“Blade Runner 2049” is one the best science fiction films of the last decade.
The film revolves around a young blade runner’s discovery of a long-buried secret, which leads him to track down former blade runner Rick Deckard, who has been missing for 30 years.
This movie is divisive. You are either going to leave the theater loving every aspect of “2049” or you are going to wish you could have your two hours and 43 minutes back.
This movie is long. It is one of the longest of the year. However, never once did I get bored or want it to be over.
One of the telltale signs of an engaging movie for me is how often I check the time. If I check the time every 10 minutes, the movie has not done its job.
In “Blade Runner 2049,” I did not check my watch once.
Here are a few reason why.
First of all, the movie is beautiful—one of the most visually stunning pieces of cinema I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
Roger Deakins, the cinematographer, is a master. Despite being nominated 13 times for his work on “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Skyfall” and “No Country for Old Men,” this movie may be his best.
“2049” Los Angeles feels real. I felt like I was there, experiencing the world Deakins and Denis Villeneuve, the director, built for this film.
Along those same lines, the score is equally beautiful. Legendary composer Hans Zimmer teamed up with Benjamin Wallfisch to give us a score that is engaging and suspenseful. It is one of my favorite scores of the year, and I will not be surprised if it gets nominated for an Oscar.
The visuals and score alone are worth the 10 dollars to see this film, but this movie is so much more than just the sound and visuals. The story is immersive.
There is a compelling mystery that K, Ryan Gosling’s character, has to unravel. There are moments in this film that are incredibly suspenseful and other moments equally emotional. Not only is the story immersive, the questions the film raises about identity and humanity are equally as engaging.
All of this is anchored by incredible acting across the board. Harrison Ford gives his best performance in recent memory. Jared Leto gives a creepy performance as the film’s villain and Sylvia Hoeks gives a standout performance as Luv.
However, the whole movie revolves around Ryan Gosling’s performance as K. He is outstanding in this film and cemented himself as one of my favorite actors working today.
The only negatives I had about this film are nitpicks, and I can not tell you those without giving away spoilers.
Having said that, I do not think this film is for everyone, but that is the beautiful thing about movies and art in general. Your opinion is as valid as mine.
Overall, “Blade Runner 2049” is one of my favorite movies of the year. I will be seeing it again as soon as I can, and will be buying it on Blu-ray when it comes out. This film is totally worth your time and money, and you should see it on the biggest and loudest screen possible
What are your thoughts on “Blade Runner 2049?” Let me know on Facebook or Twitter @reflectoronline and we can dive deeper into the world of “2049.”