By Jack Shanley
Forty years ago, Ridley Scott released one of the most captivating Sci-fi films of all time. As it approaches its 40th anniversary, I just had to give ‘Blade Runner’ another rewatch and it never fails to amaze me. It’s an extraordinary film, both beautifully crafted and visually stunning. From the amazing Score by the late genius Vangelis to the phenomenal detail in every shot, it truly is a jaw-dropping cinematic experience. Although it’s a futuristic Sci-fi film from the ‘80s, it still very much clings to the classic film noir style of the ‘40s and ‘50s. Detective Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is a masculine yet vulnerable character, a character we’ve seen multiple times throughout the ‘40s and ‘50s. ‘Blade Runner’ is influenced enormously by the film noir style and, of course, other movies such as ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, ‘Star Wars’ and probably its biggest influence, Fritz Lang’s 1927 futuristic classic ‘Metropolis’.There is still a freshness and distinctiveness in the material no matter how many times you watch it. One of the greatest elements is the spectacular visuals that suck you in, and as a viewer you can’t help but get lost in it.From the opening aerial shot of the beautiful mesmerising dream-like city, Scott has our attention, and we want to dive in there and then and explore every inch of this amazing city.However, what’s rather interesting is we never really get the chance to, for up high it looks astonishing but down low it looks like an overpopulated, run down, damp claustrophobic city. Although ‘Blade Runner’ looks amazing, it also sounds amazing. Due to the spectacular visuals you can turn down the sound and still enjoy every second.The film also delves deep into the study of the human condition and essentially questions how we live life. It truly is a science fiction masterpiece and for that I give it a score of FIVE stars. You can watch ‘Blade Runner’ on Amazon Prime or pick up the final cut version for €9.99 in Tower Records. Director: Ridley Scott – Rating: 15 – Genre: Sci-fi/Action – Run Time: 1h 57m – Language: English. For more film content please follow @movies4fanatics on Instagram.
Comments