Worthy in every respect, possibly superior to the original

Rating: 9/10 (30 October 2017)

The tapestry of science fiction is deeply imbued with challenging ideas and alternative viewpoints, yet so few movie adaptations have done justice to the genre. Most prefer space opera as embodied by Star Wars, and while I greatly enjoyed Star Wars there has been a disappointing lack of films exploring the more thoughtful side of SF. A side where laser cannons and deflector shields play only minor roles. The original Blade Runner was one of the exceptions.
As a fan of the original, I came prepared to be disappointed. I wasn't. Underlying virtually every scene was a reverence for the original, while both the cinematography and storytelling broke new ground in a masterful balancing act.
Ryan Gosling was an excellent choice, portraying the muted emotions of a replicant while exhibiting an underlying origin angst. Harrison Ford clearly enjoyed his reprisal, though the question of his replicant status remains ambiguous. Supporting actors such as Robin Wright and Edward James Olmos were excellent, the weakest being Jared Leto in another "evil genius overacted" moment. Jared please stop playing bad guys, it's just not working out.
The combination of striking visuals and glorious sound created just the right atmosphere, eschewing the overused action sequence for a more nuanced sense of foreboding.
It's better to see the original first, although Blade Runner 2049 stands on its own as a masterpiece, and probably the best sequel ever made since Terminator 2.