Tl;dr Loved it
I’ve seen it twice now and enjoyed it both times. I think it’s hard not to compare with the original. I love all the “elements” that make up the film; the sci-fi city, the replicants, the way it looks (the opening scene is freaking incredible) and of course Rutger Hauer is great- everybody loves “tears in rain”. But as a narrative, it always left me a little cold. It’s very much about the themes and the characters, and the slow burn noir/detective elements are what I consider the weakest parts of the film. Still a fan though and there’s no doubt how iconic it is. That’s why I’m not a fan of and hesitant when people start stating which is better- without the 1982 one, we don’t have this one.
For me, Blade Runner 2049 retains those elements but I also thought it contained a more compelling narrative. And of course it looks unbelievable. I have to say K was a stronger protagonist than Deckard in the original. Deckard in this film shows far more emotion than he ever did in the original. I realise that he was a jaded man, but a lot of the time he just looked bored. 2049 had K trying to solve a mystery, but also seriously trying to find out just who he was. I actually felt sympathy for K, especially regarding that “memory” of his (and subsequent memories) and in regards to his relationship with his “girlfriend” (trying to avoid spoilers).
It’s the age of old sci-fi question of what it means to be human/alive, but I think 2049 does examine this in a really interesting way. You can see the development in K’s character as the film progresses as he himself investigates this very theme. Is it the memories you possess that make you who you are, or is what you do that defines you?
The narrative was perhaps tied up a little too neatly and I was surprised how Jared Leto’s character served his purpose and then disappeared for the climax. But then again, this film was about K and about Deckard and their narratives came together and concluded in a way that I really enjoyed.
The film also managed to reference (again, avoiding spoilers) the original in clever ways, making it feel relevant and like a proper continuation of the story, as opposed to a sequel which shared the name and had Harrison Ford and wasn’t just fan service. There’s one scene in particular where K interviews another character which was such a nice, surprising touch. Central questions from the original also aren’t spoiled with convenient answers; there’s still arguments on both sides as to the nature of Deckard, and Jared Leto’s character adds another layer to the mystery by suggesting that Deckard meeting Raechel was perhaps no coincidence in the original (he directly says to him “do you think it was an accident” in reference to their original meeting in the original). I enjoyed all these aspects.
So yeh... was alright wasn’t it?
