As Beautiful and Intriguing as Tears in Rain...

Rating: 10/10 (16 October 2017)

From an original 1982 theatrical showing to a Beta videotape, to a standard laserdisc, to a deluxe Criterion letterbox laserdisc, to a DVD, to a high-definition blu-ray, Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" has been viewed countless times in the original voice-over version, the European cut, the director's cut, and the final cut over the 35 years that followed its release. All those memories have not been lost in time, like tears in rain, but rather are indelible images from one of the greatest science fiction films. Thus, any thought of a sequel evokes mixed emotions. Despite the involvement of Ridley Scott, the results could be another disaster like "More American Graffiti," or an undistinguished but palatable followup like "2010," or a companion masterpiece like "The Godfather Part II." Fortunately, "Blade Runner" cultists can breathe a sigh of relief; while "Blade Runner 2049" may fall short of the unqualified masterpiece status of "The Godfather" sequel, at least on an initial viewing, the film enhances and builds upon, rather than diminishes, the original; however, only time will determine if "BR2049" will enjoy the same repeatability as the first film and join it as a timeless classic.
Fresh from his outstanding work on "Arrival," director Denis Villeneuve helmed "BR2049" with a steady hand and attention to detail, which were likely guided or inspired by Ridley Scott. Set thirty years ahead of the original film, Roger Deakins's career-best cinematography captures a future that is colder and bleaker than that portrayed by Jordan Cronenweth's original work, which has a warmer tone. However, Deakins's cooler hues are appropriate for 2049 Los Angeles, where snow has replaced rain and holographs rule rather than neon. Warm or cool, the atmospherics in both films are equally dazzling. The aurals are as captivating as the visuals; the haunting music by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch evokes the original Vangelis score without plagiarizing.
The casting is also superb with Ryan Gosling spot on as K, the blade runner whose job, like Deckard's in the original film, is to retire renegade replicants. While the role may lack showy moments for an actor, Gosling's tall lean figure and enigmatic face create an image possibly more enduring than that of Harrison Ford in the original. Both Ford as an aging Rick Deckard and Edward James Olmos as a retired Gaff return to link the sequel to the first film. Among the newcomers, Robin Wright is well cast as Gosling's deadly serious, deathly pale Lieutenant Joshi of the LAPD. Ford and Olmos are not the only returnees, an origami figure and a small wood carving wordlessly connect the two Blade Runner films, and implanted memories, flying cars, outsized advertising, and transparent plastic raincoats also have encores.
"Blade Runner" cultists are best served seeing the sequel knowing little; the story unfolds as a policeman sent in pursuit of a mystery that expands upon threads in the original movie. Tthe film's length is arguably excessive, especially for those unfamiliar with the original, and "Blade Runner" novices may be left behind by a leisurely narrative that prizes visuals above action. However, "Blade Runner 2049" is that rarity of movie sequels, a film that enhances and elevates the original, yet stands on its own as a masterful film. The passage of time will determine if "Blade Runner 2049" and "Blade Runner" become the inseparably coupled films that "The Godfather" and "The Godfather Part II" have become, but all the elements are in place.