Mini Movie Review: Blade Runner (1982)

 

Blade Runner (1981)

A Mini Movie Review by Dave Randal

Plot: Deckard, a Blade Runner Unit cop, has to track down and terminate 4 Replicants who hijacked a ship in space and have returned to earth seeking their maker. 

I first saw Blade Runner around the year 2000 when I was twelve years old.  It wasn't quite what I was expecting.  It was really slow and seemed kind of long although even at twelve years old I could tell that it was a very good movie.

I should probably note that this is my first time seeing the new director's cut that was released in 2007.  That means it doesn't have any of the annoying narration that the studio made Harrison Ford do.  That is good, because the narration by Harrison Ford in previous cuts of the movie is just horrendous.  

It amazes me how well this movie holds up.  The visuals in this movie are almost flawless.  You could release a remastered version of this today and most people who had never seen it probably couldn't guess what year it was made.  The look of the city in this movie is spellbinding.  For some reason though I would have preferred Harrison Ford's costume to look a little bit more futuristic.  I get that he lives in a dystopian society, but I think it would have been interesting if he had worn pretty much the same thing with darker colors.  The brown overcoat and khaki pants just seem too bright for this movie.

There is a scene near the end where Rutger Haur's character makes a speech and it has become known as the "Tears in Rain" speech.  I kind of remember this scene as a kid, but I don't think I realized what the movie was trying to say back then.  Today listening to that same speech in the right context really makes me like this movie that much more.  It has instantly become one of my most favorite moments in film history.  It shows that this isn't just some silly fun science fiction movie about some cop chasing after some cyborgs.  It is really an interesting philosophical movie about life and death.

Dave Randal's Rating-Rock On!!!

 Learn the Randal Rating System 

Dave Randal's Star Rating-  ★★★★★(5) out of ★★★★★(5)