Not great

Rating: 6/10 (30 December 2007)

When I first saw this film in the Eighties I remember not liking it, even though everyone I knew thought it was great. Seeing the "Final Cut" again reminds me that I was right. Not that there aren't great things in it: The production design of course is justifiably famous, the acting is first-rate (actually any cast that includes M Emmet Walsh, Brion James, and James Hong is pretty impressive,) and the score is terrific.
A film is (or should be) more than a series of cool looking photos. It needs a compelling story. This story seems unfocused and unbalanced. For instance, early on there's a long sequence in which Deckard uses his detective skills to track down Zhora, but later, he is sent by his captain to the building where the remaining replicants are (conveniently) waiting. It seems like an entire reel is missing here.
Also the ending is just uninteresting. On the FAQ page you can read the endings the screenwriters imagined. They're logical and dramatic. It's like Ridley Scott spent all his money on that cool blimp and billboards--and they are pretty cool--and he didn't have enough left over to film a proper ending. To me the ending is the most important part of any work. It's like in gymnastics. You can do a great routine, but the landing is the last thing the judges see. You've got to stick it.