I Really Have Seen Things.....

Rating: 9/10 (17 March 2019)

Given the length of this film, coupled with the acclaimed visuals, I decided not to watch this at my local IMAX when it was released 2 years ago because I knew it would demand my complete and utter attention.
As a consequence I waited a good year for the Blu Ray to be released and spent one evening totally absorbed and "ready" for the BR2049 experience via my TV and 7:1 sound system.
During this time I had read many many reviews of the film, both from professional sources, fans and the general public. The consensus being that the film is indeed visually impressive, but was also slow, indulgent and not very involving. But then I recall reading similar reviews when the originally Blade Runner was released back in 1982, but that never deterred me from watching and later fully applauding such a marvelously constructed film on so many levels.
So I watched 2049 at home, and yes, it blew me away visually! So much so that I completely lost track of time, and the 160 odd minutes felt more like 60 so engrossing was the film. However, when the final credits rolled I did think to myself: "well what have I really learnt here? What was the plot about again?" "Who was that character and what did he/she do again?"
So enraptured with the visual sfx and hardware that the story felt like an afterthought. So a week later I did the same again, but this time I wore wireless headphones rather than my sound system; and this time the story really began to make sense. I also realised how character-driven this film really is, and you really have to watch and rewatch the film to appreciate the nuances of each and every one of them.
I have since watched the film from home at least 6 times, and I still learn something new. It is a truly amazing film, even if the plot isn't quite as complex as it tries to be; and I never really liked the fight sequence at the end of the film either.
That said, Gosling, Ford,Armas,Hoeks and in particular director,Denis Villeneuve all do an exceptional job, as well as making BR2049 a worthy sequel to such a cult film.