RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
ONE SENTENCE SYNOPSIS: Rick Deckard, a Blade Runner, is on a mission to kill four replicants who have come back to Earth to meet their creator, yet while on this journey, Deckard falls in love with a replicant, Rachael.
AESTHETIC: Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner is a film that feels more artistic than other sci-fi thrillers. The film features beautiful shots of gloomy skyscrapers with bright neon billboards while flying cars pass by. Although the film has an overall dark front in which there seems to be an eternal darkness, there are many whimsical elements that make the film fun. For example, there is a plethora of bright lights and unique technological gadgets.
SUSPENSE: Blade Runner is suspenseful! There are many great action sequences in the film such as Rick Deckard chasing one of the female replicants through a building in which she breaks through many glass walls. Perhaps the most suspenseful moment of the film is at the latter end when Deckard is faced with taking down the last two replicants. SPOILER!!! Throughout this long fight, there are many surprising moments such as punching through walls, breaking fingers, and being surrounded by doll machines.
MESSAGE: Although the plot of the film could be viewed as straightforward, it could also be deemed as the building block for a more important facet of the film, the message. As the film focuses on the values between real vs. fake, many questions arise about the meaning of these supposedly essential factors. It seems as if Blade Runner is asking the question of what is important and what is not. Even though the final message of the film can be debated about, I feel that the point of the film is ultimate to ask and talk about the message of real vs. fake.
ONE SENTENCE SYNOPSIS: Officer K, a Blade Runner, unearths a corps of a replicant that contains information that leads him on a journey to uncover the truth about his past; while doing so, he finds Rick Deckard which ultimately leads Officer K to his downfall.
AESTHETIC: Blade Runner 2049 is a beautiful film that is full of clean and surreal shots and sequences. Like the original, Denis Villeneuve’s film has a beautiful collection of city skylines and big luminescent billboards. Although the city scenes have a darker appeal, there is also a barrenness and brightness to the film as well. For example, while Officer K is on his journey to uncover the truth, he visits many different locations many of which are orange tinted desserts. With this use of color, the film has a nice mix of bright and dark sequences that give the overall appearance a beautiful variety.
SUSPENSE: Suspense is definitely the word that I would use to describe the plot of this film. Blade Runner 2049 does an incredible job at making the audience think one thing while really the truth is an entirely different matter. Besides the story keeping me on the edge of my seat, the suspense is prevalent in the small and large details of the film. There are many eerie portions in this movie that, although they feel very much in place, do catch a person off guard. I believe that one huge reason that this film keeps its suspense throughout is the characters themselves.
MESSAGE: The plot of Blade Runner 2049 is unique as it makes sure that it does not follow by the books and give the audience what they expect. Although not everyone will like this kind of story, I personally was happy with the outcome because I felt even more emotion and commitment to the purpose of the film. Ultimately the message of the film is weighing the importance of real vs. fake and the consequences that each brings. This movie does a great job in making the audience think about the way that these values are perceived and if one really is worth more than the other.
Overall, Blade Runner 2049 and Blade Runner are beautiful films. Honestly, I only slightly touched on the similarities and stunning moments in the movies.
THE FILM ALIEN 