Review of Blade Runner (97)

It took us two attempts to watch Blade Runner. We made it through 30 minutes on our first attempt before one of us got too tired to finish - and it wasn’t the one who fell asleep during Gone with the Wind either. Nearly a week would go by before we would have enough time to try again. And yes, we started over and watched the movie from the beginning.

Plot
Rick Deckard prowls the steel-and-microchip jungle of 21st Century Los Angeles. He's a "blade runner" stalking genetically made criminal replicants. His assignment: kill them. Their crime: wanting to be human.

Jason’s Thoughts
When the updated 100 Years… 100 Movies list was revealed, this film was one of the new entrants that took me by surprise. I had never seen Blade Runner before, but I had heard and read many great things about it. Thanks to this list, I would finally have a reason to sit down and watch it. I can honestly say that I truly wanted to love this movie, however, the whole film came across to me as mediocre at best.

Blade Runner had a great story, a great cast and a great director all going for it. The movie was hindered, though, by its very slow pace and the acting, whether it was intentional or not, didn’t seem to live up to any of the cast member’s potential. I even caught myself a few time thinking about how I’d much rather be watching Ridley Scott’s earlier work, Alien, instead of this movie.

Don’t get me wrong, as Blade Runner wasn’t horrible by any means. It could very well be a movie that has to be viewed a few times to thoroughly enjoy it, or it may have been the fact that I watched the directors cut of the movie instead of the original version. I wouldn’t mind giving it another shot after this is all said and done, but as of this moment, I have to question why this movie can possibly be considered one of the best American films of all time.

Crystal’s Thoughts
For me, Blade Runner was a huge letdown. At first, I thought that maybe I hadn’t studied the book this movie was based on (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?) as well as I had thought. Throughout the entire movie, I kept expecting something so much different. When they say the movie was “loosely” based on the book, they weren’t kidding. While I completely understand why Philip K. Dick’s novel is a classic, why this movie is on the top 100 movie list will remain a mystery to me.

I will admit, it was interesting to see back when they made this movie, how they thought the world would be in 2019. Though, that too was a disappointment. Did they really think things would deteriorate that bad? Maybe back then it was hard to imagine the future. However, the dismal way they portrayed it really stole away from the movie. Now, had they really gone above and beyond and focused in on the technological advancements we are aware of and they had to at least assume a little, this movie would be part of the 100 movie list for years to come. Maybe it’s because we are so close to 2019, and it is sad to see some thought the future would take a turn for the worst when in fact we’re years beyond some of the advancements even foreshadowed in the movie. Minus the flying scooters as transportation of course and a few other oddities that likely won’t happen in many generations to come.

All in all, it didn’t put me to sleep. And like one of the sites Jason found on this movie, it’s not your movie night, let’s chow down on some microwave popcorn kind of genre. However, if you enjoy reading to movies, the book is a much better choice. And save the movie for when you have absolutely nothing better else to do or watch, which I am guessing won’t happen for many. Don’t worry, you’re really not missing anything.

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