One of the best sequels ever.

Rating: 10/10 (21 July 2018)

I know this is a cliche thing to say, but this movie was everything I hope for and so much more.
It's kind of hard where to begin. Everything in this movie is basically perfect from the beautiful atmosphere to the incredible way it delivers subtext to the breathtaking visuals. Everything this movie attempts to do it does the best version of it.
The visuals are probably the most obvious takeaway. It's some of Roger Deakins finest work and I'm so happy he won the Oscar because honestly this is one of the best looking films I've ever seen in my life. Like most Roger Deakins films, the lighting is soft yet very crisp. It gives off a very natural look which is a bit of a deviation from the visual aesthetic of the original.
This is also some of the best work Ryan Gosling has done. He is a fiercely underrated actor probably due to how subdued he always is and in this movie he is so gracefully subtle so he is always relatable when he needs to be and likewise when he needs to be distant. That's another another aspect of his character which is beautifully realised in a script that doesn't get enough credit. Ryan Gosling is a very strong character but he's also kind of a loser, and the way he discovers things about himself through the film is some of the most riveting stuff I've seen in a cinema in ages. I'm not delving into spoilers so I won't discuss significant moments (though I will say their is no shortage of scenes that can be very heavily broken down), the character of K is extremely distant from the world in a similar way to Decard, but to be he came across as even more cold. Their are a lot of questions raised based on his actions which make you question how we would go about defining humans if the line was drawn so thin. No surprise here, but this is an extremely deep movie. Deeper than the first in my opinion.
The score is also definitely worth talking about. It definitely pays some tribute to the original movie in its electronic sounds and a couple of specific callbacks, but it's a lot more dense and modern and generally more Zimmer-ish. However it definitely strays away from the jazzy elements of the original. This movie is much less of a classic noir than its predecessor, I'd say that's it's more of a straight drama.
There is so much to talk about with this movie that I could honestly go on for hours, however I'd get into spoiler territory which I don't want to do because the secrets this movie has keep you glued to the screen throughout the 2 and a half hour runtime which by the way, you do feel, but it's never boring. A long run time doesn't mean the movies boring, it means that if it's actually a well made movie the payoff even more satisfying because you've really been through the ringer. Yes the movie isn't built on action set pieces, but it still has constant activity. The plot is constantly moving forward, and we're always learning more information which weaves into this web which the audience can decipher. The development of the characters and themes are very intelligently woven in to scenes moving the plot forward. We're never really halted by scenes which feel irrelevant to the story in service of telling us something about the character. Every scene always has several purposes. One of the many things Denis Villenuve achieves which make him one of the most talented directors we have.
Obviously this movie is an absolute must see. Because the movie is a slow burn and there aren't wall to wall action and viscous battles of dialogue, I can understand some people not buying into this movie. But I encourage everyone to at least give it a try because this movie criminally underperformed at the box office and we really want to be sending studios the message that we want blockbusters that are built on smart stories and still manage to be artful while entertaining.