Blade Runner 2049

A review of the new Blade Runner film? There can’t be too many of them on the internet… Yes, here I am adding to what must certainly be floods of opinion on Denis Villeneuve’s sequel to the much fetishised 1982 original.  Is it coldly beautiful? Yes. Is there an overwhelming sense of alienation and emptiness? Yes.  Is Ryan Gosling a convincing lead? Yes. 

                So why do I feel slightly non-plussed about the experience? Maybe it’s because the original worked so well on its own, with its riddles and mysteries generating so much debate among fans. Maybe it’s because the sequel doesn’t add much to the overall story of Decker, the replicants and the future L.A. –  the idea that replicants were made with the ability to become pregnant is intriguing but the virtual girlfriend feels a little passe and bland (the same idea was explored with greater success in Spike Jonzes’s Her). Whatever the sequel was saying, it felt like much of it had already been said in the original.

With its slow pace, waves of synthesisers on the soundtrack and faithful recreation of the dark and rainy, neon-lit sets, the film often feels like an homage to the original and I wondered if the director might have spent more time beyond the city limits (some of the best scenes were in San Diego's mega dump). I wondered whether the studio might have been better off investing in a brand new idea – Villeneuve’s own Arrival and Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin are much more interesting science fiction films that were not burdened by the heavyweight legacy of a famous predecessor, they cost a lot less to make but were infinitely more impressive.

After much musing, I came to the conclusion that my main criticism of the film (and I did actually enjoy it!) is strongly linked to what I know about the tortured production of the original. As wonderful as CGI animation can be, when you know about the restrictions and obstacles faced the crew on the 1982 film – having to film at night-time throughout the shoot with buckets of waters falling constantly, having to make a model the size of a large jigsaw puzzle ‘become’ the Los Angeles of 2019 – it’s hard to be really impressed modern-day special effects that can be created indoors, in all seasons, without even having to build anything, and can then be tinkered with later, in endless ways.

Blade Runner 2049 has some excellent moments but should perhaps be considered on its own terms rather than in close connection to its predecessor. It’s spectacular but most of the ‘wows’ feel re-heated. And there’s no replacing Rutger Hauer and Darryl Hannah.