Photo by Felix Mooneeram on Unsplash
Holographic AI’s, flying cars, and bioengineered humans? Oh my! If any or all of these things interest you, then you might want to go to the movies right now! Blade Runner 2049 is a sequel of the original cult classic Blade Runner released in 1982. First I’d like to shamefully admit that I have not watched the original but after watching this one; I know what you’re thinking! How dare I watch something without watching the original beforehand? But have no fear, the beauty of this film is that you don’t have to be a fan of the original to appreciate and understand it. This movie is not for everyone because it is one of those philosophical movies that has meaning deeper than face value, but I personally recommend it to any one that is a fan of Neo Noir, futuristic 80s movies. This movie has a lot of themes that will leave you questioning the future of humanity and have you dying to know what happens next!
The plot picks up 35 years later after the original setting in dystopian Los Angeles and answers many questions that fans are dying to get answered. Some even are left unanswered still. You’re probably wondering – What is a blade runner? Let me begin by explaining the terminology and the tech heavy world that they live in: In this world, humans are not born but made. The movie ranges controversial topics such as creating life in a lab and if what is made in a lab has a soul. These ‘humans’ are bioengineered and do not have parents to call mom or dad. It’s a lonely life but one that doesn’t come without implanted memories in the newer models. These humans are called replicants and they are made to be slave labors in this world. In the original movie, these models were created by big time corporation, Tyrell Corporation. They created these people without any prior memories which later led to the replicants disobedience and misbehavior. I think anyone would go crazy if they didn’t have any memory of being born.
A blade runner (who is also a replicant) goes out and hunts them down, removing them from this world. Fast forward to 2049, replicants now have implanted memories and are more compliant. Keep in mind, they are still human like; they have the same internal structure and free thinking mind as a born human. The main character played by Ryan Gosling doesn’t have a true name but is called Officer ‘K’ and he uncovers a pretty big secret that leads him to hunting down original blade runner Rick Deckard reprised by the original actor Harrison Ford (No spoilers in the secret! You just have to go see for yourself).
Officer K is a blade runner with the LAPD and hunts down previous replicant models created by the Tyrell Corporation. More advanced models are created by Wallace Corporations, the new front runner in bioengineered humans. Jared Leto plays Niander Wallace who is essentially the CEO of Wallace Corporations and you can’t really tell if his character is bioengineered or not. His assistant, who happens to be a unique replicant named Luv is played by actress Sylvia Hoeks and she is the eyes and ears of Wallace Corporation. She notices Officer K’s interest in investigating and decides to follow his work. The whole movie is an investigative chase to uncover the truth behind the blade runner’s discoveries.
My one complaint with the film is that the pacing drags on and leaves the viewer ready for the movie to pick up speed but overall the movie kept me at the edge of my seat. This movie has a knack for purposefully uncomfortable scenes and is not for the squeamish. If you can look past that and have an open mind about controversial topics, this movie is a must-see. The film score was fantastic but I expect nothing less from composer Hans Zimmer and counterpart Benjamin Wallfisch. If you didn’t enjoy the story itself, you would at the very least enjoyed how beautiful the cinematography work was. It made the characters appear smaller and insignificant which I’m sure is what the director intended. In my humble opinion, Blade Runner 2049 is the best movie of 2017. Go see for yourself!
Photos Courtesy of Colombia
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Linda Page
Student Author - Fall 2017
Linda Page is a Senior at Gulf Coast State College and is pursuing her B.A.S in the Digital Media Program. She will be graduating in the fall and could not be more excited for what lies ahead. Linda decided to study Digital Media because she has a desire to pursue a career in the ever-growing technology field. Digital Media is so multifaceted and is perfect for someone who is interested in various aspects of technology like Linda. After graduation, she hopes to travel the world and find a job that suits her. In her spare time, she loves improving her photography skills, eat all the food she possibly can and binge watch netflix originals.
