Best sci-fi film period

Rating: 10/10 (1 June 2007)

I can't put off, any longer, commenting on this film. I first watched it back in 82 and it has remained in my top 5 favourite films (sci-fi or not) ever since.
Where do you start? Opening sequence with cityscape and explosions of light coupled with Vangelis music - superb. Portrayal of life some 40 years in the future was, for me, far more realistic than many similar attempts. I am guessing that large city life would be very crowded, dark, rainy and multi-cultural. I am also guessing that spoken language would be merged into combination of many. OK there were a couple of police cars hovering about but we had Harrier Vertical take off jets back in the 60's.
They reckoned that Harrison Ford was unhappy playing Deckard but, uncomfortable or not, a hallmark Ford performance as the downbeat, struggling ex-retirer of Replicants (humanoids) - we have seen this kind of role repeated so often by Harrison in his later films.
We start off disliking, even being a bit frightened by, the 4 Replicants but, as the movie progresses, you can't help feeling sympathy for them and their need to understand where they came from, why they were created and how long they would live for - very human concerns that we all share.
Loved the Gothic city scenes, the hi-tech flying advertising boards, the constant rain, the building interiors, the photography, sounds, music, acting - well, just about everything.
Highlight? You guessed it - Roy's (Rutger Hauer's) final speech complete with doves  no, I'm not quoting it here  why not see it for yourself? - you won't be disappointed.