Blade Runner 2049 [DVD] [2017]

Not going to say better than the original but a very worthy, beautiful sequel. With D.O.P to die for. Hence why it won't an Oscar.

It's been a while since the original - all the extra cuts notwithstanding - but here's a sequel to the well renowned 1980's science fiction film Blade Runner.You have no chance of getting into this if you haven't seen that. So it's really about time you watched if you haven't. You've had over thirty years, after all!Blade Runner 2049 takes place thirty years after the original. The city doesn't look much different. If anything, conditions have gotten worse. Tyrrell corp is gone. A new company and a type of replicant have appeared in the meantime.Main character K [Ryan Gosling] is both a replicant and a Blade Runner. A thankless job, as he has to kill his own kind and most humans hate him. He has only a holographic companion for company. But when a seemingly simple case turns into something far more, secrets start to come out that could change the world. The key to it all might be finding Rick Deckard. Who nobody has seen in decades...Sequels, especially ones that come out quickly after the original, can end up being quick cash ins designed to make money and nothing more. But Blade Runner 2049 is the best kind of sequel. Because it's obvious as you watch it that everyone involved really cared about what they were making.The style is the same, so it's a continuation of things and the world that came before. It's got some great acting, particularly in the shape of marvelllously understated but very sympathetic lead performance from Ryan Gosling. It is good strong proper science fiction. Like the best of that, it considers the big questions of existence and makes the viewer think about them. And the plotting is absolutely superb. A good strong mystery story with many twists and turns and developments along the way.The running time is long, and possibly a little slowly paced at a few points, but it never feels it's dragging at all.This was worth the wait. It's as perfect a sequel as it could be. It does leave the door open for so much more as well. Although a slightly underwhelming box office means we might have to wait another thirty plus years for any more. Which is a shame.The disc has the following language and subtitle options:Languages: English. Spanish.Subtitles: English, Spanish.It's also English audio captioned.It begins with an anti piracy ad, that can be skipped via the next button on the dvd remote.Extras:Three prequels. These can be watched individually or all in a row. All have a short introduction from the director of the movie. And these are three short films he got friends of his to make, all of which fill in some of the story of what happened between the first film and this.2022: Blackout. Runs for fourteen mins and is an anime, telling how a major change in society came to be. It's stylishly animated and manages some very good characterisation.2036: Nexus Dawn. Runs for five mins of live action and is the story of how the new corporation came into power. It's interesting exposition.2048: nowhere to run. Five mins of live action filling in the back story of a character you meet early in the film. Strong characterisation with an emotional impact makes a short that will stay with you for a while.Blade Runner 101:six short items, none longer than ninety seconds to two mins, with cast and crew talking about cetain aspects of the film:The replicant evolution.Blade runners.The rise of wallace corp.Welcome to 2049.Jois.Watch the skies.All are a bit short to have much impact, but are quite interesting viewing while they last, so they're worth a look.It also has the usual flyer with a code for downloading a copy of the film onto a digital device.

Bought this on 4k/uhd download. Excellent picture and sound, and the film's visuals and production values are of the highest quality. Having seen this at the cinema and found it too long, I thought it deserved a second chance.I still think it is 30mins too long for a story that is your basic detective - join the dotted lines. The scenes with Joi could have saved the 30 mins. Inspite of this, this is a good film and deserves a viewing. It is let down by various plot holes and a tendency to put form before function. It's not soulless as some say but there are few memorable lines unlike the original.Questions.What the hell is baslineing and why is it carried out? In the original replicants were given memories to help control their emotions. Now it seems killer blade runner replicants are not allowed to get upset.If replicants are in such short supply, why "retire" the old models?Declared states it was his job to stay away from his daughter to protect her identity, yet he risks visiting her?Is Deckard a replicant? If not how does he survive radiation poisoning in the wastelands?Why are Police stations so insecure that killers can just wander in at will?Doesn't K wonder who made the missile attack in the waste dump people and report it?Blade runner K is very attached to his "Joi" holographic AI/phone. But as per the skyscraper sized adverts for "Joi" imply, identical replacements are available so why worry? Why do all Joi's look the same anyway?

Good film

Blade Runner 2049 has the unfortunate problem of being a sequel to a 1980's classic and a movie so slow, modern going audiences won't have the attention span to get through half of it. Much like the original movie, Blade Runner 2049 is a very slow movie by design. The story revolves around a blade runner detective, simply called K. He is a replicant that is tasked with hunting down the older, more obsolete models. During one of his jobs, he finds a box of bones. These bones contain something special, something that will change the world for both humankind and the replicants. Once the box is open, K finds himself in one giant conspiracy and he takes it on himself to get to the bottom of things.To their credit, all the actors do a great job with their role. This is Ryan Gosling's best role, in my opinion. He does a great job of coming across like a soulless machine slowly gaining his humanity. It is also nice seeing Harrison Ford looking like he actually cares for the role, unlike his recent Star Wars outings. He shows a great range of emotions and has got himself into good physical shape too. Luv (Sylvia Hoeks) is awesome, Joi (Ana de Armas) is charming and beautiful and even Dave Bautista was convincing, even if his time is limited. It's a very solid cast but the movie isn't just about them.There is a serious artistic side to this movie and by that I mean the Roger Deakins cinematography, the overall art style and the booming soundtrack by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch. The movie has some fast paced action sequences, but they are few and far between. Instead, the movie takes its time. It gives us these beautiful audio and visual landscapes, let's us see the actors work their way through it and gives us just enough time to process it. Those not there for small details will definitely find it a bit empty and longwinded as they glance over the film, it's perfectly understandable to a point. But those looking for a piece of art (like the original), will find the world of Blade Runner 2049 not only faithful to the original but perfectly adapted to modern times.I recently picked up the 4k transfer for a nice discount. I originally acquired a 4k player for the new Star Trek remasters and needed something to test it out. This was my pick and it was a perfect choice. The clarity and depth of this transfer is incredible. The colours are very strong and vibrant. There's no artefacts, no damage or anything of the sort on screen. It's as pristine and beautiful as a movie could be. It may very well be one of the most impressive looking films I have seen. The soundtrack is also very nice, if not a little loud. With the settings just right, the Hans Zimmer soundtrack works perfectly and sounds magnificent through my 5.1 surround sound system.I have seen a lot of fans of the original Blade Runner complain about this movie. It's an embarrassment to the original, it should never have been made etc. I have also seen non fans complain about how slow it is. The latter is understandable (to a point), but I'll never understand how a Blade Runner fan can hate this film. It's not a straight up sequel and has been well written and directed. The way the film was made makes the Deckard character feel like he is there by coincidence instead of being forced in for commercial reasons. It's trying to do its own thing and I think it does it very well.I honestly couldn't recommend this film more, especially if you're a fan of the original. They play wonderfully back to back in 4k and has basically become mandatory viewing in my household. If you want a couple of fantastic films to try out your new 4k television or sound system, the two Blade Runner movies is where you should be looking.