The prospect of making a sequel to Blade Runner was thought impossible for many years, and not just because the first film had emerged from being a cult classic to becoming regarded as one of the greatest sci-fi films ever made. Blade Runner had such a radical influence on the development of the cyberpunk aesthetic that it would be impossible to replicate, and it ended on an ambiguous note that could have been easily ruined by a disappointing answer. Although Ridley Scott did not return to direct the sequel to what is arguably his best film, Denis Villeneuve was handed the responsibility after proving his merits as a genre filmmaker with Sicario and Arrival. Although expectations were tremendous, Blade Runner 2049 is a tremendous piece of visual storytelling that is in many ways superior to its predecessor.
What Is ‘Blade Runner 2049’ About?
Blade Runner 2049 is set three decades after the events of the original film and takes place in modern Los Angeles, where bioengineered robots are working as slaves to powerful corporations. Agent K (Ryan Gosling) is tasked by the Los Angeles Police Department to track down the replicants that have lived past their usefulness and “retire” them. Although K tracks down and executes the replicant Sapper Morton (Dave Bautista), he discovers evidence that the replicant Rachael (Sean Young) may have birthed a child with Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), the blade runner that had been assigned to “retire” her in the original film. Although the ruthless Tyrell Organization CEO Niander Wallace (Jared Leto) wants to gain access to the secret behind replicant reproduction in order to populate his workforce for interstellar labor, K seeks out Deckard in order to discover the identity of the child.
Blade Runner 2049 rejects the standard “hero’s journey” of many sequels by showing the complexities of both K’s and Deckard’s motivations. K wants nothing more than to be human, as he is only able to reach a limited level of intimacy with his holographic love interest, Joi (Ana de Armas). Although it is evident that Deckard regrets not being able to be a father, he also understands that his child would have been put in danger if they had stayed together, as a miraculously conceived child of a replicant would have been swept up within the revolutionary movement of the Tyrell Organization and claimed as a savior. The most heartbreaking twist of the film is K’s discovery that he is not Deckard’s child; although he thought that this would have given him greater purpose, K has to settle for being a heroic martyr to a greater cause.
‘Blade Runner 2049’ Is One of the Greatest Legacy Sequels
Blade Runner 2049 is a brilliant sequel because it expands the worldbuilding of the original film by being more imaginative and not relying only on nostalgia. This is mostly due to the brilliance of Roger Deakins, who is often regarded as one of the greatest cinematographers of all time. Deakins is able to explore the seedy side of Los Angeles with vivid colors whilst also showing how isolated and conflicted K feels regarding his duties. The film is so packed with amazing shots that its 163-minute run time does not feel like a burden in the slightest, and it ended up picking up Deakins his first Academy Award for Best Cinematography, as well as an additional award for Best Visual Effects.
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Blade Runner 2049 mirrored the first film in many ways, as both films were hailed as breakthroughs within the genre yet struggled to find an audience at the global box office. Blade Runner 2049 is certainly not escapist entertainment, so it is not surprising that it didn’t connect with the same audience that was seeking out the next blockbuster franchise; although there are some brilliant action scenes, the film is a contemplative look at mortality that ends with a poetic callback to the original classic through the use of Vangelis’ iconic “Tears in Rain” track. It’s still admirable that Warner Brothers was able to invest in such an artistic project, as it proved Villeneuve could craft sci-fi epics on an extraordinary scale. It is unlikely that he would have been handed the reins to make a two-part adaptation of Dune had Blade Runner 2049 not been such a masterpiece.
Blade Runner 2049 is streaming on Paramount Plus in the U.S.
Young Blade Runner K’s discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former Blade Runner Rick Deckard, who’s been missing for thirty years.
- Release Date
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October 6, 2017
- Director
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Denis Villeneuve
- Cast
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Ryan Gosling
, Harrison Ford
, Jared Leto
, Ana De Armas
, Robin Wright
, Lennie James
, Dave Bautista
, Carla Juri
, Hiam Abbass
, Barkhad Abdi
, David Dastmalchian
, Mackenzie Davis
, Sylvia Hoeks - Runtime
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163 Minutes
Watch on Paramount Plus
