A masterpiece of science fiction and possibly one of the greatest sequels ever made

Rating: 10/10 (5 October 2017)

Blade Runner 2049 is the sequel to the 1982 sci-fi classic Blade Runner. Directed by Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Sicario) and once again based on Philip K. Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, it successfully recaptures just about everything excellent about the original and is a superb sequel to one of the greatest and most important science fiction films of all time.
Thirty years after the events of the first film, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling) works as a Blade Runner, retiring old rogue replicants (artificial humans) hiding out around the Los Angeles area. One day while on a job, K discovers a long buried secret in the yard of a replicant which leads him on a journey to track down former Blade Runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), who has been missing for decades.
Featuring amazing visuals and some of the most philosophical and thought-provoking themes since the original, Blade Runner 2049 is a masterpiece of science fiction and is possibly one of the greatest sequels ever made. I was transfixed the entire time, to the point where I felt that even blinking would cause me to miss something I wanted to see. The cast was brilliant as well, especially Ryan Gosling, who does a fantastic job carrying the film as its lead actor. However, perhaps best of all, is that seeing the original is not a requirement to fully understand everything that is going on, although it would probably still help to have done so beforehand. I'm almost certain that author Philip K. Dick would be proud of this film. I know I am.
I rate it a very high 9.5/10