Good cyberpunk is hard to find. A true cyberpunk movie comes around only once or twice a decade. Sure, there are plenty of science fiction movies every year, but they are typically pristine action movies in which an explosion happens every 20 minutes. What makes for “good” cyberpunk is dystopia plus philosophy with a little hard boiled detective story added in for flair. In this sense, Blade Runner 2049 hits its mark.
Like the title suggests, the story picks up 30 years after the events of the first film. Ryan Gosling is K, a Blade Runner for the LAPD, meaning his job, like Deckard’s (Harrison Ford) in the first film, is to hunt down and “retire” AWOL synthetic humans (called replicants), who are used in society as a slave or servant class. What follows is a slow-burning detective film, as the case he’s on turns out to one that could shake the pillars that society is built on.
Gosling portrays his character with the emotional range of a body scanner at an airport. But, considering that is basically the role of the character, he can’t really be blamed. K is a cog of a machine in a world built around functionality—not beauty. He is a man with one job, who doesn’t have time to marvel at the holographic advertisements and bizarre-yet-believable wardrobes of the future. Fans of the original will miss Deckard’s wry wit and subterfuge. His character returns for this film as well, checking off another return for Ford’s iconic characters. Without giving too much away, it’s nice to see that Ford can still throw a punch like the best of them.
Visually the film is a treat to watch. Director Denis Villeneuve knows his source material, giving us just enough glimpses of the architecture and society of the world to pique our interests and remind of us the original without distracting us from the plot. His use of heavy shadows throughout further cements the noir aesthetic, and the way he contrasts nearly monochromatic scenes set in the countryside to those full of flashing images and cool colors of the city keeps the viewers eyes gleeful, even if the action on screen is limited.
The film builds its plot and themes on the same philosophical question that was touched on in the first movie: What makes a human a human? And does that definition make them (us?) superior? As the film progresses, we begin to question the truths given to us in the first act, and our allegiances to the protagonists and antagonists start to waiver. Though the film doesn’t shove its own answers down our throats, it definitely leaves you thinking like a first-year philosophy student as you walk out of the auditorium.
To that end, this is not the end-of-summer sci-fi action flick you have been waiting for. For its 2-hour-and-45-minute runtime, the action is sparse but precisely used. It plays more like a modern noir film than it does a typical science fiction caper. So, if you are looking for a futuristic shoot-em-up, this one might not be your cup of tea.
If, however, you are like me and have been aching for a well-told, slow-burning crime story set in a dystopic future, then Blade Runner 2049 is the film for you.
—Spencer Smith
Like the title suggests, the story picks up 30 years after the events of the first film. Ryan Gosling is K, a Blade Runner for the LAPD, meaning his job, like Deckard’s (Harrison Ford) in the first film, is to hunt down and “retire” AWOL synthetic humans (called replicants), who are used in society as a slave or servant class. What follows is a slow-burning detective film, as the case he’s on turns out to one that could shake the pillars that society is built on.
Gosling portrays his character with the emotional range of a body scanner at an airport. But, considering that is basically the role of the character, he can’t really be blamed. K is a cog of a machine in a world built around functionality—not beauty. He is a man with one job, who doesn’t have time to marvel at the holographic advertisements and bizarre-yet-believable wardrobes of the future. Fans of the original will miss Deckard’s wry wit and subterfuge. His character returns for this film as well, checking off another return for Ford’s iconic characters. Without giving too much away, it’s nice to see that Ford can still throw a punch like the best of them.
Visually the film is a treat to watch. Director Denis Villeneuve knows his source material, giving us just enough glimpses of the architecture and society of the world to pique our interests and remind of us the original without distracting us from the plot. His use of heavy shadows throughout further cements the noir aesthetic, and the way he contrasts nearly monochromatic scenes set in the countryside to those full of flashing images and cool colors of the city keeps the viewers eyes gleeful, even if the action on screen is limited.
The film builds its plot and themes on the same philosophical question that was touched on in the first movie: What makes a human a human? And does that definition make them (us?) superior? As the film progresses, we begin to question the truths given to us in the first act, and our allegiances to the protagonists and antagonists start to waiver. Though the film doesn’t shove its own answers down our throats, it definitely leaves you thinking like a first-year philosophy student as you walk out of the auditorium.
To that end, this is not the end-of-summer sci-fi action flick you have been waiting for. For its 2-hour-and-45-minute runtime, the action is sparse but precisely used. It plays more like a modern noir film than it does a typical science fiction caper. So, if you are looking for a futuristic shoot-em-up, this one might not be your cup of tea.
If, however, you are like me and have been aching for a well-told, slow-burning crime story set in a dystopic future, then Blade Runner 2049 is the film for you.
—Spencer Smith
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