One of the Greatest Sci-Fi films of all time...

Rating: 10/10 (21 July 2008)

Welcome to the future and the future is not bright. Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott, focuses on a stylized, retro-future Los Angeles where everything is not well. This film presents a dramatic landscape of the future with no certain explication on how we got to this point. All that is explained is that human replicants have been born from immense breakthroughs in technology, and that other than their increased strength and intelligence, are indistinguishable from their human counterparts. Rick Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, is a retired member of an elite squad known as Blade Runners, whose purpose is to hunt down rogue replicants and destroy them. And such is the scenario that Scott presents us with as he takes us on a journey to the very core of meaning and existence.
The film's breathtaking imagery and its incredible sound bolster this raw journey as Deckard reluctantly hunts down a group of replicants. We are placed in the context of this world, less knowledgeable than the fictional characters, and we are not pushed to believe that one side is more righteous or more deserving of life. Deckard's pursuit of the wanted replicants takes us through a character study or character studies of not just Deckard but the replicants too, mainly the leader, Roy Batty played by Rutger Hauer. The performances are outstanding by a great cast, additionally including the likes of Sean Young, Daryl Hannah and Edward Olmos. Through the blend of these great performances, we see these characters for what they are and how they truly exist, be they human or replicant. There are a few twists along the way that I do not want to spoil but the film slowly builds to a haunting and powerful climax.
And that is an important part of the experience of viewing Blade Runner: that it is slow. By no means is this an action-packed film like a, shall we say, Terminator: Judgment Day. But this film is so strong and smart in what it presents that the pace of the film is not only unnoticeable but incredibly artistic. And it separates itself from the rest of the sci-fi pack with its phenomenal aesthetic artistry. The retro-future noir style of Los Angeles is captured beautifully and lends greater credibility to the plot and the characters. Through the dark and noir setting, we are given a bleak glimpse into the future, that seems rather plausible and palpable even in our present day.
Let me be honest as I conclude here. When I first saw this film, I didn't really enjoy it. I didn't appreciate it that much and I was left rather disappointed. However, upon my repeated viewings, this film continued to grow on me and presented me with new challenges and questions each time. And that is part of the magic of the enigmatic Blade Runner. It can show us something different every time without us truly understanding it every time. With that said, it has now become one of my favorite films of all time. The film is unquestionably Ridley Scott's masterpiece.