Blade Runner

Okay...so I have attempted to watch this movie before, but I wasn't quite...uhmm, there? You know...
So...I've had the tendancy to reply with a 'yes' when people ask if I've seen it, when in reality, I don't really think I could have a decent conversation about it...
Basically, it takes place around the year 2019 I believe…in this very futuristic, built up economy. The main character, Deckard, is a blade runner…someone who “retires” replicants. Replicants are these genetically engineered super humans, who mimic real humans almost perfectly. They appear to have accelerated abilities that most humans find enviable…strength, endurance etc. So, these replicants are banned from earth, and are only permitted for use on other planets for work purposes.
They are created with a four-year life span, to avoid them from developing potentially dangerous and strong emotions.
Four of these replicants have escaped to earth to confront the man who created them, about an extended life, as it seems their four-year expiry date was quickly approaching. Deckard, the best of the best when it comes to blade runners, has been pulled out of retirement to destroy these four replicants. This job takes him all over the city while he eliminates the replicants one by one, while simultaneously falling in love with a different, more complex replicant.
So this girl, this replicant, the one that Deckard falls in love with, has been built with the addition of real memories from a young girl growing up. Because of this, she isn’t aware at first that she is a replicant, and has more complex emotions than replicants normally would.
What I’m wondering is…what is the point of this four year life span if your idea of a development in the creation of replicants is giving them more complex feelings? The reason why they don’t let them live their potential life span out is fear of them accumulating too many thoughts, memories, and feelings…which, when mixed with a powerful individual could be dangerous. So, why supply a replicant with these thoughts and emotions that you’re trying to avoid them acquiring? My only thought is the fact that they can control what memories they are giving them? So, obviously they would be sure to not supply them with bitter memories…also, perhaps this was just an experiment? Actually, I know for a fact that it was an experiment, but I was under the impression that it was an experiment at the beginning of a possible movement, compared to a one time thing experiment.
I thought that the acting was decent…I’m not a huge fan of Harrison Ford…I haven’t seen him in anything that I thoroughly enjoyed…well, I think he was in Apocalypse Now…but I think he only had a small part :/ damn…I can’t even remember, that’s sad…
Anyway, no performances that stood out, but they weren’t terrible either.
I usually don’t like sci-fi movies very much…I mean, I think when they’re good, they can be really good. But on the whole, I find that they tend to always end up just being the typical ‘good vs. evil’ some spaceships, explosions…all that…
What I really liked about this movie was it had a lot more to it…it had this society totally shaped by technology…and using it to replace human beings with something that appears to lack what makes a human human…given that, it also brings up what it is to be human. A little cliché, but the creation comes back to bite the creator in the ass, and the big ‘Is Deckard a replicant?’ question.
I’d like to think so. I think that it would be neat. Although, I would assume, Deckard being this super kick ass replicant killer, that he would be aware, well, I’m sure he’s aware, that the replicants don’t have memories from before they were created because…well, they weren’t created…
And this whole inputting memories into a replicant to make them more human seems to be a new thing, so, I’m not entirely sure how it would be possible…but I think it would be neat if he was.
On the whole, I have to say I was slightly disappointed. It could be partly to the fact that this isn’t the genre of movies I tend to enjoy, I did find myself slightly bored at times, and I did have many people telling me how really great this movie was. Maybe my expectations were set too high? I’m not sure. It was definitely a good movie though.

One thing I did notice about the book though…is that the author reprinted the novel with the title Blade Runner!? (As opposed to Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?) I found that really weird…and it kinda bothered me :/
I don’t like how the author would change the name of his book…to associate it with a movie…which, ultimately is someone elses interpretation of what he’s made…right? I dunno…
I’ve seen a lot of writers try and put as much distance between their books and the films based on them as possible, and to me, that makes a whole lot more sense.


7.8/10