Blade Runner [Director's Cut]

Rating:
Summary: original theatrical release is far better
Review: No matter whether this is what Ridley Scott or Harrison Ford wanted, the original theatrical release is far better. The film noir detective style narration is what gives the film all its atmosphere. This film although still good, loses a lot of impact without it. I dont care either way on the ending sequence between this one and the original. I will be awaiting the special edition with both versions of the film, if they ever cut through the legal red tape and get it out.

Rating:
Summary: A drearyt B-grade flick that doesn't deserve any shelfspace
Review: Blade Runner starts out slow and dreary, and ends with a depressing killing spree, knee-deep in moral (and storytelling) ambiguity. The film depicts a society where value of human life is very low. The technical gimmick of this film is the use of made-to-order disposable human laborers (with built in expiration dates). When there's a sensitive or dangerous job to be done--make a few slaves, give them the memories and training they need to do the job, and dump them in the recycle when the job is done. But what if they want more out of life... or just a few more years of it? This film is not exactly family viewing, and it's too nasty to keep in my collection.

Rating:
Summary: Visionary
Review: Dystopian views of the future are often so dark and dreary that they actually discourage interest or fascination in the new world they predict. While they may sometimes be amazing to behold, they are disturbingly unwatchable, even to the ultimate pessimist. The world of Bladerunner is hardly a happy or desirable one, but it is so ingrained in its tech noir background, it is absolutely impossible to turn away. The actual characters and story, as engaging as they are, are almost lost in the wonderful visual environment that director Ridley Scott and friends managed to put on the screen. It is really an amazing thing to see, and the world of the future presents a whole new host of moral challenges that make for a wonderful movie.

Bladerunner is the nom de guerre for the special police of Los Angeles circa 2019, assigned with the elimination of the so called Replicants, genetically altered slave humans who have been outlawed on Earth. Four of these semi-human creations have made it to Earth, and it is up to Rick Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, to kill these creatures. The leader of the replicants is a special military model, a role consumed in a horrifying manner by Rutger Hauer. These human creations have a goal of their own in mind, as their biological clock is quickly ticking, per human designs. They are willing to take desperate measures in pursuit of simple life, a chance to avoid death just a little more than usual. Deckard is a man consumed and disturbed, as he begins to question his own life and mission, falling in love with a being he has been taught to hate. The amount of themes the movie touches on, such as the value of life, the relationship between son and father, and the nature of human freedom, are all intricate parts of these mind blowing movie. The conclusion creates a stunning duel between Hauer and Ford, that poses more questions than it answers.

First, the visuals of this movie are way ahead of their time. Only at a few points did I realize that I was watching a movie 22 years old. The new edition is far better than the clunkier mass produced one, which pandered incessantly to idiotic teenagers who would never get the storyline anyway. Ford is amazing, as is Hauer. Everyone involved contributes significantly to this stunning example of what old tales can do in the world of tomorrow. It is a sci fi classic and has to be seen to be believed.

Rating:
Summary: Once upon a time in 2019
Review: Blade runner is a futurist nightmare set in L.A. in 2019.
The dark, cloudy and contaminated atmosphere , and the two billions towers surrounded of that claustrophobic gothic landscape persuades you something bad about to happen.This magnificent set inspired Tim Burton in Batman 1.
Harrison Ford is a police hired to kill an extraordinary generation of replicants , humanoids whose mission is to make the dirty work and gifted of emotive memories, but built to live just four years , who have decided to rebel.
In this frenetical search, Ford falls in love with one of them (Sean Young) and he must exterminate the other three.
Rutger Hauger is the leader of the group, and we have all along the film very smart clues; the Vermeer in the wall of a room, the sinister aspect of the city reminds us to Metropolis from Fritz Lang; and the presence of Edward J Olmos as the evil preacher; (who cares if you live?); like a leit motive musical in the story. Poignant moments in the romantic scenes and unforgettable sequences of splendid kinetic energy as the brilliant coreography fight against Darryl Hannah in the room of toys.
That ending climax final and the last dialogue Hauger-Ford are from its release in 1982 a classic.
The soundtrack from Vangelis is another important factor that adds aditional dramatic effect to the film.
Riddley Scott made his most intimate and even original film in this serious futurist scenario: and more over his other triumphs as Gladiator; Thelma and Louise and Allien 1 , this movie could remain as his masterpiece.

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie-Terrible DVD
Review: I love this movie. It's still a mystery to me how Leonard Maltin could give it one and a half stars (yet Gremlins 2 rates 3 stars?).

Unfortunately this is by far the worst video transfer I've ever seen. When I play it on my laptop, I can see the sound track! I'm no expert, but I know a shoddy production when I see it. It looks like they just slapped it together without even watching what they were doing. I haven't watched the full screen side (why would I?), but the wide screen has black not just at the top and bottom, but on the sides as well. Couldn't they have made it fit?

This piece of cinema history deserves mounds of extra features, and yet there's barely even a MENU. And that looks like it was designed by a four year old. What a waste. This could have been such a treasure!

Rating:
Summary: Read the Book!
Review: For everyone who says that they don't know what's going on in this fantastic scifi classic, you must also read the book that inspired the movie--I'm sure it's available here at Amazon. It's titled:"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Phillip K. Dick.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Ridley Scott
Review: Someday he'll be Sir Ridley, no doubt, but now he's just Tony Scott's big brother. Blade Runner is one of better movies made either of the science fiction genre or of the noir mystery genre, or both. I imagine of the science fiction-mystery noir genre it may be the only one.

It is a thinking persons movie because it doesn't leave all the questions answered. Is Sean Young a Replicant? Is Harrison Ford a Replicant? Is there a secondary or tertiary meaning in Rutger Hauer's escaped Replicant that is not dissimilar to Pierre Boulle's "Planet of the Apes?"

That Ford argued with Scott on the emphasis of "to be or not to be" regarding his role as a/the 'blade runner' along with the silly voiceover about which art regrettably had to bow to money has given the story of the movie almost as much interest as the story.

All characters are well played; the movie is stark and surreal; highly recommended. Larry Scantlebury

Rating:
Summary: Good Athmosphere.
Review: I liked the bleak athmosphere of 'Blade Runner'. Although, after a while, I began to wonder why it was raining so much in Los Angeles and the city was taken over by orientals. Nonetheless, it is an entertaining story about a cop who is out to kill androids. That is pretty much the story, but it is told in a very elegant way.

Rating:
Summary: Futuristic Art
Review: Ridley Scott is a director among the highest caliber and I have been a fan of his for quite some time. I love the original "Alien" and his fantasy film "Legend." "Gladiator" was another good film with a strong visual sense with rich performances (especially by Oliver Reed, in his final role) and grand production design. For some strange reason, I hadn't seen "Blade Runner" until this year. It's a film that didn't do particularly well upon its release in 1982 (especially since the director's cut is ten times better), but has had a cult following since then. Hell, I'm a fan of cult films, too. As you might have come across my "Dragonslayer" review, I love a film because the film is good, not because it won so many academy awards.

Anyways, "Blade Runner" is set in the 21st century in a bleak Los Angeles. By this time, there are several Earth colonies and mankind has ventured forth with only the poor and the helpless staying behind on Earth. Mankind also invented "replicants," machines made to look human and only have a four-year lifespan. Harrison Ford stars as Rick Deckard, a "blade runner" (assigned to terminate replicants) who must battle with four replicants (played by Rutger Hauer, Daryl Hannah, Brion James, and Joanna Cassidy) who have killed an entire ship and escaped to Earth. Rutger Hauer plays their leader and the so-called "prodigal son" that was meant to be the toughest replicant. Deckard discovers another one named Rachael (Sean Young) that is VERY close to being human (in other words, she can't be detected easily. She required 100+ tests to figure out if she was a replicant.). Deckard does as he is ordered, but finds himself falling for Rachael, and the other replicants simply went back to Earth to increase their longevity.

The film has an OUTSTANDING visual style, but that is to be expected of Ridley Scott. I loved his fantasy look for "Legend" and here he brings out not your every day-sunny day California. This is bleak, dark, and very much in the film-noir fashion. Plus, the music score by the great Vangelis ("Chariots of Fire") is excellent, with melodic saxophone moments and at other times in a hyperdrive electronic fashion like the end titles. The only thing I could 'probably' degrade the film for is that you find yourself not connecting with the characters. The best way to describe them is that they're vague. Then again, the film's focus is not entirely on the characters.

At first, I found myself with a lot of people (including Leonard Maltin, who I think misses the point...) who didn't like the film because it was hard to follow. After watching it a second time, I caught on more of what it was about. It's a movie that'll take some growing used to (it has a brooding pace that might not be appealing to today's viewers who are used to "cut, cut, cut" action).

Do I recommend this? While I found myself loving the film in the end, it's not one to instantly get into. The deep philosophical notion here is that life is precious, and we humans tend to see humanity in ONLY humanity. Here, we have a lot of people, not just replicants, who are poor, hungry, handicapped, and what the like. Humanity's disservice to humanity, and even the replicants have humanity in them (near the end, Rutger Hauer gives a very compelling speech about his own death.). Once I figured out the message of the film, I loved it all the more. To the sci-fi enthusiast, I definitely recommend it. Others might not have any desire to see it. On the other hand, I highly recommend that a second viewing be applied, for it took me two viewings to analyze it.

PROS: Grand visual style, Compelling story and message, Excellent music score, Astonishing production design, Dark ending.

CONS: Characters are somewhat undefined, Film requires two or more viewings which might turn off the casual viewer.

To sum it all up, this is a great art film that must be seen to believed. Watch with care; you might dislike it at first, but it'll grow on you the second time around.

Rating:
Summary: Masterpiece
Review: As a teacher assigned to 'teach' this film to my 17-18 year old students i am astonished at their regularly nonplussed, or otherwise indifferent reaction to this movie. The movie is truly a classic of titanic proportions. Rutger Hauer's final lines in the movie are rivalled only by Sheen's closing remarks in Platoon. The desperate, 'film noir', atmosphere of the film is delectable. The dialogue is superb. Ah the joy...