Dark and thought provoking, with a puzzling ending (contains spoilers)

Rating: 10/10 (20 March 2004)

I absolutely loved this film for several reasons. First of all, the complex narrative, that develops throughout the film through different perspectives of different characters, which includes several replicants and the blade runner, wonderfully portrayed by Harrison Ford, himself. This, in my opinion, achieves a multi-layered and never biased account of what is going throughout this film as the blade runner attempts to track down these replicants. Secondly, whenever a specific sequence is made, such as Deckard's chase for the club performer or that replicant destroying its father, it is wonderfully structured as a sequence by establishing a master shot for that particular sequence by cutting in and out of the action to its master shot. Examples of this fine method of film-making is encountered with the owl being a sort of master shot when that replicant is destroying its "father", and the blade runner on that train and the dancer on those stairs on that chase sequence. Thirdly, one of things that are not completely conventional of a sci-fi film is that it ends in an unusual, where Rick Deckard and Rachael are going down the elevator together. This brings out one question that has not really been answered throughout this film. Was Rachael a replicant? And if the answer was no, how come she somewhat failed that test, where they answer questions to a replicant suspect? But I am glad that this film ended this way, maybe because Ridley Scott, the director behind this cinematic masterpiece, wanted to leave that question unanswered and leave that to the audience imaginations making this film somewhat thought- provoking for the audience to conclude to their assumptions. But I will not as I might not be watching or analysing the film this way to answer this question, but, at the moment, I guess she is not. But, then again, if I ever watch this sci-fi treat again, I may come to a different conclusion. Another thing that made me marvel this film was that ending sequence, where that replicant is hunting down Deckard in J.F. Sebastian's house. That whole pin in the replicant's hand really brought a disturbing exhibition of how the replicants cannot feel death, while this one wanted the ability to die. Then Deckard gets chased out of the house and on top of the roof of that building. He tries to jump over to other sides but instead is now grasping onto that girder. That low-angle shot, where Deckard is holding onto that girder over of busy city life of this futuristic cityscape, looks well composed and a very memorable shot from that whole film. This indeed does sums up the blade runner's struggle to hunt down replicants perfectly. Overall, this is a dark and thought provoking science fiction masterpiece, with a puzzling ending that should baffles audiences for generations of science fiction film fans to come.