"...a foreskin-job" --I mean-- "FOUR SKIN-JOBS"...

Rating: 6/10 (28 April 2003)

This is an interesting film. Dark- possibly. It's no "Star Wars" or "Indiana Jones", and I think that so many people were expecting just that in 1982 when released. I was in 5th grade, and it was the first R-rated flick that I saw in a theatre, and I was amazed at what I saw. First, I wasn't expecting the usual bulls***-summer movie, so what was shown was a precursor to what the not-so-distant future had in store. I don't think audiences from the Y generation will much like this with their limited attention-spans. But it's astonishing with how many of Scott's "future" premonitions have come true: corporations owning the world; the increase of the Asian population in Los Angeles; flying police cars-- oh, maybe not that one...
I just looked at this last night on DVD, and I miss the original cut. Ford's voice-over wasn't that bad. It was well-written. And I found myself reciting that missing voice-over when watching the scenes that the VO was once present. But without the voice-over, there is a surreal effect to it. It seems more eerie. And the original ending wasn't a "pat-Hollywood ending"-- just gave it some resolution, that's all. The new ending looks like a foreign film's. Not bad, but not all that good either.

I think that this movie's got such a tight following because it wasn't real popular and was in fact shunned ny the critics when released. The ingredients of a cult classic! But I do not think that this was a great film, either. For one thing, Scott focuses more on the visuals and the sets rather than character development & story (something that Lucas is obsessed with in the new 'Star Wars' films). But the acting isn't bad-- Rutger Hauer is one weird-ass guy! Brion James is a true stupid replicant thug, and Daryl Hannah is great as the "little replicant lost" role. Joanna Cassidy is as smart as Hauer (but not anywhere near as strange) & sexy. Harrison Ford is different in every movie he's in, although he tends to overact (but never over the top) at times. The opening shot even reminds me of the docks at Long Beach at night (what they may look like 20+ years from now).
A ubitiquous film that will always be remembered, and won't be lost like "tears in rain"...