who has a soul, and who does not. Are the replicants programmed to feel? Does a man controls his own destiny?
In Blade Runner 2049, the story sets the main question - "A replicant or a man?". But the presentation of this question, the answer to this question, the arguments turned out to be very much blurry. And there is no mystery as such, at all. Denis Villeneuve did not touch me, didn't make me think after the movie. I got an excellent picture, which hass incredible video and audio, a wonderful cast, a well-crafted world, interesting details, but I need more meaning. All is well, but I was expecting something better from Villeneuve). I had a lot of questions after watching and three short films did not answer most of them. The film lasts almost 3 hours, which means that the filmmakers would have enough time to show more logic. As I said, the film is good, but I didn't want to buy a ticket immediately to one more showing, it did not draw me. I can only say that the final part was gorgeous compared to the rest of the film. If the whole movie I enjoyed a beautiful picture, not really thinking about the fate of the characters, the final just shoved me into the chair and made me worry about the heroes. Sweat poured in three streams from the strongest tension, and the very last minute made me forget about the need to breathe.
In any case, I advise you to go to the film Blade Runner 2049. This is a quality fiction that you need to watch at the IMAX screen.
Thank you for your review. I heard the same complaint from a lot of people, about the script (I still haven't watched it). That the first movie had a simple plot that incorporated complicated philosophy and this one plays like the second Matrix movie, complicated plot complicated philosophy. I doubt I'll get to see it at the cinema.
I wonder if this one will stand the test of time.
I was very very disappointed with the script, but I enjoyed visualization. I think we will not see such a beautiful movie in cyberpunk style for a long time. You need to decide because the script is really weak.
Generally they don't make a lot of cyberpunk movies anymore, or R-Rated movies anymore.
I was with you for the entire review. But, I feel you might have missed something...something most people missed on first viewing.
The plot is deceptively simple. It lays its cards on the table only to reveal (thematically) what the real story is. I caught it because I'm a huge Kafka fan. So did Walter Chaw at FilmFreakCentral...
My review may help you what they were going for in K.'s story.
https://steemit.com/movies/@goldgoatsnguns/blade-runner-2049-officer-k-s-trial-by-cinematic-jury
Maybe I'm wrong, but here's Robin Wright. Why does she have a special relationship to the hero? Why does she believe him?
The daughter was shown for a second, another couple of scenes with her and I would have sobbed at the end when they met.
Luv. She expressed her true feelings in a couple of scenes, as if leading to the fact that in the end, she would change sides, but she continued to fight for Leto. The scene of the fight in the water was amazing, but then she cries, then she does not cry. In general, it is not clear about her character until the end. And these replicants, who are sitting in the underground, appeared as if a carved scene from another film. As it happens in all sorts of films such as Divergent, etc. There are many such inconsistencies.