An Above Average Sequel that Pays Homage to Ridley Scott's Masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (30 December 2017)

Some films are not well recieved at first because of how strange or unusual they are and they either end up being forgotten or later hailed as cult classics. This is what happened to Ridley Scott's Blade Runner and so in spite of this I can imagine that you are asking how one can possibly make a sequel to a film like Blade Runner, especially a good one. Reasonably, I was worried. How did it turn out?
A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!
Blade Runner 2049 feels like a worthy sequel to Blade Runner and it carries the atmosphere of the original and even expands on it. Ryan Gosling is an amazing lead and he is really interesting on screen and Harrison Ford is well, Harrison Ford. This movie didn't set itself up to be a next MCU that would burn itself into the ground, it simply told a good story and expanded on the story of Blade Runner by exploring the universe that it exists in. It's fair to compare this sequel to beloved sequels such as Toy Story 2, Empire Strikes Back, The Dark Knight, and Terminator 2 which expand on the original story while also adding new and exciting content. This movie may be less thought provoking than the original but it certainly makes the audience have to think about complex ideas involving humanity and life.
Needless to say, Hans Zimmer is great and really goes out of his way to make the music feel like Vangelis in the original Blade Runner and there are many callback themes that original Blade Runner fans will surely recognize. However, the true winner in this movie is the cinematography. The cinematography is amazing and so many shots seem perfectly organized. The techniques utlizied are truly award worthy and make other cinematographers bow their heads. Everything done to create the atmosphere of an amazing Ridley Scott is done and Denis Villeneuve really shines in this movie.
This is not your average sequel but it also isn't your average blockbuster. This is not like some Marvel movie that forces in cheesy humor nor is it a generic action flick like Pearl Harbor or Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. It's a compelling Sci Fi and it feels like something that will be remembered years later for it's greatness. It will provoke deep thought and really make you appreciate its beauty on par with something spectacular such as the original Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon or I dare say, the original Blade Runner. It's damn good even if it isn't neccesarily for everyone and if you want to watch a movie that will stand in greatness against the other generic movies you watch, give it a shot.