Film Review: Blade Runner

Director: Ridley Scott

A 1982 American Science Fiction film that despite indifferent reviews on release, became a huge hit as many discussed the more subtle questions around the improvements in technology to the detriment of society and the issue of being human. The screenplay, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, is loosely based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. Blade Runner has many different versions as the original featured a much parodied narration by Harrison Ford as Rick Dekard but subsequent releases took this out and also changed the ending.

Downtown Los Angeles in 2019

Retired Police Officer Rick Dekard (Harrison Ford) is forced to meet his former supervisor to return as a blade runner to catch four bio mechanical beings known as replicants. The plan is to find them and "retire" them (basically kill them) as they are no longer allowed on Earth. The Voight-Kampff test is performed to try and promote an emotional response from the subject to prove whether they are human or not. The film continues with the theme of what it means to be human throughout.

The main criticisms of the original release of the film was the narration and poor choice of ending which were both changed for this release. A bigger issue lies in the pacing of the film as after the opening scenes, which basically setup the films premise, it slows to a crawl that spends the next hour not really going anywhere before an intriguing climax. The films presents some very good ideas to consider over the course of the film but at times they are so lost amongst everything else. It feels like a film that is remembered fondly because people forget how dull it is in parts.

Rick Dekard (Harrison Ford) and Replicant Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer)

The special effects for the time were very impressive and the overall look of the film especially the downtown shots of Los Angeles are excellent. The constant stream of light shining into peoples homes and the buildings of the city show the negative effect that improved technology has had on society, along with the omni-present police and huge corporate advertisements. Harrison Ford is surprisingly off form here and is easily overshadowed by the violent yet intelligent Rutger Hauer as Roy Batty. Sci-Fi fans will be guaranteed to love this one but the rest of us may struggle.

2/4 Plot too often takes a backseat to special effects