So, just to be clear, I'm not in anyway trying to thread-crap here; I appreciate the post. This just seems like a good place to ask the question.
I really like Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, The Fugitive, Clear and Present Danger, U-571, etc. I also really like Sci-Fi. I think Aliens is probably my pinnacle in that genre, or The Prestige, if it counts (which, to be clear, I realize Harrison is not affiliated with.) I should probably also acknowledge Aliens is more of an action film than pure-sci-fi, but I'm also a Star Trek fan, Event Horizon, etc.
However, on two separate occasions several years apart I have had to turn off the Blade Runner: Director's Cut (which I was told to definitely get that specific version over and over by the internet) because both I and my date (two separate ones) were too bored to finish it. Harrison's acting in it is certainly not a problem. The general plot idea is good, and I have no problem with the darkness or grime, as you can see from my pick of Aliens.
I just find that the plot of this movie seems to go tremendously slowly, and I don't care about any character in the slightest, save perhaps Harrison. I've also deduced from Google that which version you watch wildly changes the result and the tone of the ending, so I have no idea what is really canon there.
I feel like, for how much I've heard about this movie being great, that I ought to be able to at least get through it. I very rarely turn movies off; I think the last one before this was The 40 Year Old Virgin, which my love of Steve Carell just could not get me through the writing. Is the problem that I did not first attempt to watch it until around 2010?
/end rant.
I get where you're coming. It didn't blow me away on my first viewing either. But, it just became a film that I kept going back to watch. Especially after I watched the Director's cut, which is far superior. And now it's definitely one of my favourites. In terms of the sci-fi films you referenced, it's not really on the same level.
The story is about the characters and the world, rather than the events surrounding the plot. In particular, the character of 'Roy' played Rutger Hauer, who for me, steals the show from Harrison.
But hey, different strokes different folks... Aliens is also a cracking film though!
Thanks for the reply. Aliens is really more of an action film, but the color and style are a little similar. I think I was probably reminded more of Logan's Run than anything else by Blade Runner.