Deconstructing Blade Runner 2049
Here is my little approach to the film from the point of view of a science fiction technician. Contains spoilers!!
You know, lastly we see so many insights about films that I think it is better not to see any trailer or review before watching the film. In fact, this is what I did with this film.
So, first of all, go and see the film!
Second: We could begin by listenning to the original soundtrack, go and get into that ambient and atmospheric background. Here´s your link to spotify:
The rhythm. If you are thinking about an action movie with kicking and fast action, you will feel disappointed. This not a Tom Cruise movie or any of those things. So, the first thing that called my attention was the rhythm of the film with a strong relation to the music. This is one of those kinds of movies that you see on a Sunday afternoon at home. I must add that I did not like the kicking of the bad girl, I would have done another thing. Maybe I miss some of the intensity or mystery the prequel has.
The plot. It could be described in many ways, I would say something like robot that in search for himself, hoping to be special, who lives a great disappointment, while having an affair with a VR hologram and developing a great feeling of empathy. There´s a plot spin in the middle of the film, I really like it.
There are some concepts that could be used just to make another film: The blackout idea, maybe taken from New York in 1977. The end of man, not by the ideas of Asimov or by singularity. The danger is not when a machine realises how to be better, but it is in the artificial progenesis. The breaking of the binomials man/robot, soul/no soul is produced when the machine has the skill of procreation.
There´s a machine taking conscience of death, we already saw this in the previous Blade Runner film. This joins with the idea of a sacrifice, against the idea of the rebellion of the machines.
Tech. We can see VR, holograms, Artificial Intelligence that can feel, memory implants, geolocation, drones, flying cars, eye scanning and iris recognition, human implants for better knowledge, a strange machine like a digital reflex camera to create memories for humanoids. Big Data farms with tons of info, synthetic organs, head transplants, bionic eyes.
Color. I think Blade Runner was one of the biggest influence in films, and still it is. That atmosphere with green, blue and dark colors, neon lights, rain, darkness. For Blade Runner 2049 it´s something similar, but I see the introduction of yellow color in many scenes. All is yellow, brown and dark, specially in the factory, in Las Vegas. Noir.
The Characters. I like specially Joi (Ana de Armas), although she is an hologram, looks almost real, a kind of future tinderfication always friendly in-house girl/boy. Talks about future relationships.
“K” I like also, not so predictible as we could think. Ryan Gosling sometimes looks like the impassive main character in ‘Drive’, others he is questioning everything, looking for answers, there is a dialogue inside him. You can buy his coat at Amazon.
Lieutenant Joshi, I didn´t expect to see Robin Wright in this kind of paper, represents the arrogance of human nature. I think it is a change in the roles she has played as an actress, I mean, she is not the bad girl, but looks like. In fact, she is a human, but when you see the film you are in the machine side of the story.
There is Niander Wallace (Jared Leto), an improved human, a kind of scientist guru, reminds me of the Matrix architect. I am struck by his apparent lack of malice. He is got this vision performance, well played!
Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), very brave the scene of shooting with the music of Elvis Presley. Also when two androids are drinking whiskey while listening to Frank Sinatra. Two or just one? That´s the question.
For the others characters, as said, I don´t like Luv (Sylvia Hoeks), she should have been darker.
The film has an 8.6 at IMDB and a 7.5 at FilmAffinity. Whether you like it or not it´s up to you. Also, you should see the official short films already launched.
