Blade Runner

Cast: Harrison Ford, Sean Young, Rutger Hauer, Daryl Hannah and William Sanderson

Director: Ridley Scott

Release Date: 1982

Running Time: 1hr 57 minutes

Genre: Sci Fi/Thriller

Rating: 15

Format: Blu-Ray

Synopsis:

A blade runner must attempt to kill four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their inventor.

Based on the 1968 novel "Do Androids dream of Electric sheep?" by Philip K. Dick. Director Ridley Scott delivers one of the most influential science fiction films of all time. Set in Los Angeles November, 2019, in a world where replicants have been bioengineered by the Tyrell Corporation to work on off world colonies. However when a few replicants led by bad guy (Hauer), escape back to Earth, Blade Runner Rick Deckard (Ford) agrees to one last assignment to help hunt them down, however during his investigations Rick meets Rachel a highly advanced experimental replicant who causes him to start questioning his motives. It's thought that "Blade Runner" and "Alien" are set in the same universe. Considering both films are directed by Ridley Scott, this shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.

Harrison Ford stars as Blade Runner (Bounty hunter) of the Los Angeles Police Department, Rick Deckard. Forced into one last assignment he reluctantly agrees when several replicants have been spotted on Earth. Ford delivers a terrific performance, there's a real sense of mystery to his character, Ford offers an excellent deadpan expression, showing very little emotion. Deckard is sent to see a Nexus 6 experimental replicant called Rachel performed terrifically by Sean Young. Replicants are found through eye recognition, after finding that Rachel is a replicant, Deckard begins to question whether he is doing the right thing by retiring replicants from Earth. Rachel, however does not know that she is replicant, believing she is human like everybody else.

Daryl Hannah stars a Prit one of the replicants who has returned to earth to find their inventor. Daryl really looks the part, futuristic and expressionless, she works wonderfully alongside William Sanderson who plays J.F Sebastian. Sebastian is a genetic designer who works for the Tyrell Corporation, not allowed to leave Earth due to suffering from Methuselah Syndrome. This sadly makes him easy pray to Pris as he shares accelerated decrepitude with the Nexus 6's replicants. The characters through out the course of the film become more and more interesting and explain more about what is really happening on Earth. Brilliantly well written.

Understanding that this film was made well before "Back to the Future" and "The Fifth Element" it really goes to show just how impressive it is. The cinematography is absolutely outstanding, really keeping in with the genre of Neo-Noir, really quite ingenious for its time. Set beautifully in a futuristic China town. The attention to detail in each and everyone building is spectacular, everytime you re-watch it, you find yourself noticing something new. The little origami animals throughout the course of the film have great significance, the eye at the beginning of the movie has great significance. Blade Runner was written to be thought provoking.

Without a doubt one of the most spectacular looking films from the early 1980's! Perfect for any hardcore Sci Fi fan.

5/5 stars