'Blade Runner 2049': An experience that cannot be afforded to miss in theatres
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When it comes to filmmaking, perfection is a myth. Only a very few directors like Kubric, Nolan ,and Spielberg, with their efforts so far, have reached/ crossed the line of perfection.
Denis Villeneuve, with the release of his new neo noir scifi, Blade runner 2049, has positioned himself in this group of perfectionists. The film shows us how perfection could be attained in every aspect of filmmaking. From the locations to the technology of a 2049 society , as depicted in the film, the filmmaker has achieved nothing less than sheer perfection.
Blade runner 2049 is a sequel to the Blade runner that was released in 1982. The film ,considered as a cult classic subsequently, was directed by Ridley Scott. Blade runner 2049, directed by Denis Villeneuve, portrays a dystopian world 30 years after the first film's incidents took place.
It follows the replicant blade runner named K (played by Ryan Gosling), who's duty is to hunt down old replicants for LAPD. While hunting down a replicant, he finds out a box buried near the area. Realising the shocking fact that replicants could get pregnant, K starts his investigation about the box and its secrets. The story of the film is by Hampton Fancher and it also discusses themes like identity crisis of artificial intelligence and their existence in the world.
There is no doubt that Villeneuve is a genius filmmaker. What he lacks is a fan-base like Nolan. But this gives him an opportunity to work without the burden of expectations. Each film he has made so far is a gem in their genre. His top works include much acclaimed Incendies (2010), Prisoners, Enemy (both released in 2013), Sicario (2015) and Arrival(2016). With this new addition, he has become one of the best directors working in the film industry today.
Villeneuve has made this film so well that he neither went for a twisted nor an emotional ending. Instead, he has picked up the perfect moment to end the film and this serves as a doorway for the viewer to ponder much on the theme of the film.
Another thing about Villeneuve films is that they are slow paced and sometimes it may feel like lagging. And there are chances that a viewer may not be able to like his works at first. But in fact, that is the beauty of his films. Most of them are like slow poison. It starts working only when the viewer finishes watching the film. Recalling and analysing what he or she experienced during the movie make the person fall in love with it. The more the viewer thinks about it, the better it seems.
There is no need to specify how beautifully Hans Zimmer and
Benjamin Wallfisch has managed to handle the music of the film. The mesmerizing yet haunting BGM takes the blade runner to the next level of theatre-experience and without it, the film wouldn't be the same ever. Roger Deakins has done cinematography marvelously that the dystopian world looks so realistic. Sometimes, the audience may feel the world in 2049 has references from Spielberg's Artificial intelligence or Luc Besson's Fifth element. Yet, Villeneuve has his own trade mark in each and every shot in the film that enables him to deliver stunning visuals with outstanding color tones.
The entire film is coloured in a dark tone (obviously, because it's a neo noir) and it gives depth to the total film viewing experience.
Though the film is 3D, it has less 3D effects in comparison to many recently released 3D films. The reason is that Villeneuve hasn't added any dedicated scenes for the sake of a 3D experience. What he has done is telling the story in a distinctive way no-one else could tell.
Regarding the casting, everyone did their role perfectly. Harrison Ford's screen presence is good and the emotional scenes in the second half have managed by him perfectly. Other casts including Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Jared Leto etc, were perfect for their roles.
Blade runner 2049 is a perfect sequel that any cult classic film could ask for. The visual aesthetical beauty of this film is much enjoyable in theatre viewing. Villeneuve once again proves that he is one of a kind director to look out for.