Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

A young blade runner’s discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former blade runner Rick Deckard, who’s been missing for thirty years. (IMDb)

If I was rating individual scenes, this would have a bunch of 10/10s, no question, thanks to some incredible visuals, sounds, turns, and Villeneuve’s impeccable sense of tension and atmosphere (see the opening search, the horse discovery, Joshi vs. Luv, K and dreammaker Dr. Ana, the stunning final fight). Unfortunately, Leto’s cliche villain and Deckard’s return make for a less compelling and more tangential-feeling third act, at least plot and character-wise, keeping the film from perfection.

8/10 (Great)

 

Blade Runner (1982)

A blade runner must pursue and try to terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator. (IMDb)

The slow pace is welcome when we’re cruising through the moody city setting accompanied by that unnerving synth soundtrack, but much less so when it comes to the dry plot in between (especially that “romantic” aside cringe-worthy both for its cheese and rape-y vibes). The fantastic rooftop scene that switches up the typical bad vs. good climax (“All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain”), along with the tantalizing scene that follows make for a stellar ending, however.

7/10 (Good)