   blade runner is a 1982 american neo-noir dystopian science fiction film directed by ridley scott and starring harrison ford, rutger hauer, sean young, and edward james olmos. the screenplay, written by hampton fancher and david peoples, is a modified film adaptation of the 1968 novel do androids dream of electric sheep? by philip k. dick. the film depicts a dystopian los angeles in november 2019, in which genetically engineered replicants, which are visually indistinguishable from adult humans, are manufactured by the powerful tyrell corporation as well as by other "mega-corporations" around the world. their use on earth is banned and replicants are exclusively used for dangerous, menial, or leisure work on off-world colonies. replicants who defy the ban and return to earth are hunted down and "retired" by special police operatives known as "blade runners". the plot focuses on a desperate group of recently escaped replicants hiding in los angeles and the burnt-out expert blade runner, rick deckard (harrison ford), who reluctantly agrees to take on one more assignment to hunt them down. blade runner initially polarized critics: some were displeased with the pacing, while others enjoyed its thematic complexity. the film performed poorly in north american theaters but has since become a cult film.sammon, pp. xviâxviii it has been hailed for its production design, depicting a "retrofitted" future,bukatman, p. 21; sammon, p. 79 and remains a leading example of the neo-noir genre.{{citation | url=http://www.kentuckypress.com/live/title_detail.php?titleid=1113 | title= the
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