A Sci-Fi Grand Slam

Rating: 10/10 (14 December 2007)

This contains some plot info that may or may not spoil the movie for you, but learning the plot has never spoiled a movie for me and I hope you get a good feel for this movie by reading this if you've never seen Blade Runner before.
I saw this movie when I was only 12 years old. At the time the action and beautiful post-apocalyptic imagery is what drew my attention. The characters seemed very real to me, having odd "ticks" and very real reactions to the situations into which they are locked. Since that time, I joined the military and experienced life and my taste in movies changed.
I came across Blade Runner in a store and bought it up to watch this childhood favorite of mine in a new light. As I expected, the storyline became the focal point for me. Deckard (Harrison Ford) became the battle-weary, hardened veteran faced with difficult choices that I have seen first hand in military service. I could completely relate. Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) wasn't the stereotypical replicant (cloned humans used for war) bad guy anymore, either. Now, to me, has become the victim of his own creation fighting against the system to live a life that he deems normal. The problem is that the system won't allow that since, being bred for war, replicants live to fight and kill. Being bred for the sole purpose of fighting wars, the replicants were given short lifespans of about 5 years, which Roy and his replicant gang are trying to overcome through unscrupulous means. Mainly through violence and murder.
Meanwhile, Deckard is trying to track Roy down. You get to see clips of replicants receiving psychological evaluations. The purpose for those scenes, I assume, is to see how replicants are fundamentally different than a human being.
The movie has a few surprises and Rutger Hauer's character, Roy, has a great feel and some very quotable lines. I felt tears welt up in my eyes when he gave his parting speech.
One of the most excellent film noir/sci-fi movies ever made and a cast worthy of any great movie. Blade Runner is character depth, story, action and imagery in ample quantities - a grand slam.