If there’s one genre that director Denis Villeneuve has proven he has perfect mastery over, it’s science fiction. Over the past few years, audiences have learned a lot about the promising science fiction author, especially as he continues to craft modern cinematic masterpieces of the genre. Gathering a fan base, Villeneuve brought to life unique concepts seen in Arrival or adapted from popular sci-fi universes into films like Dune And Dune: part two. Villeneuve also admitted to being primarily a science fiction filmmaker, which is why when a science fiction license is in development, the studios first look to him to see if he is interested, as was the case with Blade Runner 2049.
It was time to explore new stories that could be told in the Blade Runner universe, who hadn’t seen another film since the original came out. Fans have the same reactions to sequels these days. Either they want as many things as possible, or they want studios to relax and stop making so many sequels, reboots and spin-offs. When Blade Runner 2049 was announced, reactions were mixed, but the one thing people seemed to agree on was that the film was in good hands with Denis Villeneuve attached to direct. Yet no one could have imagined how great the film would be, and it actually remained a major sci-fi hit many years later, having a lasting impact that people couldn’t have predicted.
Blade Runner 2049 works as its own story and as a sequel
When it comes to following up on his previous successes, Harrison Ford isn’t exactly the first to jump on opportunities when they present themselves. He is right to believe that some things should be left aside. He nevertheless agrees to get involved if the script is good and the material is in good hands. However, returning to Blade Runner meant playing a different role as Villeneuve created a whole new narrative, not only to honor the previous film, but to expand on the exploration of the human themes present in this particular world.
This placed Ryan Gosling at the center of Blade Runner 2049 as Joe/Officer K, who represents an incredible change in the evolution of people and replicants by being a replicant blade runner who puts his own kind out of commission. It questions an even deeper moral element while exploring themes of identity, reality, and existentialism in a way that transcends the original 1982 film. How Villeneuve balances his own story with the original is key to its success. On the one hand, it tells the individual story of Officer K, who is meant to represent the humanity that exists within the replicator community.
On the other hand, K’s story ties directly into the past of Rick Deckard and Rachael, who were the primary representations of an evolving world and the concept of humanity as more than just a construct of artificial life. Rick Deckard now finds himself embroiled in an even bigger conspiracy when K enters his life, bringing the trouble he was trying to avoid right to his doorstep. Villeneuve brings new meaning to the story audiences experienced in 1982, while pushing the boundaries of the new characters as they find themselves experiencing equally important experiences and making incredibly life-changing discoveries.
As another grounded, dark and twisted exploration of important themes, Blade Runner 2049 exists as a highly individual epic in the science fiction genre that took audiences by storm in 2017 and has remained resonant ever since. While some audiences never cared Blade Runner and don’t care about its sequel, fans recognize how the modern sci-fi hit transcends the universe it exists in, while also being a balanced sequel to a cult classic among cinema’s best.
Of course, it’s no surprise that Denis Villeneuve was able to approach the subject so specifically and delicately shoulder the responsibilities that come with such an incredible task. The fans never asked for another one Blade Runnerbut they were happy to have one.
Blade Runner 2049 is a masterpiece of modern storytelling in science fiction cinema
Although Blade Runner 2049 is certainly an audiovisual experience that fascinates the public, it is truly successful thanks to the writing. Thanks to Villeneuve’s vision, Roger Deakins’ stunning cinematography and Hans Zimmer’s thrilling music, Blade Runner 2049 is an engaging experience for the audience. There’s also a very jarring tonal consistency that leaves an atmosphere of despair that matches the desolate aesthetic that Villeneuve and his team have created. It is shocking primarily for the brutality and honesty of the depiction of violence, as well as the realism that exists in the relevant social themes.
Blade Runner 2049 gets dark as the story unfolds, perhaps darker than the original and darker than fans expect. It’s a bold, yet effective approach, as the world and characters best represent the heartbreaking downfall that seems to be rapidly occurring for humanity. All of this comes to life through one of the most compelling stories in recent memory and a heartbreaking character arc for Gosling’s K. Identity was always going to be embedded somewhere in the film, like Blade Runner it all depends on who people really are and where humanity can exist. However, Blade Runner 2049 brilliantly uses its replicant protagonist’s journey of self-discovery as a means of expressing how it expresses these themes.
It is through K that the audience feels most connected to their own humanity, which is ironic because, biologically speaking, K is not human. Of course, Villeneuve’s intention is to show how humanity moved away from actual human beings and how humanity became predominant among replicators. As human beings become less connected to their own morality, replicants strive to achieve this type of understanding and acceptance.
The best thing about Blade Runner 2049 is that it tricks the audience into never questioning the vibrant humanity that clearly exists in K, and Villeneuve uses a twist to hammer that home. By allowing the audience to identify with K through a plot involving his own biological humanity, the film uses a twist to reveal that everything is false. Once K learns that he is not half-human, half-replicant, the audience realizes just how human these artificial beings are. No one questions how relatable and emotional K is, which makes his journey and revelation even more profound.
Even with all its cinematic elements and assets, Blade Runner 2049 transcends its purpose to become one of the most compelling and resonant narratives of the 21st century. This propels the film beyond audience expectations and makes it a modern masterpiece of the science fiction genre.
Fans would likely welcome a third Blade Runner movie
Since a Blade Runner no one really wanted a sequel, Denis Villeneuve far exceeded expectations and even made a third film more desirable. If he ever decided to come back and do it all again, he would be the perfect person, the only person capable of doing one more. Blade Runner. It doesn’t seem unlikely either, since the story leaves things open to more drama, higher stakes, and event-level conflict. The seeds have already been planted for an even more conclusive chapter of the Blade Runner universe.
Yet, keeping all this in mind, there is an element of Blade Runner films that Villeneuve and most fans understand: they are not epics.
While other science fiction films contain a structural identity that matches the greatest films in existence, Blade Runner is actually a personal and deeper exploration of important themes. This made Blade Runner 2049 a perfect sequel to the 1982 film. Although it is a sequel, it is also simply its own representation of this world. In these films, the focus is less on larger scale conflicts and more on grounded themes and characters.
While something like Dune is a great epic and sprawling odyssey, Blade Runner is a story about people and how they might exist in the kind of dystopian future depicted. Another sequel would be welcome, but it wouldn’t be necessary at all.
- Release date
-
October 6, 2017
- Runtime
-
163 minutes
- Director
-
Denis Villeneuve
- Writers
-
Michael Green, Hampton Fancher
