[Review] Blade Runner 2049 (8.5/10)

Denis Villeneuve just directed the crap out of Blade Runner 2049!

To bring a movie title back that is 35 years old, and to still keep it 100% in the same tone and feel; this sequel looked like it did not miss a beat from the first movie and Villeneuve deserves a huge credit for a job well done.

Very much like its predecessor, this was a very slow burn, right up until the last half hour and then things began to pick up.

And just like its predecessor, the final fight was intense; though the intensity this time was very difference because of the situation.

It is very difficult not to spoil this movie because any plot point revealed will be a spoiler to the overall plot. And the marketing team had done a great job concealing everything about this movie so that we could get into it fresh.

But what I thought was a brilliant weave of storytelling was how Villeneuve revealed each plot twist (and I recognize that just by saying that I have revealed that there were plot twists where the first movie did not have - or not in the first theatrical version anyway).

Even though there were a lot of frames that just went on silently, but each frame seemed to have its purpose that added to the entirety of the movie to make it feel as complete as it was.

Also, Villeneuve did not go all out with the CGI because it could have been so easy to make things new and glossy and shiny, a la Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. But he kept it dark and grainy and devoid of colours unless it's from neon signs, so that the sequel still lived in that first universe created by Ridley Scott.

Just take that flying drone that floated off Gosling's vehicle. It felt clunky and jerky, and more real in that sense.

And I'll just mention another small SPOILER right here. The way this movie ended, it was very open. But most importantly, I would love to see an immediate third movie to follow this one. And when  you have seen the ending, you'll understand that the third movie should happen sooner rather than later due to the fact that real life in this real world still carries on.

Also, I really loved that last shot of Ryan Gosling. Just like in La La Land, with minimal facial expression and movement, Gosling conveyed so much emotions just by being still. Poetry.

I know this movie isn't making what the studio expected, plus it has used up a huge budget; but I hope the executives are able to overlook