A worthy sequel to one of the sci-fi greats

Rating: 8/10 (30 October 2017)

K (Ryan Gosling), a young blade runner, discovers a long-buried secret. The discovery sends him on a journey to track down Deckard (Harrison Ford), a blade runner who's been missing for 30 years.
Director Denis Villeneuve and DOP Roger Deakins really knock this one out of the park. They pay tribute to the original without copying it. Obviously set in the same universe the city landscape looks the same but it's a bit modernized and more vibrant. Whereas 'Blade Runner' was very dark and rainy and used lots of shadows and smoke, 'Blade Runner 2049' looks more vivid (gold shades in Wallace's headquarters, orange tones). The snowy landscape is also something completely different. That's the vision of Villeneuve and the talent of Deakins shining through. The movie is a visual feast and a huge technical achievement. It all looks and sounds great. Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch provide the movie with an excellent score that resembles Vangelis' soundtrack for 'Blade Runner'.
The big question – What makes us human? – still remains. But 'Blade Runner 2049' digs a bit deeper. It's an exciting detective story but it plays more to the emotions than its predecessor. Ryan Gosling conveys his emotions masterfully. He's very cool on the surface but underneath he's struggling with some personal issues. Gosling is really terrific here. Harrison Ford gives one of the best performances of his career. He's challenged as an actor. It's not what he usually does but he really shines. The supporting cast, led by the excellent Robin Wright as lieutenant Joshi, also delivers. The Dutch Sylvia Hoeks (Luv) is someone we're going to hear from. Jared Leto was less convincing as Niander Wallace. Just like in 'Suicide Squad' he falls short as the main "bad guy".
Another negative is the long running time (163 min.) and the pacing. The movie is visually stunning but at times it feels the makers are just showboating. The narrative is too thin to justify the running time. Some scenes could have been a lot shorter (first time we see Joi (Ana de Armas) or the "hologram sex scene").
All in all 'Blade Runner 2049' is a great movie. Denis Villeneuve is a ballsy filmmaker. Not only did he take on the job of making a sequel to 'Blade Runner', he also put his own stamp on it.