A Beautifully Hypnotic Techno-Thriller

Rating: 10/10 (6 June 2013)

There's no other way to describe this Ridley Scott sci-fi noir. Based loosely on a Phillip K. Dick story called DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP, it chronicles the exploits of Deckard, a blade runner played by Harrison Ford in a wonderfully understated performance. He's been assigned to hunt down and destroy a group of Replicants, robots who look and act human, who escaped from an off-world slaving colony and killed some people. The group, led by Roy Batty- played icily by Rutger Hauer, has become self-aware of their four-year life limit and returned to earth seeking their creators, for more life. The story is set in Los Angeles of the future, where massive skyscrapers and flying cars tower and soar against a constantly dark and rainy sky. That equally matches the undertones of the film: marvels of modern science and technology, along with the dark side of such advances. Throughout the film, there are hints that Deckard himself might be a replicant. And the story has some interesting philosophical points to make about life, death, and memories. It even questions Deckard's job: It seems ridiculous for him to hunt down and kill creations who only want to live longer. The finale between Deckard and Batty is perhaps one of the most chilling and thought-provoking scenes in any sci-fi thriller, and the ending is appropriately dark and somewhat of a downer. But with this type of story, a happy ending would feel unnecessarily tacked on. So, if you're a fan of artistic sci-fi, watch this beautifully hypnotic techno-thriller!