A refreshing sequel that is more art than commercial

Rating: 10/10 (5 October 2017)

So on first viewing I am delighted to say that this is a true sequel to the original yet able to stand alone. Unlike other franchise reboots this chooses to pay homage to the original and thankfully avoids the temptation of being unabashedly commercial.
I am a big fan of the original. I might even give BR2049 a 10 on later viewings.
It wasn't what I was expecting so I can say a big thumbs up to those critics (and YouTubers) who agreed not to publish any spoilers. I found myself admiring the blade runner 2049 visuals without finding them distracting or in any way self-serving. Bravo to both Denis and Roger for pulling that off.
I have to say that this is a true Sci-fi movie, a movie that will satisfy die hard fans of Sci-fi books. Hampton Fancher has done a truly awesome job of creating story and a script which would stand up well next to the bibliography of Philip K Dick.
At no stage did this movie feel like an imitation of the first. The cast is a great fit, the score is sublime, the pacing it similar but different, the cinematography outstanding, the story and script original, the whole feel seems just right.
Am I alone in this appreciation? Probably not. Half the audience will have never have seen the original in the cinema and yet we all clapped in unison, old and young when the credits began to run.
Thank you to all those involved in this project.