Film review: Blade Runner 2049

To start off, this film might as well have been called Hans Zimmer strikes again, because the audio engineering and soundtrack was simply a masterpiece.

I enjoyed this film, a lot, it was deeply atmospheric and thrillingly complex.

However, I do feel like a lot of the audience could get lost if they are unfamiliar with the original Blade Runner.

The movie wasn't exactly the action-packed sci-fi thriller the trailers made it out to be, however, that is a very good thing.

Instead of yet another 2017 action movie, Blade Runner ends up being a complex, mind-boggling, psychological thriller.

The characters were all intriguing and Ryan Gosling does a mighty fine job as Officer K, the Blade Runner.

The majority of the film revolves around K and the discovery of his own humanity.

Without giving too much away, the narrative within this film is very personal and it closely explores the relationship between man and tool.

So if you are not a fan of films that explore deep topics or keep you guessing then this movie definitely isn't for you.

Now, the action sequences in this film are spread out but when they happen they are worth the wait.

The choreography, sound and editing all make these sequences feel very impactful, and at times nauseating.

My favourite part of this film by far was the sound, Hans Zimmer's score hit all the right notes and the film is better for it.

Every scene is deeply atmospheric because of the music, in some cases, even the most mundane moments of the film had me on the edge of my seat because the music was so intense.

My girlfriend made a very interesting comment, she said at some points it was so intense I couldn't watch.

The comment rings true because I too felt that every moment was building up to a frightening reveal.

Therein lies the brilliance of this film, you will never be comfortable while watching it, you will quite literally feel the darkness of the film's universe looming.

Despite the R13 rating I wouldn't suggest taking the kids to see this movie, for a few reasons.

Firstly, there is a lot of gore and a fair bit of nudity, however, if you and your children aren't easily offended the second reason is this film is long, and at parts, it will likely bore a younger audience.

The film clocks in at a staggering two hours and 40 mins, however, I can't think of a single part that could have been cut to make the runtime shorter.

Nearly every scene is crucial to the plot.

As it stands I expect there will be a sequel, as many questions remain unanswered and the main villain is still roaming about by the end of the film.

That being said, it also wraps up the story it was trying to tell fairly well and if there wasn't a sequel I'd still be satisfied with the resolution.

Overall, if you are a fan of the original film or complex sci-fi I would wholeheartedly recommend seeing this movie in theatres, as I doubt it would as impactful on a small screen.