Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Do androids dream of electric sheep?
Presentation:
What do you mean, you haven’t seen Blade Runner? Filmed on Arri and Zeiss masterprimes, this combination is almost as iconic as the pairing behind the camera. Denis Villeneuve and Roger Deakins deliver one of the best looking films of all time, meticulous crafted and framed in an unpretentious manner. Light is masterfully painted scene to scene with vibrant yet un-obnoxious color palettes with the use of gels that make this one of the most re-watchable experiences. Iconic visual after visual, despite eclectic pushed looks, scenes still look natural and believable. It differs from the original in many ways. The stiff cinematography makes each scene well composed like a painting, but doesn’t have that lived in messiness of the original. The sets here feel like sets and the visuals depart in being much cleaner, lacking the noir silhouetted anamorphism of the original.
Story:
The film has questionable elements that are seemingly innocuous, but are rather pervasive after you've watched the film 10 times. I don't understand some of the choices and plotholes that i will discuss. The film depicts an oppresive system with dystopian regulation, yet a replicant managed to enter police headquarters, steal and murder a chief commissioner with little to no security, monitoring or resistance? Would that not destroy reputation of Wallace Corporation, which according the shorts preceding the film gave rise to why replicants were outlawed and so scrutinized before the events of the movie? This murder is arguably a bigger controversy that would undo everything the Wallace corporation has worked for. Meanwhile Wallace has to torture off world because he'd be found out? It seems laws and logistics only selectively exist when convenient for the story. Luv's character is very intriguing, she cries when seeing a replicant being born or when committing murder. From an interview, the actress states that the tears just came out, which Denis kept in. But from a replicant POV I can't understand it other than it looks dramatic. She then shifts into a ruthless bloodthirsty assassin, which we will simply have to chalk the inconsistency up to representing the uncanny manifestation of androids. I also thought new Nexus 9s cannot defy human orders?
On first watching, the story is actually quite difficult to follow which is why the film did so poorly at the box office. This is because the plot engine is entirely driven by a birthdate on a tree and a traceable wooden toy horse gifted by a man that otherwise meticulously covers his tracks. It implements storytelling elements like Dark Souls, where you'll have to inspect individual elements and clues to understand what's going on, but they are very easily missed on first viewing. But like Dark Souls, you have similar themes of a chosen undead, a biproduct of prophecy thrown away to give rise to a more important hero. This was also implemented in Sicario, where the film is originally told in Emily Blunt's perspective when the main character is actually Benicio del Toro. The film overall triumphs in certain regards. It explores what makes us human and what motivates us with a nuanced ending both hopeful yet meaningless. It is very difficult to navigate such a complex ideas, giving food for thought on why we endure, all hidden beneath a simple plot of a detective protecting the person he is supposed to eliminate.
Conclusion:
This film turned sci-fi from nerdy to sexy. I've rewatched this film more times than any other film, which has influenced my personal filmmaking in numerous ways. The story has some flaws and loopholes, but they are arguably less relevant when you look at the big picture of the film's themes. This film is arguably not about the story, which is evident by the numerous expositions and running around for the sake of cinematic frames. If you subscribe to any of Clever Ghost's filmmaking sensibilities, you may also agree that this film is better than the original Blade Runner as this is one of the channel's biggest inspirations. However, for audiences that value story over cinematography, this may be a confusing 5 chili review with many casual moviegoers feeling lost, indifferent or bored.
Recommendations
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