Stunning

Rating: Null/10 (23 April 2000)

This movie stunned me-- I had to watch it several times, not only to absorb it all, but because it is so disturbing. I don't usually like futuristic themes that are dark and violent, but in this case, the violence has something to say-- although curiously bloody (most of the deaths involve Replicants) it's not gratuitous, but part of an unfolding mystery that shocks you at the end (in the same way that the film "Sixth Sense" does). The acting is fantastic, with some great performances by the main characters, including tough Harrison Ford, beautiful Sean Young, and the charismatic Rutger Hauer (who delivers a "hammy" performance which is strangely, both entertaining and believable). The supporting actors are great too.
Many film critics have already gone into depth about the meaning of the over-the-top symbolism. Much of that symbolism enters the right brain, not the left, and you just feel something without knowing why. I would call that manipulative, but interestingly, the lasting impressions aren't dependent on the imagery, as spectacular as the visuals are. Even with all the great camera angles and special effects, the experience is more emotional than visual.
To me, the film is about consciousness, and what defines it. Is it our emotions, our mentality, or some undefined spiritual quality? And most important, does it have to be organically based? If consciousness is self-awareness, the ability to understand time, the ability to feel, to learn, the ability to love-- then what if an android, who is more machine than human, has all those qualities... what then? Is it still murder to kill one? Is it still okay to use them as slaves? And what about animals?

The first time I watched this film, at the end, I wanted Harrison Ford's character to go over the edge of the building. When I watched it a second time, I understood why he did not, and I was shocked. Believe or not, I did not get it-- the twist-- until the second viewing. That scene, with Rutger Hauer in the rain, is so profound and sad. Really listen to what his character says... because in the end, when we die, isn't it the sum total of our experiences-- our memories, our feelings-- that makes us who we are? Isn't it the uniqueness of those experiences that makes individual consciousness precious, that makes us define human life as something worth preserving in a moral sense? Another thought provoking question: is consciousness lost when we die-- for humans, non-humans, and animals? The film offers so many subtle clues, but you don't have to pick up on any of them to be moved.
This film is incredibly thought provoking, a unique mix of haunting music (Vangelis), dark, smoky visuals, and intricate details. Focus on what the film says, how it makes you feel. The majority of movies are forgetable-- this one is not.