A Futuristic Dystopian Metaphor of Biblical Representations

Rating: 10/10 (19 June 2015)

Is there a movie that explores the definition of what it means to be human and "otherness" better than Blade Runner? The Tyrell Corporation's motto, "more human than human," serves as the basis for exploring this experience through true humans and created humans, or Replicants. Symbolism of the meaning of humanity in contrast with "otherness" are woven throughout the film, relying largely on biblical metaphors. The movie presents us with types of angels, demons, Heaven and God as the creator as well as illusions to Christ, much like the theme and symbolisms use in the film The Life of Pi.
The replicants represent the fallen angels in the Bible, or demons. Numerous passages relate the angels as servants to the followers of God, but these angels/replicants fell from grace when they mutinied against their creators. Likewise, the demons of the Bible are angels that fell from God's grace and were cast out of Heaven when they rebelled against God's authority. A powerful symbol that recurs throughout the movie is that of the eye. The Bible uses the illustration of the eyes many times to show its importance as a gate to the soul. Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew, "The light of the body is the eye."
Retired cop, Rick Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, is forced out of retirement to resume his position as a Blade Runner. His mission is to "retire" or eliminate the four Replicants that have escaped from off-world colonies and have made their way to earth to meet the man who created them and to find the answer to every lasting life. The Replicants or "skin-jobs" are androids/humanoids were banned from earth and used as slave labor on earth colonies. Due to their intelligence, they are programed to breakdown or "die" after four years to prevent them from developing human emotions or feelings.
Deckard must battle and destroy the four replicants: Leon Kolwalski (Brion James); Zhora (Joanna Cassidy) the snake lady; Roy Batty( Rutger Hauer) and Roy's girlfriend, Pris (Daryl Hannah). Eldon Tyrell, the creator of the Replicants, asks Deckard to demonstrate the effectiveness of a machine that is used to identify if someone is a replicant or a human. He is asked to perform the test on Tyrell's employee, Rachel. It takes 100 questions before Deckard determines that she is indeed a replicant. She plays a major role in saving Deckard's life during an altercation with Leon Kolwalski.
The special effects in Blade Runner are paramount, since they were created by camera and not computer-generated images. The lighting throughout the film, along with the voice-over narration by Deckard, and the shapely, form fitted dresses worn by Rachel, gives us the impression of a dark futuristic film that is reminiscent of a 1940s black and white movie. This effect is well played and lends a bit of mystique to the picture. The opening scene of the Los Angeles skyline reflecting off the iris of an eye is breathing taking and symbolic of God's view of his earthly creation.