The Inner And Outer Worlds Of Replicants Remains As Fascinating As Ever
4 stars
Mini Review:
This visual masterpiece takes off from where the story left us in 1982. Philip K Dick’s post apocalyptic world of acid rain and metallic wilderness and flying cars remains the most fascinating piece on philosophy on creation. Do humans have a right to control the destiny of android life forms they create to be slaves? Should they evolve, do they become an enemy? Ryan Gosling thinks all these questions and more in this leisurely film that leaves you sighing with satisfaction. Of course Harrison Ford shows up and chews up everything in sight by being fabulous.
Main Review:
In 1982, Blade Runner Rick Deckard left us wondering whether he was a replicant himself, obeying orders when he was hunting down rebel replicants. Racheal and Roy have made him think and Pris’s madness has revealed to him how replicants can also feel, that they are not mere marionettes. They have evolved.
The Denis Villeneuve version of Blade Runner is shot at a relaxed pace (yes, the flying cars are also slow and easy for LAPD Blade Runner K played by Ryan Gosling to fall asleep). You take in the pollution, the incessant acid rain, the destroyed terrain, the city and yes, the Chinese food stall made famous by Harrison Ford and James Hong’s Hannibal Chew is also there.
The origami unicorn is missing, but there’s sheep! Fans want to see the unicorn, but when Gaff (Edward James Olmos) hands Ryan Gosling an Origami sheep, you are sort of saddened, and you add a salty tear to your caramel popcorn.
Ryan Gosling’s Blade Runner, during a routine culling mission of out of date replicants stumbles upon a secret that will change the world for ever. And when ‘Madam’ (Robin Wright who looks like she just stepped out of House of Cards to shoot this film) asks him to pursue the secret to its logical conclusion things happen rapidly.
Yes, rapidly. Not in the physical sense, but metaphorically. The film seems to slow down time so much so that you can hear the restless shuffling of people used to a tad more action. But those of you who enjoy seeing wound heal slowly, will love the quiet contemplation of the subject.
This is where I began to miss the Vangelis score. The Vangelis score gave us the feeling of hope amid hopelessness, it offered us a glimpse into a dystopian world…
If you happen to have no patience then this film is not for you. The trick is to not think ahead, because it will inevitably be wrong. You can sigh at how much they make Ryan Gosling walk. But remember how Deckard ran and ran as well in his film… Some things in the film really annoy you: you never see where humanity has gone, you don’t understand motives of some characters, you don’t know why some characters betray, you don’t understand why there’s no security at the places you’d think there should be, you hate the fact that a lovemaking scene in the film is actually funnier than they intended, you don’t understand why Harrison Ford…
Yes, Harrison Ford shows up in the last part of the film and just owns it. Whether it’s drinking whiskey from that square bottle (I so want to buy the bottle if they manufacture it!) or telling off Ryan Gosling about the dog…
And if the last shot of Ryan Gosling resting on the steps as snow falls does not make you want the film to go on, then you should probably watch the song and dance Bollywood flicks.
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