REVIEW #187 Blade Runner (1982)

Set in a dystopian future, Rick Deckard is a retired Blade Runner who is forced back into action to hunt down four replicants who have stolen a ship and travelled back to earth to find their creators. 


Blade Runner was a film that I have been excited to watch for a long time, unfortunately it was quite the anticlimax because I can’t help but think that it’s two hours of my life I won’t get back. The first act is executed nicely, introducing us to the dystopian future on earth, surrounded by advanced technology and ambitious landscapes. However from that point on, the storyline declines and simply isn’t engaging enough. The concept itself is captivating, something that has appeared in Hollywood for decades yet never seems to get stale, AI machines that begin to think for themselves! Generally speaking though, that concept has been done far better elsewhere. Although the love story between Deckard and Rachael was predictable, it was probably one of the more enjoyable aspects of the film, even if some of their interactions were a little odd at times. In regards to the cinematography, it achieved its purpose, it did produce a real dystopian vibe that created a lot of beautiful shots, with vibrant bursts of colour. This is where the film excelled, Ridley Scott and Jordan Cronenweth clearly focused on making Blade Runner a visual masterpiece but unfortunately it looks like the storyline and general direction suffered for it. I’ve also seen much better performances from Harrison Ford, he wasn’t bad but he didn’t create an emotional connection between his character and the audience, for me anyway because I just didn’t really care about Deckard. Sean Young on the other hand, I felt like she done brilliantly with the little screen time she had to bring Rachael to life. I had sympathy for her character, especially during the moments where Deckard revealed to her that she was in fact a replicant. The ending wrapped up nicely with Deckard coming to a new realisation, believing the replicants were the same as humans, wanting to find their purpose and having a desire to know when it all ends. It was an effective piece of character development that closed off the film on a nice heartwarming note but it couldn’t redeem the uninteresting hour or so that came before it. Would I recommend Blade Runner? Not really, I can think of plenty of other Sci-Fi films that top it and even more Dystopian films that do too. But I kind of expected this going in, from what I’ve read from my fellow film lovers, it’s widely believed that Blade Runner 2049 tops the original, so I am still super excited to watch that. 

Overall (5.9/10)

Thanks for reading.
Callan

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

REVIEW #334 Wish (2023)

Young Asha makes a wish so powerful that it’s answered by a cosmic force, a powerful star that will help her defeat a corrupt sorcerer and King of the Kingdom. Wish was a pleasant surprise for me, having read a lot of negative reviews. It’s a simple storyline but I like the themes that run through it, the idea that we all should take our dreams into our own hands and rely on no one but ourselves to make them come true. That’s a powerful message for young people! Not all of the songs roll off the tongue like some other Disney movies but there was still a couple to really enjoy. The animation looked good and the visuals were easy on the eye, it’s a shame my cinema experience was butchered by parents being unable to control their misbehaving kids, so I think that’ll be my last Disney movie in the theatres for a long while. But definitely one to watch when it arrives on Disney+. Overall (7/10) Thanks for reading. Callan
Read more

REVIEW #372 Clarksons Farm (Season 3)

Following Jeremy Clarkson as he tackles farm life in the Cotswolds, leading the charge in raising awareness for the struggles modern farming presents using his own Diddly Squat Farm. Season 3 certainly lived up to expectations, maintaining the Amazon prime original as my favourite reality show on TV. The humour and heart that Clarkson’s farm captures is second to none and in its third season, the relationships continue to grow and develop which is part of what makes it so special. I’ve always been an outdoors person who holds a love for the English countryside, combine that with cute farm animals and Clarkson’s trademark humour and it really is the perfect reality show for me. This season tackles some new challenges, from pigs and goats to the global issue of exhausted soil that so desperately needs addressing. It doesn’t lecture the audience, it informs them, and in the best possible way! Now it must be said that reality TV doesn’t usually appeal to me, certainly not to the extent tha
Read more

REVIEW #54 The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)

The latest instalment of The Conjuring sticks with Ed and Lorraine Warren as they take on one of the worst cases of their careers. After a failed attempt at an exorcism sees the demon jump to take on a new host, a brutal murder soon occurs where Ed and Lorraine must convince a jury of demonic possession to prevent the death penalty. They soon realise that it isn’t a normal case. CAST & THE ACTING  Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson reprise their roles as Lorraine and Ed Warren and do well to portray the convincing characters as they take on another case. Julian Hilliard plays the initially possessed young boy David and he does brilliantly, for such a young actor he really does deliver a great performance. Especially in the opening 20 minutes or so. Ruairi O’Connor plays Arne and similarly to Julian, he delivers a strong performance showing a real range of ability throughout the journey of his character. Overall I think the acting was actually pretty good, however they were let down by
Read more