Classic sci-fi

Rating: 10/10 (18 October 2009)

When I first watched Blade Runner I wasn't impressed finding it overly dark and to be honest a bit boring, for some reason I decided to give it a second go and had a Damascene conversion realising that far from being boring this film was a sci-fi masterpiece. From the opening moments with haunting music by Vangelis playing as we a dark and sinister vision of a future Los Angeles till its ending which I won't spoil here the story is beautifully presented with great pre-CGI special effects.
As I'm sure everybody knows there are several versions of the film, my comments are based on the original UK release. This is a prime example of neo-noir cinema with its consistently dark setting, lots of smoking and Harrison Ford's world-weary voice over. Ford plays Deckard, a Blade Runner who's job is to hunt down artificial people known as replicants who used as off world slave labour but aren't permitted on Earth. A group of them have returned and are trying to find their creator. Initially we don't know why they have returned but soon learn that they were built to last only four years and as their time is running out they seek a way to fix themselves.
In his pursuit of them he is sent to see the head of the Tyrell corporation, who had designed the replicants. Here Deckard is introduced to Tyrell's assistant Rachael who unbeknownst to her is also a replicant who has been implanted with false memories. When she learns what she is she seeks Deckard again to discover what he knows.
When the film starts we know that Deckard is clearly the hero of the film and the replicants, lead by Roy Batty played by Rutger Hauer are the villains but as the film progresses that idea becomes less certain. After all all they want is a life that isn't artificially shortened.
The acting from Ford and Sean Young, as Rachael is very good but it is Rutger Hauer who steals the show as the enigmatic Batty, his finally speech is one of the great film speeches. I'd recommend this to all fans of science fiction, especially for people who like them set in a dystopian future. If you've watched it before and weren't impressed try it again, perhaps watching one of the alternate versions.