A few years back when it was announced that there would be a sequel to Ridley Scott's 1982 neo-noir classic Blade Runner, fans responded with both excitement and fear. So beloved was the original movie to its fans, and with thirty years having passed since its release many felt that a sequel would regurgitate the visual uniqueness of the original movie and transpose upon it a shallow and boisterous action movie. While the visual mastery seen in the original movie cannot be denied what also made the movie stand out for fans were the themes of the movie of identity and humanity, themes fans felt would be sidelined in a post-millennial sequel. However, according to outlets such as Collider, Screen Junkies, and IGN, it appears that fans cannot only be content with the sequel, they can relish in it, with many claiming the movie to be a modern classic, a masterpiece.
Reportedly director Denis Villeneuve has not only revisited the world created in the original, he has expanded it both visually and thematically. While Jared Leto's performance seems to be hit-or-miss, it appears that many reviewers are praising the performances on show in the movie, especially those of Dave Bautista, Sylvia Hoeks, and Harrison Ford, with the latter reportedly giving one of the best performances of his career. Even Ryan Gosling's performance is said to be perfectly suited, acting as the eyes of the audience within the world director Villeneuve has built. The most praise, however, seems to be for Cinematographer Roger Deakins. So striking are his visuals that reviewers are claiming Deakins to be the number one contender at next years academy awards for best cinematography.
Running for 2 hours and 44 minutes Blade Runner 2049 reportedly covers a lot of ground, both revisiting elements of its predecessor while expanding upon them. Questions are answered, and new questions are asked in with amazing depth that will fuel debates for another 35 years in what many are calling the 'perfect sequel'.
