Rated
R (Violence and Brief Nudity)
Running
Time: 1 Hour & 57 Minutes
Cast:
Harrison
Ford-Rick Deckard
Sean
Young-Rachael
Rutger
Hauer-Roy Batty
Daryl
Hannah-Pris Stratton
Joanna
Cassidy-Zhora Salome
Brion
James-Leon Kowalski
Joe
Turkel-Dr. Eldon Tyrell
William
Sanderson-J.F. Sebastian
James
Hong-Hannibal Chew
Edward
James Olmos-Officer Gaff
M.
Emmet Walsh-Harry Bryant
Morgan
Paull-Holden
Directed
by Ridley Scott
 |
| "I want you." |
Note: It is highly recommended that you view the film first as spoilers are
freely discussed in this review.
What
defines us as human? This is the
central question posed in director Ridley Scott’s seminal science fiction
masterpiece "Blade Runner," released in 1982 and loosely adapted from
Philip K. Dick’s 1968 novella Do Androids
Dream of Electric Sheep? Although the film polarized critics upon its
release and flopped at the box office, it quickly became a cult classic and is
now viewed as one of the finest science fictions films ever made whose
influence has continued to be felt in all forms of media. In addition to the
original theatrical cut seen by audiences in 1982, several other versions of "Blade
Runner" exist but the one considered by Scott to represent his definitive vision is the 2007 Final
Cut. Despite being released almost three decades ago, time has not diminished "Blade
Runner" as its thematic and philosophical significance, searing dystopian
vision of the future, ground-breaking visuals, and darkly melodic score
continues to both influence and remain unmatched by its contemporaries.
In the
early 21st century, the powerful Tyrell Corporation has advanced robotics to
what they call the 'Nexus' phase, bioengineering artificial beings who are
virtually identical to a human in every way. Commonly known as 'Replicants,'
the current Nexus-6 models possess superior strength and agility, in addition
to intelligence at least equal to their genetic creators. Used as a slave labor
force to establish colonies on other planets, Replicants were declared illegal
on Earth due to a bloody mutiny by a Nexus-6 combat team on an off-world colony.
Special police units dubbed Blade Runners
are ordered to shoot on sight any Replicant they find but this was not
considered execution—'it was called retirement.' In Los Angeles, November 2019,
retired Blade Runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is detained by Officer Gaff (Edward
James Olmos) and brought before his former supervisor, Harry Bryant (M. Emmet
Walsh), to track down a number of Replicants who have escaped from an off-world
colony to Earth. Deckard is informed that these are Nexus-6 models manufactured
by the Tyrell Corporation and have a limited four-year lifespan as a fail-safe
in order to prevent them from developing emotions, which results in a violent,
unstable personality. The Replicants—Pris Stratton (Daryl Hannah), Zhora Salome
(Joanna Cassidy), and Leon Kowalski (Brion James)—are led by a combat model
named Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) and are suspected to have come to Earth to try
to extend their limited lifespan. Deckard is sent to Tyrell Corporation's
headquarters to ensure that the Voight-Kampff
machine (used to identify Replicants through a series of questions that test
for an empathic response) works on Nexus-6 models. He meets Dr. Eldon Tyrell (Joe
Turkel), who insists that his mysterious assistant, Rachel (Sean Young), be
tested on the Voight-Kampff machine. After asking over a hundred questions,
Tyrell asks Rachel to leave and reveals to Deckard that she is prototype
Replicant with false memory implants, designed to act as a cushion for her
developing emotions. Rachel has no idea she is Replicant and believes that she
is human. She escapes from Tyrell Corporation upon learning her true origins
and although forced to retire her, Deckard finds he is unable to as he has
fallen in love with her.
Filmed in 1981, the dystopian future depicted in "Blade
Runner" is exceptionally well-realized thanks to its meticulous visuals
and production design. Los Angeles in 2019 is a rain-drenched, oppressive
metropolis suffering from the effects of pollution and over-crowding as
neon-advertisements and fire-spewing smokestacks dominate the cityscape,
reflecting the enormous power that mega-corporations such as Tyrell wield. Omnipresent
police units roam the skies in 'spinner' vehicles as robotic voices blare over
loudspeakers, asserting the loss of individual freewill while runaway advances
in technology are unbounded by any legal or ethical restrictions. With the environment
ravaged and animals all but extinct, the only ones that exist are bioengineered
to serve as mere status symbols for the wealthy. As the masses scurry
throughout the decayed and garbage-strewn streets of Los Angeles, the promise
of a new life on an off-world colony looms overhead via enormous airships. What's
amazing is that this dystopian vision of the future feels frightening real. Composed
by Vangelis, the score is an aural experience like no other and mixes
electronic sounds with more traditional, noir-like jazz themes that fit the
film perfectly.
"Blade Runner" isn't just a visual and sound showcase
but also offers a thematically rich story that poses a question that continues to
elude scholars to this day: what defines us as human? Replicants are identical to humans in every way, with the
exception of their increased strength and agility but because of their
artificial creation, they are not viewed as 'human.' Yet the compassion and
remorse they display for each other stands in stark contrast to the emotional
detachment experienced by the human characters. Like their creators, Roy and
his band of renegade Replicants strive to overcome their limited four year
lifespan and achieve the impossible, that of immortality. Although Roy fails to
succeed in a literal sense, the end of the film has him saving Deckard from
certain death. Why does he do this? He makes an impassioned speech and remarks
eloquently that 'I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on
fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the
Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time...like tears in rain…time
to die.' Knowing that he is near death, the best assumption is that Roy did not
want to die alone and this last act of introspection allows him to live on in
Deckard's memories and symbolically
achieve immortality. This theme of loneliness is supported when Deckard finds
solace in the arms of Rachel, who is herself a Replicant, and falls in love
with her. Replicants are created without feelings but they ultimately attain a
higher emotional state upon death. Before leaving with Rachel toward an
uncertain future, he remembers Gaff yelling to him, 'It's too bad she won't
live! But then again, who does?' Perhaps Scott is telling his audience that the
search for immortality is fruitless and to cherish the time we are given.
Tyrell even tells Roy that it is biologically impossible to extend his life and
to 'revel in your time.' Our ability to feel and the fact that we are mortal is
what defines us as human. Finally, there's also the issue of whether Deckard is
a Replicant, a topic that has inspired fierce debate among fans but ultimately
the answer is up to you as Scott deliberately left it ambiguous.
The
performances in "Blade Runner" range from good to outstanding. Hot
off the successes of "Star Wars," "The Empire Strikes Back,"
and "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark," Harrison Ford
was looking for something with more dramatic heft compared to his previous
roles. While Rick Deckard isn't inherently a challenging role to play, Ford
nails it and creates a haunted portrayal of a lonely man at the end of his rope,
forming no real connections. There's only the job for him but despite the
inhumane way in which he 'retires' the rogue Replicants, he ends up falling in
love with one. Rutger Hauer, however, is the standout and infuses Roy Batty
with a cunning yet charismatic personality. His monologue at the end of the
film is incredibly well-written and delivered with a strange mixture of
resignation and joy. Sean Young is fine but often comes off as too cold and
impersonal, which undermines her character's ability to fool everyone
(including herself) into thinking that she is human. The rest of the cast
includes Daryl Hannah as Pris, who exhibits a lively child-like innocence that
belays her acrobatic abilities, Edward James Olmos as the mysterious officer
Gaff, and Brion James and Joanna Cassidy as the final two Replicants of Roy's band.
Released on Blu-Ray in 2007 as a 5-Disc Collector's Edition, the final cut of "Blade
Runner" is nothing short of stunning and features spectacular detail. The
opening scene of the film over the belching smokestacks of Los Angeles and the
subsequent aerial shots are simply gorgeous, revealing how hard the production
design team worked to fully realize Scott's vision of a dark future. Colors are
vivid, especially the neon-advertisements that dot the cityscape and despite
being drenched in shadow, the film never looks murky. The effort poured into
restoring "Blade Runner" deserves the highest praise and is in every
way flawless. Likewise, the audio quality fully immerses you in the world that
Deckard inhabits but what stood out for me were the atmospheric sound effects
such as the pitter-patter of rain or the crowded masses milling about while the
police zip around in their blaring 'spinner' vehicles to keep order in the
streets. Vangelis' score shines as well but the dialogue does suffer a bit from a hollow effect yet this is really
nitpicking and does not detract from the experience of the film. An exhaustive
set of special features are included, among them a making-of documentary that
is a whopping 3 hour and 31 minutes
long, countless featurettes and audio commentaries, and in addition to the
final cut, three other versions (domestic,
international, and director's cut) are provided through seamless branching,
plus the original workprint, although the changes in each do not fundamentally
alter the film in any way. By far, this is as complete an experience a "Blade
Runner" fan can achieve.
"Blade Runner" was released on June 25,
1982 to a mixed reception from critics. Feeling they were misled by the
marketing campaign, audiences were expecting a more typical sci-fi
action/adventure flick as opposed to a more serious, slower paced film, a
reaction that does not surprise me in the least as it was simply too ahead of its
time. A financial failure at the domestic box office with a gross of $27.5
million ($64.7 million adjusted for inflation), the film quickly earned a cult
following and is currently rated at 92%
on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics reevaluating their opinions and concluding
that it was 'a visually remarkable, achingly human sci-fi masterpiece.' There's
very little that remains to be said about Scott's film as it has been
thoroughly dissected these past three decades so if you're one of the few who still haven't seen "Blade Runner,"
then you owe it to yourself to experience one of the most lauded science
fiction films in American cinema.
Final
Rating: 5 out of 5
"I've
seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder
of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All
those moments will be lost in time...like tears in rain...time to die."
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