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Originally Posted by !@#$%!
so...
blade runner 2049 for me was really great. blew my mind, better than the original.
loved it except for a handful of details
the cinematography was exceptional— probably teh best thing roger deakins has ever done. visually it’s fucking glorious.
while watching, especially at the beginning, i felt that very little story was stretched out over brooding mood shots— but i actually liked it here because those reflections on water, or falling snowflakes, or rusted textures, or sparks flying sparks, or barren landscapes or whatever were so amazingly done, that i said: “okay, i accept this.” the movie could have been a lot shorter without that, but i’m glad it wasn’t.
with all that spectacle in mind it was really well worth it going to a wall-to-wall screen with recliner seats that stretched like a lounger and sound that rattled the back of your head. it was totally immersive.
having said all this, i think it was hard for people who have not seen the original to fully grasp the story— to get who deckard was or to understand the whole backstory of the tyrell corporation or to get what jared leto, what’s his name, was trying to do. a quick written intro at the beginning is not enough. it was barely enough for me having seen the original many times.
plus there were nods and allusions and quotations— they were so well done! they did not feel contrived or mercenary—that someone who didn’t see the original misses out.
plus this one really elaborates on (and twists) the plot of the original. it’s really a sequel, not a standalone. but it’s one of the rare cases when (i think so anyway) the sequel is better than the original (like the godfather, for example).
the movie of course has its limits. it’s aimed at nerdy boys and it’s sort of out of touch with the times when it comes to gender issues— it sort of pays lip service to them for a few minutes but doesn’t quite do the job and ultimately stays within the usual machismo of the genre. a wasted opportunity there, which is a pity, because with some tweaking it could have bolted ahead of the curve in this front only to add to its greatness.
eta: unless the promise is finally fulfilled in the next installment!  |
YAY! YESSSS!!!! YAAASSSS!
Agree that it was for Blade Runner fans only, but I always thought that was going to be the deal. Who would go see this without having seen the first one? Seriously. Who
hasnt seen Blade Runner? Well, lots of people I guess. And somehow, not sure why, this film managed to set itself up as a some huge reboot or independent installment, making all those folks who haven’t seen the original think “Oh cool! Gosling doing dark future stuff!” And then they got bored because it’s 3 hours of ... y’know... story that is
*inexorably intertwined with Blade Runner.*
I almost agree that it was better than the original (err, the Final Cut whatever blah blah), in a way that, yes Godfather II was better than Godfather. And Dark Knight was better than Batman Begins. But closer to Godfather, since the story is both new and also completely wrapped up in the original.
I’ll need to re-watch BR before I can really comment on whether or not this is one of the few examples in history of a sequel outdoing an original. Never a bad thing. (Oh, Empire Strikes Back and The Wrath of Khan are both also examples of this rare phenomenon in the SF genre).
Anyway... I’m SO GLAD you liked it.
I agree there were a few missed opportunities in terms of gender dynamics, but the villain (the “I’m the best one!” gal) kind of turned gender roles on their ear a bit. Her complete subservience to the Leto dude (Wallace?) was unsettling, but it’s her job to obey.
Robin Wright also did a nice job in her role, and the entire twist at the end took focus away from the sausage fest and placed it squarely on you-know-who in you-know-where. So that was cool.
I found myself wondering if there would be a third installment. My guess is probably not for a while. Not until the stars align again. But the stars TOTALLY aligned for this motherfucker.
The music was insanely great, even if Johan Johansson wasn’t involved. The movie felt like an ambient noise segment at a Nine Inch Nails concert at times, and definitely had a deliciously skull-vibrating and immersive feel to it.
Soooo... what do you think of my assertion that Villeneuve might be starting to do Nolan better than Nolan? I know I’m the Nolan goober around here, but I’m curious. I’ve always loved his epic and intensely personal approach to films, and the weirdness and darkness that he infuses even his most mundane work with. I think Blade Runner 2049 had a lot of Nolan-esque moments to it, especially with respect to the swell and release of tension, but I think Villeneuve MIGHT (*might*) be even better at this kind of thing than Nolan.
If Arrival was Villenueve’s Interstellar, then Blade Runner 2049 was definitely his cerebral Dark Knight/Inception bullet-to-the-brain. But he just might have a better handle on balancing artistry and crowd-pleasing action than Nolan....
Anyway, I could talk about this movie all day and night. It’s hilarious how far this series has wandered off from the PKD source material at this point, but whatever. I haven’t been this blown away by a film in theaters in for-fucking-ever.