Excellent film that will become a SciFi classic

Rating: 9/10 (9 October 2017)

I enjoyed this film hugely. I watched it in IMAX 3D and it was great to have a big screen, however, I feel like REAL 3D might have been better, despite the smaller screen, because then you can tilt your head without the film coming out of focus or showing its two images. This isn't Blade Runner 2049's fault though, this is a fault of the 3D technology.
If it's possible you should definitely watch the previous Blade Runner film and the shorts created by the Director's friends before you watch this movie. However, I understand that the trailer has spoilers in it and therefore you shouldn't watch that. I think I might have been a bit lost though if I had not watched the previous film so recently.
The movie has an excellent plot. I had resigned myself to the obvious when Gosling thinks he is the born replicant but I was pleasantly surprised when the twist comes and he is not. I can't say I've loved Gosling's acting in the past (e.g. Drive or La La Land) but in this film he is fantastic. He mostly acts with breathing and facial expressions and you know exactly what he is thinking and feeling at all times.
The special effects are astonishing, especially in 3D. It's not overused and the movie keeps all the tropes from the original but builds and improves upon them. The seduction scene (obviously CGI-ed to the maximum) is quite frankly staggeringly beautiful. I could not take my eyes off the screen. And, like the original, this film didn't feel the need to shove "sex, sex, sex" in our faces.
Harrison Ford still packs a punch (quite literally) but he is not overly present so it's not a 'Ford mobile', which is good. Also, I was pleasantly surprised that he has not gone down the Sean Bean route and decided to die in all of his films.
I am not sure what I thought of Jared Leto, I couldn't really understand what his dialogue meant as he speaks in riddles. I know that he is meant to be the crazy technology overlord and his motivation is to find a way to get the replicants to produce offspring but his script is too abstract to understand.
Slyvia Hoeks is impressive as Luv. I expected her to be a Rachel like character but she quickly and believably turns violent, obviously on the orders of Wallace, and plays psychopathic replicant without regret very easily. A complex character made very interesting and acted well.
You feel genuine sadness for K as he realises that his treasured hologram whose personality we are led to believe is individual is actually not so replaceable. I thought the scene with the giant hologram prior to him dying for a different and more important cause added to the plot very well.
Overall this is an absolutely fantastic film, well worth the preparation of watching the previous film and the shorts and the money and travel to get a 3D experience.