Blade Runner 2049

[thedeadparrot]

So I saw it. I didn't even realize that I had that many Blade Runner feelings until I saw the first trailer for this movie, because while I appreciate it, I don't think there's a lot of there there. As I have mentioned to other people, I think the first Blade Runner is about 90% mood and 10% content. The mood is amazing stuff, and the content isn't terrible, but I feel like it gets more credit than it deserves. I saw a comment to the effect that the first Blade Runner movie is both the most overrated and underrated film of all time.

My expectations were set pretty low, and they were met. It's another movie that's 90% mood and 10% content, and that mood is amazing and the content isn't entirely terrible. The sound design was kind of a mess at times, intrusive when it shouldn't be. The punches sounded faker than usual. It's a movie that does silence well, though. The pacing is slow and deliberate in a way that I appreciated.

If you do go watch it, I hope you enjoy staring at Ryan Gosling's face, because there's a lot of that. It's pushing 3 hours.



- I enjoyed the semi fake out with the idea that K/Joe is actually Deckard and Rachel's kid. That trope inversion of 'a person realizes they're an AI/robot all along' is handled extremely cleverly, and I enjoyed it.
- The way women are handled in this movie feels very confused. I appreciated that there were more of them in more varied roles in this one, but still. Half the time they're cold and sexless, and the other half they're male gaze-y hookers/AI wife-girlfriends/advertisements to the max.
- Still basically two Asian people in this Japan/China-influenced future of ours.
- Jared Leto's character only sort of makes any sense. Thankfully, he only gets a few scenes, but every time he shows up, it's not good. Plus, his philosophizing speeches turn into white noise quick.
- All of the locations are very beautiful in a good and awful sort of way. Orange future-Vegas might be my favorite.
- This movie made me feel things, and it let me sit there with my feelings. I liked that about it. It's like a song you love that falls apart if you listen to the lyrics too closely. I'm okay with that. The first movie is kind of like that, too.

Comments

[bironic]

Basically: YUP to your bullet points, especially 2-5. And yes to the fake punch noises! So odd.

[thedeadparrot]

I was happy to sit back and let the movie wash over me in the theater, but the more I think about it, the less it holds together. In conclusion, give me all that mood and get rid of all the stupid/gross stuff.

[alias_sqbr]

Agreed to all of it. I didn't notice the fake punches in particular but the sound choices in general were straight up bizarre.

[thedeadparrot]

It might have been a result of the particular theater I was in, but yeah, so much of the sound was so jarring and noticeable and not in a good way.

[monanotlisa]

You know what, it's actually not that good-looking a face. But I like what he does with it and the rest of his body, acting-wise.

[thedeadparrot]

I didn't have any problems with it while watching the movie. I think he does an excellent job with what's asked of him. I just figured it was worth a warning since there's so very much of it. :p

[minoanmiss]

This is actually a better review than I was expecting (from the movie -- I expected In Name Only profiteering). Also, I don't mind Ryan Gosling's face.

[thedeadparrot]

It's actually a very lovingly made sequel! I would say it's made by fans, but I know some of the original screenwriters were involved in writing it, too.