Beatifully crafted, remarkable acting and director but the plot turns hack

Rating: 6/10 (13 January 2018)

To watch Ryan Gosling 's hapless cop, literally a victim of circumstance, gradually climb from hopeless to hope, after passing through various stages of awakening, only to have to sacrifice it all, is the most painful and difficult plot aspect of this film. And the only worthy and lasting part of this movie. His performance is so layered, and he has captured the pathos of the everyman so perfectly, that at least an oscar nod is warranted.
This is a new story in the Blade Runner universe, even darker than the first.
The visuals are technically eye popping but much blander with less visual depth than the original. And they are so derivative from video games and other recent Sci Fi films. The buildings in the original Blade Runner were all lit. Here they are just dark and gray or orange tombs, more cg model than realistic renderings.
And the bad guys are just comic book one dimensional bad guys. The evil megalomaniac is just lex Luther in a Jesus mask. His murderous body gaurd who cries before killing is completely devoid of purpose or depth. When she cries "I'm the best one!" at the end we are like "yah,
brilliant dialogue.."
Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling keep whatever life this film has going.
Still, there's only so much cynicism, senseless violence and poor dialogue a viewer can take, even a huge fan of the original.