Science fiction at its core is about challenging the accepted
fundamentals of human reality. What defines us as a species, what are the
limits of that definition (if they existed in the first place), and what lies
beyond our practical understandings of the universe and our place within it?
In 1982, Ridley Scott's misunderstood masterwork Blade Runner joined a small fraternity of monumentally important
science fiction films that redefined what was possible within the genre.
Fusing elements of neo-noir tragedy with baroque set pieces in a dystopian fever
dream, a mark was made on the science fiction genre forever. 35 years
later, Denis Villeneuve returns with Blade
Runner 2049, continuing the story of AI's inevitable place among
humanity.
The importance of Villeneuve's effort is not in the kneejerk
reactions of film lovers and critics. There are imperfections alongside
once-in-a-lifetime achievements that automatically catapult the film into the
upper echelons of science fiction cinema. What is of import is the fusing
of Superhero big budget production numbers with art house craftsmanship and
sensibilities, showcasing the possibilities of a major studio release. As
with Arrival, this is a dense,
sprawling epic packaged in an expensive veneer that demands an unusual amount
of patience from the average audience member. Intense themes of identity,
memory, sexual politics, and spiritual freedom are in play, while cinematic
titans Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford light up the screen with some of the best
performances of their careers.
Hampton Fancher returns with Michael Green with a script that is
steeped in homage and yet, manages to transcend its source material. The
Hero's Journey is a concept that has been deeply scrutinized with the rise of
the superhero formula. The monomyth's three stages: Departure,
Initiation, and Return have been broken down and reinvented for decades.
With Blade Runner 2049, Fancher,
Green, and Villeneuve subvert the well-established conventions by inverting the
well-known recipe. Gosling's K begins as an outsider, not part of the
normal world. The call for adventure, or in this case, investigation as a
life or death order, is a matter of fact component of a peacekeeper's existence
in a world he longs to be a part of it, rather than being a champion of its
flawed ideals. K traverses a labyrinthine web of conspiracies and
manufactured mythologies where the final reward is not a powerful, situation
reversing elixir, but the peaceful understanding of what defines him. The
return is more of an escort, the carrying of this knowledge back to a reality
that has not changed and most likely never well. It is in this small,
falsely Pyrrhic victory that the genius of the film reveals itself.
Gosling's performance as K is sensational. Drawing
inspiration from dozens of trench coat clad gumshoes and interesting outsiders
to deliver an unforgettable amalgam of emotional turbulence and uncanny
dedication, Gosling defies expectations. He is supported by Harrison
Ford, returning to his role of Deckard, but sidestepping noir expectations to
reveal the wounded heart of the aftermath. When the hunt has long ended,
the hunters become rebels, outsiders whose murderous dedication to their purpose
set them outside the confines of what they sought to protect. Ford's
mastery has rarely been matched in this performance. Elements of his
haunted detective in Witness and
furious patriarch in Mosquito Coast
rear their heads to remind viewers that underneath DL-44 blasters and bull
whips, Ford is a true dancer.
The question of Deckard's possible replicant origins are present
and yet, in context of the living, breathing sprawl of Villeneuve's design,
they do not matter and more importantly, 2049
asks "Did it ever?". This is K's journey and Deckard's
important role as a reluctant mentor enhances his odyssey by way of violence
and regret. This is juxtaposed by Jared Leto's inhumane billionaire, a
synthesis of the darkest recesses of the free market creating a futuristic
totem of avarice and class divide that permeates every frame of a future Los
Angeles cherubic sorrow. Everything is housed in Paul Inglis'
unbelievable art direction. While Scott's Los Angeles of 2019 was a
steamy, noir lit metropolis, the world of 2049 has moved on, recovering from
environment and electronic catastrophes to become a stratified purgatory of
neon delights and sterile interiors. Everything about the film says “look,
but don't touch”, the perfect allegory for the replicants place in the world
they've inherited.
Roger Deakins' cinematography will garner him his 14th Oscar
nomination. This is a fact. The visual compositions, aggressive
color palette, and harmonious presentations are nothing short of a landmark
achievement. The Las Vegas sequence, drenched in Orange decay and haunted
sculptures is some of the finest camerawork in the history of cinema, the crown
jewel in a visual frenzy whose complexities will be dissected and analyzed for
decades to come. Alessandra Querzola's impeccable set design is
the key, giving Deakins’ camera potent targets of opportunity in every
frame. Nothing is wasted, with every scene featuring dozens of clues,
ideas, and nightmares to discover.
Sex also plays a part. The introduction of artificial intelligence
is an interesting concept, but when explored through the lens of eroticism, its
immediate relevance and complexity becomes clear. This is simulated in a
remarkable scene of romance that challenges expectations and yet seems
perfectly natural, if somber, within context of the 2049’s ballad of self-discovery. Attachments and memories
have been thoroughly explored in Kaufman's The
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Jones' Her, and yet, here, Villeneuve depicts love and ardor as qualities
that transcend species, ideas that are the inherent right of life, no matter
the origin. While some may feel rebuked at the presentation, the
understanding of transhumanity and its alien, but organic ideals makes perfect
sense. Certain countries have edited some of the pixelated nudity,
including excising an essential revelation that defines one of the
characters. While this is saddening, it is an almost fitting atrocity,
simulating the control that imprisons the fabricated denizens of Blade Runner's design.
Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch's score is a terminal
syringe, delivering deadly pulsations and thunderous conjurations at every
step. It is overwhelming, to the point that the mind often forgets it is
watching a film as opposed to experiencing a revelation. The absence of
Vangelis's iconic score is noticeable, however, as the story unwinds and the
viewer is submerged in the world as it is, the storied notes become a
foundation for the new blood, a powerful inspiration whose influence is present
at every audible turn. Christopher Aud's sound editing is an essential
addition, housing the gunplay and perfectly sparse dialogue within a massive
warehouse of cascading booms that punctuate every twist in the
narrative.
The final act contains patches of hollowness, featuring unneeded
expositions and obtuse inclusions of miraculous happenings and this is a fair
admission. The film runs almost three hours long and the slow burn presentation
will most like repulse those who are expecting flashy firefights and
Whedon-esque quips between the reveals. The importance of their absence
is in Villeneuve's monumental summation. 2017 is the year in which tentpoles
have struggled and unexpected, ill marketed wunderkinds have struck gold,
connecting with the hesitant zeitgeist at the heart of audiences who crave not
only a good story, but a resounding, heroic respite from the horrors of social
media journalism and word of mouth division. Patience ultimately provides
freedom.
In theaters now, Blade
Runner 2049 is an imperfect triumph, building upon its predecessor and
presenting itself, flaws and all, to a world in dire need of fresh ideas and
redemption. This is a “see it to believe it” affair that rewrites the
rules on what is possible with a major studio production. Impossibly
dense, glacially paced, and remarkably realized, this is one of the most
essential films of the century. To see it on the big screen, preferably
in IMAX will not only garner an unforgettable viewing experience, it will
implant the notion that audiences deserve more, be it in depth treatment of the
latest spandex fad or tragic dreams of electric sheep.
-Kyle Jonathan