Blade Runner 2049

— Flat out, this is a good film, particularly given the veneration bestowed on its 1982 forerunner. As you might imagine, special effects aren’t held back, but they also aren’t senselessly used and the story unfolds at a pace that almost seems slow given the current predilection for breakneck action. Somehow, Villeneuve manages to offer plenty of nods to Ridley Scott’s original film and continue the story in such a way that new audiences will appreciate it. Of course the search for identity and the question of what makes us human still top the list of considerations and at times the film is a bit obvious as it considers these things. Again, it’s a peek at the not too distant future, making the darkness all the more frightening and alluring. It’s an engaging, dark, sci-fi story with great images, intriguing music/sounds, decent acting, and enough humanity to keep it from looking tethered to reality.

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[2017. 164 min. Directed by Denis Villeneuve. Starring Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Robin Wright, Dave Bautista, and Jared Leto.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/blade-runner-2049-2017