How Blade Runner 2049 got sidetracked into being all about AI.

Rating: 5/10 (5 October 2017)

Blade Runner was about what it was like to be human told from a very human perspective because replicants were biological. The sequel feels more like what does it take for artificial intelligence to be human and if it feels vaguely familiar it's because it is. That theme has been overdone, most notably and recently in movies like Ex Machina and Her, which do the theme more justice. There's a real lack of connectivity with the film because they're trying to shove AI and electronics and the original theme is lost in translation. It's an updated, commercialized Blade Runner for the masses in 2017.
I found the scenes with the AI woman frustrating. How convenient to remove a real human from the equation and settle for something unreal and try to make it real to validate your experiences. The replicant idea was thrown away, pushed away to the side to pave the way for this AI theme. I found it a troubling commentary on our modern era of technology and left feeling perplexed and disturbed.
Also, to lightly touch upon other subjects because I don't have the heart to expand:
A clever twist doesn't make a clever plot or mystery. You still got plot holes and questions left at the end. Not satisfying at all.
The music isn't nearly as evocative as the original movie's was and the only time I connected with it was when it was literally using the original movie's notes. Not sure what is with Hans Zimmer this year between this and Dunkirk.
The ambiance of the original is gone. You don't create tension and intrigue by automatically extending each scene.
You can forget about having a scene like Tears in Rain. The dialogue was literally cringe-worthy in more places than it should have been.
Overall, save your money. Watch the trailer. Watch the short clips, they evoke more emotion. Better yet, re-watch the original. Forget the sequel ever happened.