Slow Burning Sequel emphasizes mood and feel over story

Rating: 7/10 (10 October 2017)

Blade Runner 2049 pays worthy homage to its parent film with use of similar color palettes and mood inducing music that effectively draws the viewer into this dystopian and somber future LA. Ever dark with incessant precipitation properly sets the tone that the earth seems to be mourning its current fate. Replicants, seemingly devoid of a soul, have so populated the landscape that one must sometimes question, "Is that dog real?". I found the world building efforts by set and sound design wonderfully successful. Different places take on unique color tones of black, mustard brown and gray. They represented to me a journey of awareness for our primary protagonist "K", the LAPD officer, established early on as a replicant himself, performing the same role as Rick Deckard from the original Blade Runner. However, in his role, he locates an odd, out-of-place, flower that leads to the discovery of replicant bones and a mystery begins to unfold that sets him on this quest. The quest will lead him to begin to question whether or not replicants can, in fact, have souls. And if so, does he.
It's a simple plot line. Where the movie may lose people, though, is the pacing it uses to get from point A, to B, to C. Perhaps, there are tangential issues being wrestled with by our main characters. If you've seen Westworld on HBO last year, you may think these issues have been explored. I did. And perhaps, the pacing is intended to demonstrate it's never an easy quest. In fact, we are given examples of what, sometimes, must be lost to gain this insight.
I found the sequel worthy to its predecessor. It revisits certain questions the original asked, without tying an obvious bow around them. I liked the imagery, the sound, the characters (and acting). I think Harrison Ford does some of his finest work here. If I were criticize, I'd say choices could have been made for economy's sake to shorten the movie a bit. Some of the methodical and brooding shots of Gossling walking through a set could have been shortened or even eliminated. Sure it builds a picture, but it doesn't have the payoff necessary to justify its place in the film.
Still B+ Recommend to any sci-fi, Blade Runner, PKDick fan. Others? you're on your own.