Film Review: Thin Story a Contrast to Visuals of ‘Blade Runner 2049’

CHICAGO – It comes down to compelling an audience with a story riff that’s a hook. “Blade Runner 2049” doesn’t possess either the riff or the hook, but what it does do is create a dystopian world that is beautiful in its bleakness, and unsettlingly weird in its twists and turns.

Rating: 3.0/5.0

Ryan Gosling takes the torch as the main character, who in 1982 was Harrison Ford – returning as Rick Dekard – and they both frolic in a future world that is wilder, more graphic and more unhinged than its predecessor… which was cutting edge back in 1982. Again, with the seemingly infinite possibilities on the digital palette, a film can be anything now, anything apparently but connective and accessible. The story in this Blade Runner is barely there, content to float on predictable situations that could barely pass a TV drama test. If you love production design, “Blade Runner 2049” is cool enough and weird enough to satisfy. If you’re into the storytelling of science fiction, the film may be more anticipation than delivery.

Officer K (Ryan Gosling) is a Blade Runner, a future cop whose assignment is to hunt down rogue “replicants” (humanoid machines) and destroy them. One such assignment, a raid of a remote farm, opens up a Pandora’s Box of mystery. The replicant there is discovered, but not before it reveals a witnessing of a miracle.

Eventually K is chastised by his superior, Lt. Joshi (Robin Wright), for getting in too deep, and realizes that he needs to find former Blade Runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) to get more answers. This is contrary to what a new industrialist (Jared Leto) is doing with the replicants, and both the police and the corporation are gunning for K and Deckard.

“Blade Runner 2049” opens everywhere on October 6th in IMAX, 3D and regular screenings. See local listings for IMAX and 3D theaters and show times. Featuring Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Jared Leto, Robin Wright, Ana de Armas and David Dastmalchian. Screenplay by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, based on characters from the book by Philip K. Dick. Directed by Denis Villeneuve. Rated “R”