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Blade Runner 2049 (Contains Spoilers!)

Started by xSilverPhinx, October 08, 2017, 04:15:21 PM

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xSilverPhinx

I have vague memories of the first film, being a young child when my father decided to watch it for the umpteenth time I decided to sit through the entire movie and watch it as well. It was different, dark and yet so colourful, all the futuristic sights seemed so intriguing and after I had finished watching the movie, constantly interrupting my father throughout to ask typical kid's questions I wondered what the world would look like in 2019. I really believed and hoped that by then flying automobiles would be widespread and easy to acquire, as I really wanted to fly one of those once I got my licence.  8)

Pity...

Anyway, fast forward almost 25 years to yesterday. I watched the sequel Blade Runner 2049 . About halfway through the movie I was thinking it was all predictable crap. The main protagonist, the replicant blade runner 'K' was on a voyage of self discovery, unearthing his own past and learning that he was the hybrid offspring between the replicant Rachael from the first movie with Harrison Ford's character, Deckard. How cliché, I thought.

Thankfully near the end we discover that K is, in fact, not. It would have been a story we've seen too many times if he had been.

I thought it was an interesting film. Anyone else watch this movie? What did you think?

(I wonder if Deckard is in fact a replicant himself, I guess perhaps we'll learn more in the sequel.)         
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Dave

Quote from: xSilverPhinx on October 08, 2017, 04:15:21 PM
I have vague memories of the first film, being a young child when my father decided to watch it for the umpteenth time I decided to sit through the entire movie and watch it as well. It was different, dark and yet so colourful, all the futuristic sights seemed so intriguing and after I had finished watching the movie, constantly interrupting my father throughout to ask typical kid's questions I wondered what the world would look like in 2019. I really believed and hoped that by then flying automobiles would be widespread and easy to acquire, as I really wanted to fly one of those once I got my licence.  8)

Pity...

Anyway, fast forward almost 25 years to yesterday. I watched the sequel Blade Runner 2049 . About halfway through the movie I was thinking it was all predictable crap. The main protagonist, the replicant blade runner 'K' was on a voyage of self discovery, unearthing his own past and learning that he was the hybrid offspring between the replicant Rachael from the first movie with Harrison Ford's character, Deckard. How cliché, I thought.

Thankfully near the end we discover that K is, in fact, not. It would have been a story we've seen too many times if he had been.

I thought it was an interesting film. Anyone else watch this movie? What did you think?

(I wonder if Deckard is in fact a replicant himself, I guess perhaps we'll learn more in the sequel.)       

I think you have just put me off it . . .

That's OK though, I have become rather fussy about which movies I watch these days. A friend raved about one that had a "female" AI (very attractive tobot body of course) and the whole thing was just another journey of morality where the (incredibly) wise AI leads the callow youth to some sort of truth.  :puke:

I inky managed about a third of it before dropping the DVD in the charity shop bag!

Still got the original "Director's cut" version and enjoyed that last time I watched it. OK, like "Soylent Green" it has a message, buf not one that is force fed to the watcher, with a large shovel, like some of the later stuff. I like to be made to think about what I am watching.
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

xSilverPhinx

Quote from: Dave on October 08, 2017, 04:31:46 PM
I think you have just put me off it . . .

That's OK though, I have become rather fussy about which movies I watch these days. A friend raved about one that had a "female" AI (very attractive tobot body of course) and the whole thing was just another journey of morality where the (incredibly) wise AI leads the callow youth to some sort of truth.  :puke:

I inky managed about a third of it before dropping the DVD in the charity shop bag!

Still got the original "Director's cut" version and enjoyed that last time I watched it. OK, like "Soylent Green" it has a message, buf not one that is force fed to the watcher, with a large shovel, like some of the later stuff. I like to be made to think about what I am watching.

Now I feel bad about writing a post you found dissuasive.  :(

While watching the movie I thought of you -- I know how much you like to read science fiction books and I wondered if you had already read the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, on which the movie in based. Now that the movie's out the book might hit the shelves again. I might pick up a copy myself, if I can find one in English.   
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Dave

#3
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on October 08, 2017, 04:41:38 PM
Quote from: Dave on October 08, 2017, 04:31:46 PM
I think you have just put me off it . . .

That's OK though, I have become rather fussy about which movies I watch these days. A friend raved about one that had a "female" AI (very attractive tobot body of course) and the whole thing was just another journey of morality where the (incredibly) wise AI leads the callow youth to some sort of truth.  :puke:

I inky managed about a third of it before dropping the DVD in the charity shop bag!

Still got the original "Director's cut" version and enjoyed that last time I watched it. OK, like "Soylent Green" it has a message, buf not one that is force fed to the watcher, with a large shovel, like some of the later stuff. I like to be made to think about what I am watching.

Now I feel bad about writing a post you found dissuasive.  :(

While watching the movie I thought of you -- I know how much you like to read science fiction books and I wondered if you had already read the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, on which the movie in based. Now that the movie's out the book might hit the shelves again. I might pick up a copy myself, if I can find one in English.

Cor, blimey, girl, read the book long before "Blade Runner" was a twinkle in Ridley Scott's eye! Bugger, it was before you were a twinkle as well I think! I feel old again . . .

And worry not that me off you put, as said I did, fussy, and choosy, I am. For eg, I enjoyed "Avatar" for its special effects and CGI rather than for its over thick coating of morality and good vs evil. For g-vs-e I really go for things like the movie, "The Crow", where even the good are pretty evil!
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

xSilverPhinx

Quote from: Dave on October 08, 2017, 05:36:19 PM
Cor, blimey, girl, read the book long before "Blade Runner" was a twinkle in Ridley Scott's eye! Bugger, it was before you were a twinkle as well I think! I feel old again . . .

And worry not that me off you put, as said I did, fussy, and choosy, I am. For eg, I enjoyed "Avatar" for its special effects and CGI rather than for its over thick coating of morality and good vs evil. For g-vs-e I really go for things like the movie, "The Crow", where even the good are pretty evil!

Cool! :grin: And would you recommend the book?

I also don't like the movies with sharp contrasts between good and evil very much -- maybe except for The Lord of the Rings, but for other reasons -- but prefer more real world interpretations in which there's a great deal of gray in between. Wholly 'good' or 'evil' characters to me seems like underdevelopment.
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Dave

Quote from: xSilverPhinx on October 08, 2017, 08:06:52 PM
Quote from: Dave on October 08, 2017, 05:36:19 PM
Cor, blimey, girl, read the book long before "Blade Runner" was a twinkle in Ridley Scott's eye! Bugger, it was before you were a twinkle as well I think! I feel old again . . .

And worry not that me off you put, as said I did, fussy, and choosy, I am. For eg, I enjoyed "Avatar" for its special effects and CGI rather than for its over thick coating of morality and good vs evil. For g-vs-e I really go for things like the movie, "The Crow", where even the good are pretty evil!

Cool! :grin: And would you recommend the book?

I also don't like the movies with sharp contrasts between good and evil very much -- maybe except for The Lord of the Rings, but for other reasons -- but prefer more real world interpretations in which there's a great deal of gray in between. Wholly 'good' or 'evil' characters to me seems like underdevelopment.

Can't really remember much of the book, "Blade Runner", as is the way of such things, did not follow it too closely. But PKD can usually be relied on to make you think a bit and I would always recommend him.

The vengeful "goody" in "The Crow" has love in his heart but sheer bloody, explosive, murder in his mind. Yeah, OK, like some real people . . . Only more so! Very, very Gothic.
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

xSilverPhinx

Quote from: Dave on October 08, 2017, 08:16:26 PM
Can't really remember much of the book, "Blade Runner", as is the way of such things, did not follow it too closely. But PKD can usually be relied on to make you think a bit and I would always recommend him.

:thumbsup:

QuoteThe vengeful "goody" in "The Crow" has love in his heart but sheer bloody, explosive, murder in his mind. Yeah, OK, like some real people . . . Only more so! Very, very Gothic.

Interesting. I've never watched that film, is your new avatar from it?
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Dave

Quote from: xSilverPhinx on October 08, 2017, 08:18:57 PM
Quote from: Dave on October 08, 2017, 08:16:26 PM
Can't really remember much of the book, "Blade Runner", as is the way of such things, did not follow it too closely. But PKD can usually be relied on to make you think a bit and I would always recommend him.

:thumbsup:

QuoteThe vengeful "goody" in "The Crow" has love in his heart but sheer bloody, explosive, murder in his mind. Yeah, OK, like some real people . . . Only more so! Very, very Gothic.
Interesting. I've never watched that film, is your new avatar from it?
Yup, he is the vengeful one.
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

Davin

I loved the first movie. I read the book about 6 years after watching it. They aver very different, but I love both because they offer something different in each. And I feel that each uses its own medium to its advantage making changes where needed but not messing with the essence. I think the book and movie are equally good.

I watched the 2049 and I loved it. It's been a while since I've seen a movie that didn't have some dumb character spelling out the plot and what the audience was supposed to be thinking just so that the audience would be tricked into thinking one thing, then get hit with the "plot twist" that is also explained by a cardboard character.

Instead we follow along with the main character who seems to be thinking and trying not to come to conclusions, but then does so in the face of so much confirming evidence. But when the plot twist happens, all that evidence is still valid, and the audience was given enough along the way to see how one could come to the wrong conclusion but still see how that evidence should have been applied.

And then on top of what I think was a great story very well told, it was well acted, gorgeous (even with all the kipple), and fits nicely into the original movie without having to retcon anything.

Anyway, I loved it. I will be watching it again, and I will be buying it.
Always question all authorities because the authority you don't question is the most dangerous... except me, never question me.

xSilverPhinx

Quote from: Davin on October 09, 2017, 07:06:24 PM
Instead we follow along with the main character who seems to be thinking and trying not to come to conclusions, but then does so in the face of so much confirming evidence. But when the plot twist happens, all that evidence is still valid, and the audience was given enough along the way to see how one could come to the wrong conclusion but still see how that evidence should have been applied.

Yeah I thought that part was cleverly done, well written. :smilenod: 

I am looking forward to the sequel. There will be a sequel, won't there? :notsure: They left so many loose ends to be concluded at a later point.
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Davin

I hope there is a sequel. And hopefully not another 30 years out.
Always question all authorities because the authority you don't question is the most dangerous... except me, never question me.

Dave

OK, I am coming back round to it. Just so long as the moral of the story is not force fed!
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

xSilverPhinx

Quote from: Dave on October 10, 2017, 09:40:44 PM
OK, I am coming back round to it. Just so long as the moral of the story is not force fed!

:grin:

I didn't see it as a morality tale, and wouldn't say that it was force fed.

The protagonist makes his own choices...and there wasn't much of a conclusion, so we don't really get to see the full effect of their consequences yet. Which is why I hope there will be a sequel before this movie becomes a remote memory. 
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Dave

Quote from: xSilverPhinx on October 10, 2017, 09:55:20 PM
Quote from: Dave on October 10, 2017, 09:40:44 PM
OK, I am coming back round to it. Just so long as the moral of the story is not force fed!

:grin:

I didn't see it as a morality tale, and wouldn't say that it was force fed.

The protagonist makes his own choices...and there wasn't much of a conclusion, so we don't really get to see the full effect of their consequences yet. Which is why I hope there will be a sequel before this movie becomes a remote memory.

Just read your first post in this thread again, Silver. It still looks a tad ambivslent but, when the price drops or "good as new" copies become avsilable I will give it a try.

I think part of the problem is that, after 50+ years of reading and watching vast volumes of sci-fi and other genres I have probably seen 98% of the standard plots, themes, twists, turns, skips, messages, morals . . . .
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

xSilverPhinx

Quote from: Dave on October 10, 2017, 10:26:33 PM
Just read your first post in this thread again, Silver. It still looks a tad ambivslent but, when the price drops or "good as new" copies become avsilable I will give it a try.

I think part of the problem is that, after 50+ years of reading and watching vast volumes of sci-fi and other genres I have probably seen 98% of the standard plots, themes, twists, turns, skips, messages, morals . . . .

You should give it a try, Dave.  :thumbsup:

The worst that can happen is you'll lose about 2hrs of your life.  :sidesmile:
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey