BLADE RUNNER

With the growing hype around the upcoming sequel to this Ridley Scott cult classic, I recently felt the itch for a viewing, and review, of the original "Blade Runner". Regarded by many as one of the great Sci-Fi films of all time, the movie set trends which have been imitated constantly since its release in 1982. A largely bleak view of an American future, the film explores the nature, and often hypocrisy, of how we view humanity. Specifically, I will focus on the conclusive "Final Cut" version of the film, which critics, many fans, and Scott himself often tout as the definitive rendering. Any further commentary on the lame original voice-over would be beating a dead replicant.

Harrison Ford stars Rick Deckard, a Blade Runner (some sort of cross between a detective and an assassin) in 2019 Los Angeles. The character reluctantly agrees to track down and eradicate a group of roguish replicants, who have been bioengineered by a major corporation to essentially act as slaves and perform any undesirable task that humans wish. Deckard's search for the missing replicants proves to become increasingly perilous, as his adversaries develop emotions, skills, and intelligence which is beyond what they were programmed for. It is only because of an extremely human deed performed by one of his non-human enemies that Deckard makes it out of his mission alive.

I see Deckard as easily the most complex of any of Harrison Ford's classic film heroes. In fact, the term "hero" seems rather unfitting in itself. The character is a heavy-drinking, unsympathetic loner who seems to avoid contact with others whenever he can. Not to mention the uncomfortable love scenes in the film, which have aged as nothing less than blatant sexual assault. Of course, anyone who is even a casual fan of the film is aware of the ongoing debate over whether or not Deckard himself is a replicant, implanted with memories of a valiant past as a Blade Runner. Ridley Scott has hinted toward this idea in the past, while Ford has contended that Deckard is a necessary human presence in the story. Personally, I find the story to have much more meaning if Deckard is in fact a human. With this notion, his final encounter with Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), essentially the leader of the hunted replicants, reveals the true underlying theme of the movie: the replicants truly are "more human than human". When Batty saves Deckard from falling off the rooftop and delivers his classic monologue about the meaningful memories which he has made, he exhibits qualities which the humans of "Blade Runner"'s future seem to have left in the past. Now, trailers and images of the upcoming "Blade Runner 2049" have surfaced, and it is clear that Ford will be reprising his character. Barring some potential loop in the science of the first film, its safe to assume that Deckard did not have the limited lifespan of most of the replicants. Nonetheless, "Blade Runner" is a film without a true hero versus villain dynamic. Batty is the character who we are led to see as evil and threatening, but at the conclusion, we sympathize with him more than anyone.

One thing is certain; the future depicted in "Blade Runner" is a fascinating one. Things that have become Sci-Fi staples, such as the enormous digital advertisements and flying cars, were made possible by special effects which were groundbreaking at the time. But to me, the most interesting aspects of Ridley Scott's 2019 Los Angeles go much deeper. The film shows a culture in the city which has experienced great influence from foreign cultures, specifically from Asia. In many ways, this projection has come true in the West coast cities of today. The setting of the film also includes many effective dystopian urban elements, such as the dark, smoky atmosphere and overly industrialized and overpopulated living spaces. For evidence of this setting's influence on its genre, look no further than the city planet of Coruscant in George Lucas' "Star Wars" prequels. What makes the city so effective in this case is the style with which Scott approached his filming. The shadowy streets, neon signs, and constant rainfall sends an essence of classic film noir through this foreboding scientific story.

As an example of unprecedented, influential style in filmmaking, "Blade Runner" may be as important as movies get. The film simply feels far different from anything that came before it. It's undoubtedly one of the most unique movies of all time. However, I must admit that I don't personally love it as much as many other movie fans do. This is possibly because I was not around to experience the "wow" factor of seeing it in the early 1980's, and we are so flooded with Sci-Fi in movies today. But, it's influence and originality are indisputable, and with the amount of material it gives for theories and analysis, I can fully appreciate its cult classic status.

RATING: 7.5/10