Blade Runner 2049 [DVD] [2017]

I picked this up because it was always being mentioned how good the video quality was. Well, although it wasn’t quite as crisp as I would have liked, it’s still very clean and sharp. As for the movie itself, I loved it! I felt like I “checked out” for almost 3 hours, and escaped life for a bit. It was a wonderful experience. The story, cinematography, and feel of this movie blew me away. It was visually stunning. The music soundtrack was also equally impressive. Highly recommend this movie!

A worthy sequel to the original Blade Runner. The cinematography is stunning, and the soundtrack will blow you away when played through a great multi-channel system. The story is cohesive, with a surprising ending. I also recommend viewing the deleted, and related videos on You Tube as it will enhance the film's story.

I have been waiting for this to come out on Blu-Ray since it was stunning in the theatre. Saw it on sale at Best Buy, and couldn't wait to get it home. Holds up pretty well on my small screen here at the house. Have watched it several times. It captures the essence of Ridley Scott's 1982 classic. Glad to have it.

This is an excellent follow up to the original Blade Runner which tie everything up, the disc is reference quality for the 4K format, perfect to showcase the capability of the highest resolution and wide color gamut

I should first say I own Blade Runner 2049 on 4K UHD and would unequivocally say that the 4K version the best way to watch it. I should also say that there are very few films I feel the need to desire to also own on 3D. BR 2049 is such an amazingly beautiful and well shot masterpiece that the 3D presentation is well worth it. Yes, many of the scenes don’t really pop, but in the bigger action sequences and especially in the city and landscape sequences, the 3D really blows you away!! I wouldn’t say it hugely advances the film, but if you’re a fan of in-Home 3D movies and want something visually captivating, this is a great title to add to your 3D collection. If you have the choice though for only one version, I would most highly recommend the 4K edition.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017) is an acquired taste, but once you get past its slow start and pacing, you’ll be riveted on its very intriguing and unique storyline. I say this because it’s extremely slow-moving, and for those who appreciate its pacing with a payoff at the end, then this film is for you. As a stand-alone film, it’s 5 stars. While I still prefer the 1982 film, this sequel can hold its own, because it’s inevitably a different film in a different era of filmmaking. I tend to dislike CGI and the bloated budgets of today, but this is a visual feast with a slow-burning plot. I will add that the sound effects are some of the best I’ve ever experienced in a film; they really create a mood and set a tone. The film really pays homage to the film noirs of the 1940’s and 50’s with all of the classic lighting and other elements of film noir. The special effects are second to none, and come across as showy, but still relevant. I give the director a lot of credit for not ‘selling out’ with this long-awaited sequel. He could’ve easily made this film fast-paced and consistent with the speed of films these days, such as the Star Trek reboots. I give him props for not succumbing to the pressures of wanting to appeal to a wider audience. I think this film came up short in money grossed because the younger crowd isn’t all that familiar with the Blade Runner canon, coupled with the fact that most people want something faster-moving these days. I think this film challenges those with short attention spans, which is a great thing, because if you get through it, you will most likely appreciate it as something refreshingly different in a fast-paced world. Overall, Blade Runner 2049 is a worthy sequel to a classic of American cinema, Blade Runner. The blu ray is really something special, with lots of special features that are interesting. Perhaps I will update this review after a few more viewings.

The long-awaited sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 science fiction masterwork, “Blade Runner” possessed me unlike any other film in 2017. As I accumulated four theatrical sojourns watching “Blade Runner 2049” I found a deeper and richer cinematic experience with each viewing, one that, to me, even surpassed the original as a work of serious art (for this is no action picture). The reason for this undoubtedly was due to Scott entrusting the great Canadian director, Denis Villeneuve (who previously made “Incendies”, “Prisoners”, “Sicario” and the previous year’s “Arrival”) to honor the original film’s world and philosophical themes while laying claim to his own vision and personal style. Taking place 30 years after Deckart and Racheal emerged from the elevator to leave the smog and overpopulation of 2019 Los Angeles, the new film follows a recent model replicant (with a normal human lifespan) called ‘K’ (played perfectly by an appropriately laconic Ryan Gosling) as he investigates a growing replicant freedom uprising to discover the remains of a once-pregnant replicant, something that leads him not only into mysterious territory in which he discovers the now reclusive Rick Deckart (Harrison Ford in one of his most subtle performances), but also leads him into a journey into his own identity. Darker and more sparse than the original, “Blade Runner 2049” goes into more nihilistic territory that becomes its own original film while respecting the original (as well as the Philip K. Dick source novel). I think this balance between honoring the original film and reaching out with its own different form to become something different, all perfectly designed and executed by Villeneuve and his crew, is arguably its greatest achievement. Of course its cynical detractors point to its length – 164 minutes – and criticize the film’s slowness, but I praise it for having the courage to allow its story to develop in a carefully measured fashion, taking the time to engulf its willing and patient viewers into its world view. I liken it to turning over one’s self to the listening of a Wagner opera like “Parsifal” in which time seems to stop as one is encompassed completely into another place, another time -- and after its long viewing I seem to awaken as if having submitted to a dream, emerging somewhat reborn and more enlightened with knowledge of the human experience. And that is really what this and the original film are really about: underneath its marvelous science fiction trappings with its state-of-the-art production design and special effects (often eschewing CGI for authentically-constructed sets and realistic miniatures), and heightened to a level of unmatched beauty by the cinematography of Roger Deakens, the film is really a thoughtful meditation on what makes us human. To me this is the most accomplished film of 2017, and one I long to experience again and again in future viewings. Unfortunately, the 3D experience on Blu-ray is slightly on the dark side and, since the company didn't think the film warranted a 7.1 Atmos track, it might be better to watch it in 2D Blu-ray. The 3D was great in the theater however, but they kind of messed this up putting it on disc.

If you love Blade Runner, this should be a no-brainer. Authentic follow-up to the original. Pace is fluid, but not what many modern or younger movie consumers are used to. Some may find the film a little obtuse, but all the information to understand the story is presented, but one may find greater understanding and appreciation through multiple viewings and study. Cinematographer Roger Deakins work is breathtaking and dovetails nicely with Jordan Cronenweth's work on the original, while expanding on the theme and accounting for changes in the environment and climate of the 2049 in the story. It's a great excuse to pick up a 4k smart TV and UHD player (which I did- see my other reviews). Extras were ok, but it's hard to touch the deluxe Blu-ray edition of Blade Runner from about 10 years ago. One thing to note: this was my first UHD 4k disc. Initially, I could not get the disc to play. After some frustration and blame toward faulty disc- a tiny, partial, finger print near the edge of the disc was the actual culprit. I would surmise that UHD discs are data dense and require extra care and are much less forgiving to smudges and debris then Blu-ray or DVD media. Keep a clean microfiber cloth nearby. I recommend this movie and purchase.