Pretentious, ponderous, dull

Rating: 4/10 (25 October 2019)

In those ways it's very like its predecessor. The original, like most of Ridley Scott's work, spends so much time on visuals and lingers over them far too long to the detriment of story and pace. This film runs at 2:43 telling a story that would barely fill an hour if it wasn't for long, loving shots of pretty sets and portentous glances. It doesn't have the saving grace of allowing an interesting world, having interesting characters or a moment's tension. There isn't a moment when a character seems to feel any urgency about anything. Even after the climactic fight Joe takes time to gaze meaningfully at his fallen foe and stroke her cheek despite the fact that Deckard is trapped and drowning.
Through much of the film we're supposed to believe, like the character, that he's the child. Yet he does so many things a human couldn't possibly do there's no surprise to discover that he's not. He barely responds to his lover's pointless death so why would an audience?