A worthy entry indeed

Rating: 8/10 (31 October 2017)

I guess the big question here is, "Does Blade Runner 2049 live up to the massive hype?" Yeah, it does. In more ways than one. More important than the question of why this exists in the first place are those of a more specific nature: the whereabouts of Rick Deckard, and what happened to Rachael? And part of the reason why I love this movie is because it very purposefully answers those questions.
The other reason is that it isn't short on mood and atmosphere, something the first movie is explicitly known for. This is a another nightmarish futurescape; the environment's haywire, humanity scrapes out a living, and it's usually just ghastly. Yet it's stylish enough get sucked in and admire the visuals. Ignore the orange-and-teal action movie of the marketing campaign; this is every bit a methodical Blade Runner film. And that running time is justified; the pacing is perfect for this story. It's well-constructed and surprisingly thoughtful. As acting goes, the cast is ideal (even Jared Leto), and you've gotta hand it to Robin Wright for making the most of a thankless role. But Harrison Ford is in another league entirely. You can feel the character's bitterness and resentment, and I think it's some of the best work in his later years.
If I have one gripe, it's the music. You can easily tell where Hans Zimmer comes in, and it feels like a sledgehammer taken to the soundscape they were trying to create. But I'll take it. I've seen this movie twice in the last week, and I'd like to do it again. Even with the callbacks, this rises above fan service. Factoring in the bit parts with characters from the first movie (pleasant surprises), they really went out of their way to address what happened in 2019 while creating a brand new 2049.
It's a great movie.
8/10