A Great Sequel

Rating: 10/10 (18 October 2017)

A good film will take you someplace you have never been. "Blade Runner 2049" is set in a dystopian future that is very convincing due to its superior production values. At the same time, the film hearkens back to "Blade Runner" in numerous ways, providing a foundation for the millions of loyal fans who long for a continuation of the original story. Echoes of the past are achieved, variously, through music, scenery, common actors, and an atmosphere and tone that evoke Ridley Scott's seminal prequel.
The storyline of the new film is quite good, maintaining a consistency between the films, yet advancing the action into a future that has evolved beyond. K (Ryan Gosling), like his predecessor--Rick Deckard--is a blade runner tasked with eliminating replicants (androids) that are deemed dangerous to society. Basically, this is a police procedural dressed in stylish garb.
The film provides plenty to chew on relative to the power structure of society and, more importantly, the nature of man versus artificial man.
The wonderful cast is blessed with some meaty roles. Robin Wright plays Lieutenant Joshi, K's superior officer. Ana de Armas is Joi, K's unusual girlfriend. Jared Leto is Niander Wallace--a man so rich he effectively makes his own laws. And Sylvia Hoeks is Luv, Wallace's attendant and enforcer. Hoeks channels a ruthless energy, a detached efficiency, and a physicality that could remind one of the "Terminator" franchise.
"Blade Runner 2049" is an impressive accomplishment by director Denis Villeneuve and his team. The film deserves multiple viewings to extract all of its nuance and meanings. This is rare sequel that lives up to the reputation of the original.