Filed under: spectacular movies that lost money but I'm glad they exist

Rating: 9/10 (23 December 2019)

I had the opportunity to see it in IMAX and I'm so glad I did! That being said, I'm still trying to digest the story. Blade Runner 2049 felt like it progressed with the intricate story laid down by its predecessor. It's going to take a few re-watches to really get my opinion of it set in stone.
I'm not going to spoil anything by indulging in the story details; I'm still trying to digest it myself. What I can tell you is despite its complexities, it's actually well-paced and leaves plenty of room for debate and question. It's a unique franchise, absolutely. I mean, how else does one make an effective neo-noir sci-fi movie while being a visual effects game-changer? It's not an easy task, but Dennis Villanueve handles well. I don't feel like it fleshes out the original as much as I had hoped, but it definitely runs with what it has.
With regards to its technical mastery of sound and visual effects, oh man. Seldom will you find something that approaches it. It's easily worth the $16 and change to see it in IMAX. For those who are so inclined, I strongly implore you to make the effort to see it in this format. Roger Deakins absolutely nails it. Will definitely be seeing it again in theaters, if only to soak in the visuals and the overwhelming score by Hans Zimmer.
Re-review: running length is a delicate task. Too short and you lose valuable plot points, too long and you bore your audience. It's seemingly too long for a movie but too short to expand into a series. For me, it's a detractor, but ultimately not enough to make me dread watching it ever again. Still great.