The Final Cut is Worth Another Look

Rating: 10/10 (2 April 2005)

For a time, I thought that The Director's cut was the best. The original theatrical version with the narration by Harrison Ford, who plays Decker, sounded a bit like Ford was unhappy and bored. Plus, the "happy ending" didn't wash at all with me. And I let the original review stand.
Until I recently saw The Final Cut. This was just so incredibly beautiful! I've watched it again and again over the past few weeks.
It is 2019 Los Angeles, which resembles a mix of Asian culture and Detroit factories. A group of replicants, led by Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), are on Earth. Since they are illegal on Earth, they are tracked down by Decker (Ford), a "blade runner," whose job is to "retire" (Clean way of saying execute)replicants. Replicants are sort of hard to detect because they look and act human. But they have one flaw: they only last a few years. Batty wants more time and seeks out his creator, Tyrell, to demand more time. Meanwhile, Decker is intrigued by Rachel (Sean Young, looking very beautiful), who is one of Tyrell's creations and has no conception of being a replicant.
The final cut fixed a few errors in the original version, and added bonus footage, giving the film an even more impressive look.
Finally the intriguing question that the film raises: is Decker himself a replicant? The dream sequence and the gift that Gaff (Edward James Olmos)leaves at the end of the film would suggest that this is a possibility (My personal feeling is that he is), but then, this would lead to even more questions, wouldn't it? It's a visually stunning film (You sort of get caught up in the scenery)and the music by Vangelis is even more stunning. It's amazing how the Final Cut looks with the latest technological breakthroughs. It's worth the look.