Beautifully bleak

Rating: 8/10 (16 October 2017)

Bladerunner 2049 is a faithful successor to the original in that it doesn't try to appease the 'fidget spinner' generation who need fast cuts and yappy dialogue to sustain their limited attention spans.
Its languid, methodical pace allows the viewer to soak up every ounce of atmosphere in each gorgeously rendered frame, to feel totally immersed in the haunting bleakness of it all. As the camera rises through colossal cityscapes permeated with smog and glowing neon, as the synths ebb and surge like waves, there is a sense of desolation and ruin, a consumerist culture turned cancer that has driven humanity to a dark place figuratively and spiritually.
The plot unravels slowly, with no great urgency, but it is nonetheless intriguing, as Bladerunner K's world is shaken by the discovery of a replicant's 'miracle birth' and his road to finding the child leads him to experience the emotions and value decisions which ultimately make us human. These existential themes are what Bladerunner has always been about, rather than explosive, pounding action sequences -though there are sporadic moments of action, it's not the emphasis. So if you go to this film and encounter people yawning, chances are they had the wrong expectations.
Gosling and Ford are as watchable as always, but the female characters are particularly engaging. Robin Wright oozes authority as the tough as nails Lieutenant Joshi. Ana de Armas has a difficult task in trying to make her character, Joi (K's perfect hologram girlfriend) feel sympathetic, but the innocent exuberance she displays as she tries to navigate the boundaries of her own virtual existence in her relationship with K is affecting. The main antagonist, Luv, played with ice-cold menace by Sylvia Hoeks, is a real standout. Perhaps the first female villain I've watched who doesn't come off as titular, she is a very threatening presence throughout the film. The only strike for me was Jared Leto's performance as the evil Niander, who's lofty haiku dialogue and John Malkovich style cadence felt overplayed and camp.
I think fans of the original Bladerunner will enjoy this sequel and even if you are not that engaged with the minutia of the story, there is much to enjoy on a scene by scene basis. For me I was totally lost in the mood and even at 160 minutes, it didn't feel wasted. Of course there are those who will dismiss it as too slow and boring; With the way movies are edited today, it's not surprising, but it is a shame. Bladerunner 2049 is art.