Blade Runner 2049 is a film with memorable cinematography that overly depends on the audience to give it meaning.
If you think about which goals a movie sequel should have, expanding the original is a strong contender. To justify its existence, Blade Runner 2049 should update its predecessor's visuals and messages, specially since its story is set 30 years after the original.
Other commenters here (and everywhere else) have already praised cinematographer Roger Deakins, and justifiably so. Deakins did deliver a brilliant work that draws the viewer in and makes the alternate future look lived-in, dirty and unforgiving. This movie is a visual masterpiece and one can easily predict that it will have an influence over new sci fi releases.
However sitting through almost 3 hours of a movie needs more to be justifiable. Are Blade Runner 2049's messages and questions really deserving of all this investment?
Since Blade Runner's release in 1982, many sci fi movies have tackled questions about artificial intelligence and what it means to be real/human with much more emotional resonance. Not that the Blade Runner universe is famous for being warm, but 2049 isn't really bringing anything new to the landscape, neither feelings or conversations. If anything, the film's slow pace and meandering (sometimes redudant) plot overcomplicate its message. Screenwriters Hampton Fancher and Michael Green throw several ideas in the air, hoping at least one of them will stick. One could say it's a sign of respect for the audience, but it only shows a lack of commitment.
The intense attention to visual impact contrasted with an unfocused story results in a self indulgent film, too entranced by its own beauty to care about what its saying. Blade Runner 2049 heavily depends on the audience's nostalgia and projection – you have your own deep thoughts and assume they came from the movie.
So, despite being a feast for the eyes, this movie doesn't earn its running time, making it a hard pass for anyone not in love with the 1982 original.
What a fight!
Kerry Bishé, Mackenzie Davis and Toby Huss gave real weight to the scene. Davis' physical reaction was very affecting, even if (like me) you don't feel much sympathy for her. Writer Michael Saltzman gave everyone simple, short lines full of meaning – those buttons that can be pushed only by who is close to you. Director Karyn Kusama made sure that we witnessed everything, in all its uncomfortable glory.
Delivering such an intense scene is no small feat and the show did a great job.
Too bad that this whole conflict has been postponed for almost a season too long. Until now Cameron's maturity seemed to turn on and off based on the writers needs, not on what made sense for the character. It is very unlikely that Cameron wouldn't mature at all during years of working with Donna and running her own company. Cameron should have at least been able to figure out that she could be outvoted. Come on, they're the ones that keep saying she's a genius!
This would have all seemed like an almost realistic way of showing that conflicts tend to fester over time... if Gordon didn't forgive Joe so quickly on this very episode. It seems that while Donna and Cameron were locked in this loop, Joe and Gordon were the ones truly evolving, albeit at a very slow pace.
It seems like everything stayed suspended until Joe and Gordon were mature enough, had plenty chances to prove it and finally reunited. Then (and only then) Donna and Cameron could be released and finally have everything out in the open. All just in time for the season's final stretch.
Sometimes it doesn't seem like this show trusts that it's audience can keep up, so every conflict and theme is repeated several times ahead of its conclusion (also looking at you, Joe the new wave guru).
I get that taking things slow makes for compelling dramas, but this show really pushed the concept to its limits, at the characters' expense.
Well finally the inevitable has happened, we got a very cathartic scene from it and can hopefully move on from this mess.
On to the next episodes! :D
