Methodically paced and beautifully shot; will probably get even better with repeat viewings

Rating: 8/10 (6 October 2017)

First off, the less said about the plot the better. I feel like I can say as much as I can about this movie without mentioning any plot details. And maybe that has something to do with the fact that I really can't say a whole lot about the movie just yet, not after a single viewing, at least.
Blade Runner 2049 was overwhelming, but in a good way. It's long, dense, and even close to exhausting. I was in a bit of a daze walking out, and it took me a few minutes to collect my thoughts and try to figure out how much I'd enjoyed the past (almost) three hours of movie. What I did know for sure though was that I liked it. It's hard not to get swept away by how gorgeous this movie looks, how interesting the score sounds, the strong performances all around, and all the really cool sci-fi stuff the film throws at you (which I also wouldn't dare to spoil).
However, I can't say I absolutely loved this movie, not yet anyway. Even if there's not really anything in particular that I find easy to criticize. I feel roughly the same way about the original, which I also might have to watch a couple more times to fully get my head around and process. I think ultimately that's a good thing. There's not many movies this long that I feel a desire to revisit almost immediately, and I could easily myself taking a second trip to the cinema to see it again (insane movie ticket prices be damned).
With Arrival and now this, Denis Villeneuve might well be the best sci-fi director we have at the moment. This is a seriously impressive film he's crafted, and far from the cheap cash-grab/ reboot I initially had some fears a sequel to the 35-year-old Blade Runner could be. There's not too many big budget American films that are paced this way, or so long or dense with ideas and things to look at and think about. Absolutely worth a watch, and don't be surprised if you end up feeling like going back. I know I almost certainly will, and won't be at all surprised if I come out of a second viewing even more enthusiastic about it.