You see a tortoise lying on its back - why don't you help it?

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2007)

To be honest I don't know where to start. So many reviews have already been written probably containing what I have in mind myself. Another thing is that I have watched this movie (the original from 1982 that is) so many times and thought so much about it that it is difficult to state exactly what my opinion is. Having said that it is still one of my all time favorites. I give this 10/10 which I don't do very often, but this one deserves it.
"(Batty) I have seen things you people wouldn't believe. I have seen tank ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion, I have watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost, like tears in rain. Time to die". - (Deckard) "I don't know why he saved my life. Maybe in those last moments he loved life more than ever. Not just his life. Anybodys life. My life." And then the Vangelis score. Truly a great moment in cinema history. Batty, who holds Deckards life in his hands chooses to save his life. Deckard who has hunted all the other replicants down, including Pris, is spared. Batty hereby shows us that he has developed one of the most defining characteristica of human beings; the ability to forgive. He shows us here that maybe he is "more human, than human" as stated by the Tyrell Corporation.
I really think that it is easier to give a review if you are critical of what you have seen. Here in this movie every little detail seem to come together to create a masterpiece. Even a guy like JF Sebastian who plays a very small part in the movie gives a very disturbing appearance as the lonesome scientist with his aging disease and his little robots around him to greet him when he comes home in order to comfort him. How sad. Pris, as the replicant who has started to develop feelings towards Batty, the other replicant; probably the most hopeless love ever seen. They simply don't have a chance to fulfill that love at any level. Rachael, who is beginning to grasp that she is a replicant ("how can they not know what they are" (Deckard)) The "I only do eyes" guy (Hannibal Chew) who feels some sort of pride when confronted by Batty "You are a nexus six right? I made your eyes". And what does that smile mean that Batty sends him (if only you could see what I have seen with your eyes)? Every performance is memorable. The atmosphere is permeated by pessimism, estrangement and a sense of utter hopelessness. Ford of course plays his role with incredible depth. He is forced into this assignment, and he really plays Deckard as a man (or replicant) who has given up on himself and society. He does it because he doesn't really have a choice. He hunts the replicants down but without any pride or feeling of doing the right thing.
Batty finally gets to confront Tyrell and gives him the "kiss of death". The anger behind this act has to do with the imposed misery of the replicants since they are given human thoughts and feelings but not the chance to live a life that makes it possible to reach any existential goals they might have. Tyrell is trying to make Batty accept this when he says to him: "the flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long" but Batty doesn't want a life that is half as long since it makes it impossible for him to reach self-actualization.
We have seen the same kind of theme in Mary Shelleys "Frankenstein" where "the monster", because it only meets hostility and mistrust, at last becomes a true monster.
This theme is still very much science-fiction but who knows if we some day will be able to create artificial life. If so we will need to answer those moral dilemmas that exists in doing so and it can be argued that "Blade Runner" tries to give us one version of how this can unfold.
Regards Simon
Ps. When you read reviews that gives max score check to see if the user has made more than one review. If not consider the possibility of a lobbyist. If you agree consider putting this post scriptum at the bottom at your own reviews.