A must-see for fans of the original "Blade Runner", but wrapped up too simplistically.

Rating: 8/10 (15 September 2019)

First off, a saw the original "Blade Runner" a long time ago, and, while I remembered the gist of it, I did't recall it with intensity due to my age and interests at the time. This sequel "Blade Runner 2049" jogged my memories well (assuming that they're not implants), and is a very well-crafted movie with outstanding production values.
I'm not going to throw any spoilers into this review, because I think that would significantly hurt the viewing experience for those who loved the original. With regard to the original, I think that it's pretty much mandatory that a viewer be fundamentally familiar with it, since it lays much of the foundation on which this plot is built.
I am, however, only giving it 8 stars, because I personally feel that towards the end it took too many easy outs by way of some really blatant contemporary cultural mythologies (you'll know what I'm talking about when you watch it) and avoided any actually difficult philosophical issues, something that Philip Dirk wouldn't have cared for either. Basically, it just went too "Hollywood" towards the end for my tastes. On the flip side, this is still one of the best films I've seen in a quite a while. It's definitely a solid sequel and belongs on the "must-see" list of every fan of the original "Blade Runner".