Blade Runner [M]

In the early 21^st century, advanced robotics was pushed forward into the Nexus phase. A new brand of robots that were virtually identical to humans were created, known as Replicants. Unfortunately, these Replicants soon became a threat to humans as they were envious of the human life span and wanted so to be human. With the Replicants cutting human lives short, a new brand of police, known as Blade Runners, were brought in to “retire” the Replicants prowling the streets. But how can you tell who’s human and who’s not? 

It’s in The Book, kids are studying it at school, and it’s one of those films that you hear about all the time. However, after sitting down to finally watch it this Saturday morning, I can honestly say that I don’t understand what is soo epically special about this film. Yes, it had a great and original story and there was plenty of action to hold my attention, but all in all, Blade Runner is not a film that I can see myself watching again. Once is quite enough. 

"Early in the 21^st century, the Tyrell Corporation advanced Robot evolution into the Nexus phase – a being virtually identical to a human – known as a Replicant. The nexus 6 Replicants were superior in strength and agility, and at least equal in intelligence, to the genetic engineers who created them. Replicants were uses Off-World as slave labour, in the hazardous exploration and colonisation of other planets. After a bloody mutiny by a Nexus 6 combat team in an Off-World colony, Replicants were declared illegal on earth – under penalty of death. Special police squads – Blade Runner Units – had orders to shoot to kill, upon detection, any trespassing Replicant. This was not called execution. It was called retirement."

The crime of the Replicants: wanting to live longer, wanting to be human. And when a group of Nexus 6 Replicants return to Earth to track down their creator in a less-than-friendly manner, former Blade Runner, Rick Deckard, has to get back on the streets to “retire” the Replicants before they do something irrational.  But it’s been a while since Deckard has been in the game and how can you tell what’s human and what’s not? 

I think the thing that made this film so “amazing” was the futuristic setting. The film takes place in Los Angeles in 2019 and we see an Earth that is dominated by neon lights and continual acid rain. Despite the neon, it’s a pretty dim and gloomy future. 

Harrison Ford stars as Deckard and I have to say that this is the first film starring Harrison where I’ve just sat there and gone “meh”. There was nothing impressive or memorable about his performance, he was just Harrison Ford. I don’t know, I just don’t think this movie was my style. 

Starring Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, and Daryl Hannah, Blade Runner was fine for what it was, but it wasn’t all that. Backed by an original story (which the whole film relied on) and dominated by action, bloodshed, and science fiction, it’s a film you have to see at least once, but in all honesty I believe once is enough. It won’t be making it into the collection, that’s for sure.