Science fiction movies can actually be great!

Rating: 10/10 (19 February 1999)

Thank God a movie like "Blade Runner" comes along once every decade or so and proves that science fiction movies can actually be about something other than special effects. This film is not just a great science fiction movie, it's a GREAT FILM. It has a message which transcends genre and makes this movie stand out against all movies.
It features riveting performances by Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer, and also sports a really wonderful soundtrack. Technically, the film is a masterpiece. "Blade Runner" received an Oscar nomination for best Art Direction, which it ultimately lost out to "Gandhi" in what may have been the most obvious example of Academy idiocy ever. History proves the excellence of the art direction in this movie as 17 years have gone by and the vision of futuristic LA still holds strong.
The one unfortunate aspect of this film is illustrated by the Director's cut. Just prior to release, after screening by focus groups (it's always an excellent idea to let the general public alter a film director's artistic vision), the final studio version had narration overlaid and the ending changed in order to appease the mass public. While this had the benefit of allowing viewers to follow the film without really having to pay attention, it ultimately detracts from what is actually a very subtle film with a lot of unanswered implications.