Stunning: An aural and visual experience

Rating: 10/10 (24 October 2017)

The best way to start off with understanding Blade Runner is to point out that it is not for the casual sci-fi goer. This isn't Firefly, or Doctor Who, or whatever flavor of the month generic cosplay, comic-con, fanboy chic pseudo wannabe nerds get excited about. You have to be patient, you have to pay attention, you have to be intelligent and understand the themes that it is trying to present. You can't be playing it in the background or be distracted by your phone -- you are either watch, or you waste your time.
This is deep sci-fi that envelops you and challenges you with a deep and engrossing story. It builds the world in a way that takes time and patience. It is a labor of love, and you can tell simply by it's use of models and miniatures, and not relying on CGI gimmicks (though there are elements of CGI, it is more like makeup on an already beautiful woman, and not lipstick on a pig).
The other wonderful thing about this film is that you don't have to know or understand anything about the previous Blade Runner as this movie is it's own entity. It's not a sequel, at least not directly, but more on the order of what The Next Generation was to The Original Series.
Unfortunately there is an element that does pull one out from the fantastical world, and that is Jared Leto. Leto is hit or miss for me, and while he is pretty to look at and I very much do enjoy 30 Seconds to Mars, his portrayal of Wallace was rigid and forced. David Bowie was originally slated to portray Niander Wallace however Bowie's untimely demise put a small hiccup in that plan. I almost feel that they should have replaced Bowie with an older British fellow, maybe a Peter Capaldi or even better, Jude Law, instead of Jared Leto who perpetually looks like he is 20 to play someone who has seen some years.
I'm not terribly surprised that this movie did not break box office records; I believe world wide it broke a little more than even. In a culture where you almost need to have political statements, social justice, and lens flares just to keep people's attention for more than 10 seconds, how do you sell a masterpiece when all people are used to is pop-art? To be sure it did not "do well", however I can almost guarantee that in 30 years no one will be talking about today's new Star Wars or Marvel Movies, but like the previous Blade Runner 30 years prior, people will still be talking about this and that is what makes a classic, that is what separates consumers and connoisseurs.