Review by Neal Mahoney

Blade Runner 2049 2017

10

Review by Neal Mahoney
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BlockedParentSpoilers2017-10-06T03:55:44Z— updated 2018-01-20T22:37:53Z

"To be born is to have a soul, I guess"

EDIT: Third time seeing it and still in awe of how beautiful this movie is and how perfect the score is.

This is sci-fi done right. Everything from the cinematography to score to the color palette to the acting were all fantastic. Denis Villeneuve has another winner. It seems like he did the impossible and gave a worthy sequel to a classic. Hans Zimmer's score really sets the mood. The visuals are where this movie really shines. The colors, the landscapes, the holograms and even the ads are all beautiful and it really expands on what Ridley Scott was able to do 35 years ago. This deserves to be seen on the big screen. Ryan Gosling gives one of his best performances. Harrison Ford was good with his limited screen time but it was Sylvia Hoeks' Luv who really stood out.

I can't wait to see this again and see what new things I will catch. One of the best films of the year and one of the best sci-fi films so far this century.

EDIT: I saw it again, twice in three days, and it just got so much better the second time. Usually if I watch the same movie that close I get bored but I was so into it that the 2 hours and 43 minutes run time went by quick. I think it became my favorite movie this year so far. It still is a visual treat to watch and must be experienced on the big screen. What Roger Deakins was able to do is Oscar worthy and I hope he finally wins one.

Some things I picked up on the second were more of the symbolism of the two female leads, Joi and Luv. Joi isn't real and K has Joi that makes him happy and gives him joy. Even when K gives her the ability to move around freely and the go to the rooftop and have an intimate moment only to be ruined by a work call. That really is what joy is, an illusion of happiness, but it can be ruined by work or something else. Then there is Luv where she is determined to do what Wallace asked her. She ends up fighting with K and destroying Joi, whose last words were I love you. Love will destroy your joy and you will struggle with Love.

After K has been beaten and bruised and lost the only thing that made him happy he happens to run into another (large) Joi is just a slap in the face. Joi repeating phrases K's said earlier and saying he looks like a Joe. I think it is at this point he realized that Joi was never real. He realizes he can be more than human by fighting (and dying) for the right cause. He has to fight for what is real, Deckard and his daughter. This scene was beautiful but I think it has much more meaning and depth.

There really aren't any villians in this movie. Wallace is fighting to help human kind by making more replicants. Lieutenant Joshi is trying to keep the peace by not letting replicants reproduce. The old nexus replicants just want to live their lives in peace. K is caught in the middle of all of this.

P.S. When Ryan Gosling started to play the piano in Sapper's house I really wanted him to go full La La Land and play City of Stars.

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