In 1982, the original Blade Runner was released starring Harrison Ford and it became an instant cult classic. Now, in 2017, thirty-five years later Warner Bros and Sony have brought us a sequel in Blade Runner 2049 and it is everything! After all of of those years, a sequel can cause fans quite a bit of panic because their beloved story becomes a piece of trash after a failed revival. Don’t worry Blade Runner fans, because this film is outstanding and it is possible that it’s better than the original, a phrase rarely used in the movie world.

Warner Bros and Sony got Denis Villeneuve (Sicaro, Arrival) to direct and he is known for visually stunning work. Blade Runner 2049 stars Ryan Gosling (LaLaLand) as Officer K while brining back Harrison Ford as the character he brought to life in 1982, Rick Deckard. The film also stars Robin Wright, Dave Bautista, Jared Leto, Sylvia Hoeks and Ana de Armas in the supporting roles throughout the film. Now, we don’t want to give too much away so our plot description won’t be very long.

The film picks up thirty years after the original and K stumbles upon a mystery that dates back to Deckard’s days and leads K to find the missing detective. Jared Leto gives a chilling performance as replicant maker Niander Wallace whose interests are also heavily tied with K’s investigation. Wallace tasks Luv (Sylvia Hoeks), his most trusted creation, with finding K and the thing he is trying to track down. Ana de Armas is K’s support system as the A.I. Joi made by Wallace and she journeys with K to give him confidence and the most real love she is capable of.  

Most reviews of this film have been positive but the biggest critique comes from the film’s length and it does run at a heavy two hours and forty-four minutes but each minute is important to the story. Blade Runner never felt too long as I watched it and my only complaint, being a huge Harrison Ford fan, was how long the film takes to introduce him but it’s necessary to the story telling. Villeneuve does an amazing job building the world these characters exist in and each scene is more stunning then the last. While there isn’t much action throughout the film, it never rushes it’s story and paces the pieces as it needs to. My advice, just don’t start it too late at night and you’ll be ok.  

Overall, Blade Runner 2049 is an outstanding work of art and I recommend it as your next movie night choice. It became available on digital platforms on December 27th and it’ll hit the shelves on DVD and Blu Ray on January 16th if you prefer a version you can physically hold on to. As I mentioned above, I don’t want to spoil anything with this review so I’ve kept it very basic. I will reveal that you don’t need to watch the original to watch this film. This is a film to be enjoyed and I hope you take a chance on it. If you’ve seen the film already, shout us out with your thoughts. Did you love it as much as I did or did you find the length and pace too much to get over? This is a five out of five star movie! Check out a clip below!