What does it mean to be human? Will technology ever surpass the human race in its superiority and its character? What if a machine is more human than humans? These are the central questions that are asked in Blade Runner 2049, the highly anticipated sequel to the 1982 sci-fi classic Blade Runner.
Blade Runner 2049 is a visually stunning film that doubles down on the hallucinatory imagery of the original, and nails the cold, modernized dystopian future of the world as envisioned by the creator of the Blade Runner universe (and author of the book that inspired the film, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep), Philip K. Dick.
If Ridley Scott was able to amaze Dick with his 1982 film take on the book, then 2049 director Denis Villeneuve would be able to do the same thing.
A modernized take on an already modernized dystopia, Blade Runner 2049 introduces a world which is far more dystopic and technologically intrusive 30 years after the events of the first film.
The Replicants, the term used to describe artificial humans, have been wiped away long before 2049, with only a handful of them surviving in this era trying to (silently) fight for their survival and their purpose.
Ryan Gosling plays the central protagonist, unnamed police officer "K", a man who hunts down Replicants to kill them (such hunters are referred to as 'blade runners'). He is accompanied by his virtual reality girlfriend played by Ana de Armas in a quest to uncover what probably is the most significant event that has ever happened in Replicant history.
Gosling is counterbalanced by the nimble, classy yet frightening antagonist Replicant Luv, played by Sylvia Hoeks, and their interaction on screen make for fun scenes.
The musical score for 2049 is brilliant. Composed by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch, the experimental, synth-laden score for 2049 is Summer's best work of 2017, far outdoing his already outstanding work in the loud but minimalist soundtrack for Dunkirk. Many aspects of the score heavily pay tribute to the original Blade Runner's score, which was sonically immortalized by synthesizer master Vangelis.
The Zimmer-Wallfisch score can be seen as a remixed or reworked version of the original Vangelis score. Some of the original melodies, such as the main Blade Runner theme and the poignant end theme Tears in Rain, were kept intact with only minor technical additions, thereby preserving the masterpieces for the new generation.
Breathing industrial beats one would usually expect from an early Nine Inch Nails record, the sounds provide a perfect sonic background to the dystopian landscape as machine-made sounds are juxtaposed over a towering machine-ruled city.
The film touched upon the idea of humanity in machines, and the possibility of machines surpassing human beings. What mainly distinguishes humans from beasts or machine is the moral processing ability.
What happens if an android were to express this human trait more than humans themselves? The actions and words of Gosling's Officer K invites the viewer to question him form from very beginning.
Meanwhile, Harrison Ford's legendary character, Officer Rick Deckard fittingly returns in 2049 to hopefully tie up the loose ends of his fate, which has left purposefully ambiguous at the end of the first Blade Runner.
Blade Runner 2049 is a visually stunning film that doubles down on the hallucinatory imagery of the original, and nails the cold, modernized dystopian future of the world as envisioned by the creator of the Blade Runner universe (and author of the book that inspired the film, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep), Philip K. Dick.
If Ridley Scott was able to amaze Dick with his 1982 film take on the book, then 2049 director Denis Villeneuve would be able to do the same thing.
A modernized take on an already modernized dystopia, Blade Runner 2049 introduces a world which is far more dystopic and technologically intrusive 30 years after the events of the first film.
The Replicants, the term used to describe artificial humans, have been wiped away long before 2049, with only a handful of them surviving in this era trying to (silently) fight for their survival and their purpose.
Ryan Gosling plays the central protagonist, unnamed police officer "K", a man who hunts down Replicants to kill them (such hunters are referred to as 'blade runners'). He is accompanied by his virtual reality girlfriend played by Ana de Armas in a quest to uncover what probably is the most significant event that has ever happened in Replicant history.
Gosling is counterbalanced by the nimble, classy yet frightening antagonist Replicant Luv, played by Sylvia Hoeks, and their interaction on screen make for fun scenes.
The musical score for 2049 is brilliant. Composed by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch, the experimental, synth-laden score for 2049 is Summer's best work of 2017, far outdoing his already outstanding work in the loud but minimalist soundtrack for Dunkirk. Many aspects of the score heavily pay tribute to the original Blade Runner's score, which was sonically immortalized by synthesizer master Vangelis.
The Zimmer-Wallfisch score can be seen as a remixed or reworked version of the original Vangelis score. Some of the original melodies, such as the main Blade Runner theme and the poignant end theme Tears in Rain, were kept intact with only minor technical additions, thereby preserving the masterpieces for the new generation.
Breathing industrial beats one would usually expect from an early Nine Inch Nails record, the sounds provide a perfect sonic background to the dystopian landscape as machine-made sounds are juxtaposed over a towering machine-ruled city.
The film touched upon the idea of humanity in machines, and the possibility of machines surpassing human beings. What mainly distinguishes humans from beasts or machine is the moral processing ability.
What happens if an android were to express this human trait more than humans themselves? The actions and words of Gosling's Officer K invites the viewer to question him form from very beginning.
Meanwhile, Harrison Ford's legendary character, Officer Rick Deckard fittingly returns in 2049 to hopefully tie up the loose ends of his fate, which has left purposefully ambiguous at the end of the first Blade Runner.
Even though the Deckard sequences are likely the parts of the film that the true Blade Runner fans have been waiting for, in some parts it feels a bit overstretched and unnecessary, but it slowly ties itself up again as the reason for Deckard's life purpose becomes clearer.
His storyline in 2049 comes just in time to also tie up the loose ends of Officer K's story and helps to fill in the entire background of the plot. It also throws the million-dollar sci-fi question into the air once more: Is Deckard a human or a Replicant?
On the other side of the fence, we see Wallace Corporation take over the legendary Tyrell Corporation far before the events of 2049, thereby giving new Replicant producer Niander Wallace (Jared Leto) the godly crown.
But it is hard to truly believe that Leto could be a villain of this stature. His lines are mostly pseudo- philosophical banter that is not very suited for a man who is supposed to basically be the God of the world. He acts the evil okay, but is not believable enough to show that he is a villain that should be greatly feared.
Aside from the okay Leto performance and the overlong Deckard scenes, 2049 is brilliant in every other way, and like events within the Blade Runners universe, the future is left vague for everyone to figure out for themselves.
With the present world almost reaching 2019, we are seeing that human significance in the current world is gradually threatened by the rapid development of technology.
Those who do not adapt, will definitely lose. There may not be flying cars or laser guns or fully-functioning androids when 2019 comes, but this kind of reality might not be far away if development accelerates so much that it eventually slips out of our control.
Dylan Amirio
The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
His storyline in 2049 comes just in time to also tie up the loose ends of Officer K's story and helps to fill in the entire background of the plot. It also throws the million-dollar sci-fi question into the air once more: Is Deckard a human or a Replicant?
On the other side of the fence, we see Wallace Corporation take over the legendary Tyrell Corporation far before the events of 2049, thereby giving new Replicant producer Niander Wallace (Jared Leto) the godly crown.
But it is hard to truly believe that Leto could be a villain of this stature. His lines are mostly pseudo- philosophical banter that is not very suited for a man who is supposed to basically be the God of the world. He acts the evil okay, but is not believable enough to show that he is a villain that should be greatly feared.
Aside from the okay Leto performance and the overlong Deckard scenes, 2049 is brilliant in every other way, and like events within the Blade Runners universe, the future is left vague for everyone to figure out for themselves.
With the present world almost reaching 2019, we are seeing that human significance in the current world is gradually threatened by the rapid development of technology.
Those who do not adapt, will definitely lose. There may not be flying cars or laser guns or fully-functioning androids when 2019 comes, but this kind of reality might not be far away if development accelerates so much that it eventually slips out of our control.
Dylan Amirio
The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
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