Blade Runner 2049
“Dying for the right cause. It’s the most human thing we can do.”
I was hesitant to rewatch this. I didn’t think I’d love it as much upon rewatch, and oh boy, I’m glad I was wrong. It remains my fourth favourite film and is the perfect sequel to Scott’s Blade Runner.
Every piece of Blade Runner content I watch, I become more and more obsessed with it. I love this world and I am instantly engrossed within it. I’m in awe of the production design. It takes the futuristic L.A we’ve come to know, and somehow makes it even cooler. I love how we also get to explore more of the world, travelling to Las Vegas and seeing the stunning wasteland. The mix of miniature models and CGI really brings this film to the next level, while still maintaining elements of what made the original so special.
Villeneuve and Deakins really bring their A-game. This is by far the best looking film of the last few decades. It’s a visual spectacle and I cannot get enough. Every frame truly is a painting and they bring such a realistic approach to such a futuristic world.
The way this film expands upon the themes of humanity is truly remarkable. If the first is about what it means to be human, then 2049 not only explores it in further depth, but also explores the themes of individuality.
The deconstruction of the “chosen one” narrative is brilliant. K spends the majority of the film believing he is special, believing he has found purpose, but when that’s ripped away and the truth is revealed, he doesn’t let that deter him. Just because he was not born ‘special’ doesn’t mean he can’t serve the right cause and I love that.
K has more in common with Roy Batty, in which both are wanting to meet their makers and both in their final moments, realise what it truly means to be human. Roy dies in the rain, with his memories lost and alone, he reminisces about his memories and experiences while K dies in the snow contempt, knowing that he died for the right cause, being able to reunite a father with his daughter. And the use of Vangelis’ ‘Tears in the Rain’ score is just the icing on the cake.
The performances of the film really sell the themes Villeneuve was going for. They’re phenomenal across the board. Gosling doesn’t get nearly enough appreciation for his role as K, but he should. Ford is once again great as Deckard, Ana de Armas shines as Joy, etc. The performances here are beautiful and bring so much energy and life to these amazing characters.
To wrap it up, Blade Runner 2049 is a masterpiece. It’s by far the best Legacy Sequel and is a rare case of the sequel being better than its predecessor, although both are astonishing. Villeneuve managed to take the themes of the first and expand them in such a meaningful way and give us such an immersive ride along the way.