Alex Kirby –
“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe.”
“Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion.”
“I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate.”
“All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.”
“Time to die.”
Wwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit…..
Now.
Time to reboot.
New moments can be crafted, like tears of joy.
I watched light beams glitter in a darkened cinema near the Waverley Gate.
Critics previously attacked but now reviews are on fire.
I’ve just seen a film too good to be true.
Believe.
Jacob –
Each scene is built as a standalone piece of artwork, with angles striking true, textures of glass warping the frame and thick, gloopy atmospheres sticking them together. Like the original, there are sequences and compositions that follow you around for days after witnessing them. For you feel like a witness instead of a viewer, trying to remember and capture each well-constructed scene for future reference. It’s fruitless, though, as each second is so well crafted and stocked that no matter how slow the film, nor how much your eyes dart around, you won’t take it all in.
Sometimes the happiest, yet saddest, feeling is becoming aware that a moment you’re experiencing will be lost to memory only. Bladerunner 2049, although it will be released for rewatch after rewatch, captures that feeling in both sight and sound. You come out of the film feeling slightly numb knowing that you will never experience it’s loud, seductive world for the first time again. It makes you question nothing, but not maliciously nor with any over confidence. It makes you part of it’s world, but not wholly and you yearn for more. It leaves you wondering about the future in an almost sickly, rose tinted nostalgic way.
Ian –
Visually stunning with rib shaking audio – a viewing “experience” which surpassed my expectations.
A simple sci-fi idea with a screenplay that played it straight, no trickery, plain story telling with bucket loads of atmos’ – I think that was what I appreciated the most.
We stayed in our seats and watched the credits to the end – haven’t done that in a long long time – partly to enjoy the music, partly from sheer emotional exhaustion, but mainly to let my fiancée Lorna dry her tears – she declared it the best film she has ever seen and never wants to see it again (2nd time round just wouldn’t be the same)
Colin –
A few weeks back I used the upcoming Blade Runner 2049 film as an excuse to dive into the works of Philip K. Dick and read “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” for the first time. The book did not disappoint with some thought provoking ideas, humanistic shattering themes and it is easy to see how the 1982 film adaption turned into such a cult classic.
Fast forward a few weeks to the long anticipated Elastic Band team night out to see the new release in all its IMAX glory. Visually and aesthetically stunning, Villeneuve creates a world that totally exudes the themes that were founded in the book and cemented in the original film. The sound and music both help to build tension. Louder than possible when in the sprawling city, silent as the dust in the wind in Vega; immersing the viewer wholly in what they’re watching.
A true masterpiece!!!
Rebecca –
I enjoyed this film far more than I was expecting too. Despite is moving along at quite a slow pace, you’re hooked in from the start. It plays on the emotions and leaves you feeling quite enjoyably exhausted. It also includes a great red herring…don’t fall for it!