Futuristic Vision Perfected

Rating: 10/10 (25 March 2018)

There are few films which can even hope to parallel Ridley Scott's 1982 masterpiece when it comes to sheer atmosphere. The striking visual beauty of this film is simply awe-inspiring, but Vangelis' masterwork of a score and the pristine sound editing too create a brilliant soundscape that meshes together with the breathtaking cinematography, effects and direction to form a truly stirring experience. However, the plot is often aimless and eventually loses the noirish feel which was one of the movie's biggest selling points; despite this, Blade Runner is certainly not short of deep and thought-provoking themes. On the other hand, the majority of the characters are rather dull - even so, the dreamlike setting swallows you whole and really dispels any qualms you might have otherwise had. Although Blade Runner sometimes slows the pace down to truly questionable levels, this is still a timeless classic that deserves your attention if only for the soundscape and visuals, which create a dark, brooding but beautiful world. 2007's The Final Cut is the way to go.