10.15.2005

Blade Runner


Released in 1982, Blade Runner was not a box office success, but has subsequently attained cult status. In the original release print, the main character, Rich Deckard (Harrision Ford) had voiceover narration and a somewhat happy ending. In 1992, it was re-released under the much touted "Director's Cut" concept, where one hopes to get something better. (Or at least more skin.) In this case we get something better. Gone is the voiceover narration. And the happy ending is modified. So this review reflects these changes, since it was the "Director's Cut" that made it to DVD.

Here is the opening roll-up text found at the very beginning of Blade Runner. It does an excellent job of introducing the story:

"Early in the 21st 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 used Off-world as slave labor, in the hazardous exploration and colonization 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 the penalty of death.

Special police squads - BLADE RUNNER UNITS - had orders to kill, upon detection, any trespassing Replicant.

This was not called execution.

It was called retirement."

The story takes place in the year 2019, and is set in a crowded, apocalyptic Los Angeles. The role of law-enforcement, urban sprawl, dignity for life, genetic engineering and human emotion are played out with such insight, that it is a challenge to find a film today to match the insightfulness of Blade Runner. This film came just three years after Director Ridley Scott made his very scary 1979 Aliens.

Rick Deckard is a former Blade Runner forced to re-submerge himself into the role of lawman. He is considered the only one capable of finding and destroying these robots. Is he also one of them?

This is a complex, revealing, insightful, and quite brilliant motion picture.

GetFlix rates Blade Runner: 10

10 comments:

GetFlix said...

Hey Sarah, thanks for the visit! I opened my blogger account late summer, but was such a lazy ass! I was spending most of my effort bitching over at Dlisted!

I finally sat down and posted!

Kat in da Hat said...

BLADE RUNNER???? C'mon man. Give us the good shit!

Donnie Darko, Adventures in Babysitting, Quarterback Princess....something!

GetFlix said...

Hey Kat. I just did a quick search of the films you suggested. I have seen quite a few flix in my day, but had only heard of Donnie Darko, which I do want to see.

Adventures In Babysitting looks funny, too. The QuarterBack Princess? Not so sure.

But will definately check out DD! Thanks!

GetFlix said...

Hey ffleur thanks for the nice comments. I had posted a response earlier today, but I don't see it here. I must've messed up when I published it.

Yeah, Corpse Bride is on my list of future flix. I think that's a Tim Burton film.

The Blade Runner DVD that I own is different from the original, as it does not have Deckard's narration. He does end up killing 5 of the 6 surviving replicants. But there is speculation that Deckard was also a replicant.

GetFlix said...

Hey ffleur, I am thinking he was a replicant cop, used on earth, to hunt other replicants.

The raining reflects an enviromental breakdown. And there is already a large Asian population in California, so this is reflected in the film.

GetFlix said...

Hey Vanessa, I just googled Equilibrium and it looks like a great flick. I gonna add it to my rental list.

Have you checked out The Matrix movies?

PixieGaf said...

Equilibrium is an awsome movie. Its with Christian Bale and it sort of has 'A Brave New World' feel to it.

Billie said...

I LOVE "Blad Runner", and of course we have it, on DVD. It's a Sci-Fi classic with pure class.

Unknown said...

Como quisiera que este Blog estuviera en espaƱol...

Billie said...

Great movie, and it's about time I watched it again...after the usual Christmas ones.

Gotta love Rutger Hauer in this flick, it was one of his best roles I think.