When I first heard a Blade Runner sequel was in the works, my initial thought was, "For the love of all that is holy, WHY?!" Blade Runner stands as a cinematic masterpiece that needs no followup story, no re-imaging, no retelling.
And yet, after seeing Blade Runner 2049 yesterday, I take it all back. Admittedly I softened my stance somewhat by seeing the various trailers that came out over the past year and the reviews of the advanced screenings. But nothing prepared me for the tour de force that greeted me yesterday.
Every frame is an absolute feast for the eyes. If Roger Deakins does not walk away with an Oscar for cinematography, there is no justice in the world. The story answers many of the questions posed by the initial film and raises enough new ones to occupy your thoughts for quite some time. Twenty four hours later 2049 is still swimming in my consciousness as probably one of the greatest sci-fi films I've seen since the original Blade Runner in 1982.
The score—written by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch and not by Vangelis—retains enough of his influence that you'd think was the composer.
IMHO, definitely worth the price of a full admission and having to put up with the today's increasingly unpleasant movie-going experience in order to appreciate it fully.
Loved it except for the last 2 minutes.