Just to note, I watched the director's cut from 1992. Moving right along, I'd argue that this film is as striking now as it was upon its initial release. It's also heavily influential, which some would argue is a necessity for inclusion on this. Anyway, this Ridley Scott vehicle is carried largely by intense performances by Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer in a world now only just a shade over 10 years into the future.
At its core, Blade Runner is a detective film with dystopian sci-fi tendencies. There have been volumes written critiquing various aspects of it. So I'll mainly concern myself with talking about why I enjoy and admire it.
First, the cast: beyond Hauer and Ford, the film also features solid performances from the likes of Sean Young, Edward James Olmos (pre-BSG, kind of cool in my opinion), and Daryl Hannah. Of course, I'm also a sucker for a good story that can make you think which this film does in spades.
One thing I've always noticed about Blade Runner, and maybe it's just me, but it reminds me of Chinatown in a lot of respects. Maybe it's the seediness factor? Anyhow, it's over 25 years old and I think every few years, if you're like me, when you go back to watch it you pick up new nuances and might even be able to draw new parallels between the broader themes of the film and some of the current issues society is dealing with. Of course, this has always been something of the gift in Philip K. Dick's work but the job that Ridley Scott and company did all those years ago to bring this narrative to life on the big screen is still striking.
5 not-quite-Han-Solo's out of 5
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