Blade Runner Vs Blade Runner 2049
advertisement
VOICE OVER: Matthew Wende
WRITTEN BY: Laura Keating
Written by Nick Spake
The Blade Runner movies are all about the business of replicant hunting, and business is good! WatchMojo presents the old versus new when it comes to the Blade Runner Movies! We'll be comparing aspects of the characters, story, and filmmaking to figure out which of these movies reigns supreme! Watch to find out what comes out on top!
Watch on WatchMojo: http://www.WatchMojo.com
Have an idea for our next video, submit your idea to our suggest page: WatchMojo.commy/suggest.php
The Blade Runner movies are all about the business of replicant hunting, and business is good! WatchMojo presents the old versus new when it comes to the Blade Runner Movies! We'll be comparing aspects of the characters, story, and filmmaking to figure out which of these movies reigns supreme! Watch to find out what comes out on top!
Watch on WatchMojo: http://www.WatchMojo.com
Have an idea for our next video, submit your idea to our suggest page: WatchMojo.commy/suggest.php
Blade Runner vs Blade Runner 2049
When it comes to cyber-noir and sweeping visions of the future, who wore it better? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be comparing the original Blade Runner to its 2017 sequel to determine which one dreams of electric sheep, and which one passes the Voight-Kampff test. Because we’ll be getting into the nitty-gritty of it, a spoiler warning is in effect.
#5: Cultural Impact
When Ridley Scott brought Blade Runner to audiences back in 1982 it blew freaking.minds. The visuals, the music, the gritty future, the fully realized world complete with cultural progression, the way the whole thing was sllooooooowwweed dooooowwwn, was such a stark change to almost every sci-fi film to date – which were predominantly fast-paced with lots of action and sparkling set pieces. While it was not a huge smash hit upon initial release, its cult status grew over time, and in 1993 it became preserved in the United States National Film Registry. The dialogue and music has been sampled more than any other 20th century film and it is thought by many critics to be one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time. Blade Runner changed the game of visual storytelling in all genres.
Blade Runner 2049 is both stunning visually and satisfying on-whole, and French Canadian director Denis Villeneuve did a brilliant job in bringing back the atmosphere and tone of the original while also expanding the world and adding new details. However, the fact that it was an extension of the first film certainly hurts its overall impact factor. A great sequel (especially since it was released 35 years after the first), it certainly did not reinvent the genre, and just did not have the same mind-blowing effect of the first one simply because it was living in the very legacy that the original provided.
WINNER: Blade Runner (1982)
Blade Runner: 1 / Blade Runner 2049: 0
#4: Visuals and Music
The visuals of the original were ground-breaking, and Ridley Scott’s vision created a world like no other on screen to that date; the music by composer Vangelis (which, as we mentioned, is incomparably sampled in other compositions) is instantly recognizable. Together they immersed the audience into the hard-boiled, cyberpunk noir in a way that was so familiar yet totally alien. The special effects were some of the most innovative ever employed, using matte paintings, multipass exposures, and using all of the practical effects available. Not only do they stand up well, but to this day they are considered some of the best ever.
In Blade Runner 2049, they were able to take that look and feel of the original and build on it. Rather than try something new, they developed the world so that it was bigger, grander, and perhaps closer to what the filmmakers had originally envisioned. With more settings than just rainy future LA, we also get a sense of the entire world of Blade Runner, thanks to stunning effects work that’s given plenty of room to breathe with the help of Roger Deakins’ incredible cinematography. It is one of those rare cases where somehow a film overtakes the original.
WINNER: Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Blade Runner: 1 / Blade Runner 2049: 1
#3: The Villains
In the original, the rogue replicants Pris, Roy, and the others act as the main antagonists, but they are more than just villains: they are complicated characters whose main objective is not conquest or the harm of others; they just want to live. They may kill in order to achieve their goals, and even be cold-blooded about their kills, but ultimately they are creations that are self-aware and (like real humans) do not want to die. This makes Deckard’s race to find and "retire" them all the more complicated. In their final conflict, Deckard is spared by the replicant leader, Roy, and it is not Deckard who offs him, but his own programming. The iconic speech Roy gives when he's powering down helped to establish Blade Runner as one of the finest and most compelling pieces of sci-fi out there.
In the sequel, the villains are part of the Wallace Corporation, the successor of the Tyrell Corporation after it went under. They make replicants and dabble in genetic research and experiments, such as cloning. Their sketchy agenda is pretty much on the table from the start: their desire is to learn how replicants might reproduce – basically so they don't have to go through the cost of making new ones, and can create a cost-efficient labor force of slaves. Niander Wallace, the creepy CEO of Wallace Corp. played by the ever on-point Jared Leto, is the quiet menace to the terrifying brutality of Sylvia Hoeks’ Luv, the Wallace Corps.’ replicant enforcer. They're nasty, but their blunt evilness is not quite as impactful as the nuanced villains of the first film.
Winner: Blade Runner (1982)
Blade Runner: 2 / Blade Runner 2049: 1
#2: The Plot
The plot of the original is slow and beautiful, zeroing in on Deckard and the rogue replicants. The story of Rachel and Deckard and their developing relationship is compelling and memorable. However, despite its linear development, at times the plot can feel hard to follow. This of course has much to do with not only the level of subtlety employed and the blessed lack of clunky exposition, but the fact that it was breaking new ground in storytelling, and developing a world that audiences were unfamiliar with all while trying to tell a compelling narrative.
In Blade Runner 2049, there are clear objectives, and the plight of the main character is more or less up-front. It retains the subtle, engaging neo-noir atmosphere of the original but raises the stakes, introducing new elements, characters, and dilemmas that go far beyond of a world-weary beat-cop on a case. It also had the advantage that the world was already developed, and while such a fact wins no points in the innovation department, it did help the filmmakers because they already had an established world to play in, and audiences because they had a familiar world to enjoy and understand. More sprawling in scope, Blade Runner 2049 is not only entertaining, but never gets lost in itself.
WINNER: Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Blade Runner: 2 / Blade Runner 2049: 2
#1: The Blade Runners
We can't really say enough about late 70s/early 80s Harrison Ford; he was killing it in every genre, and future noir was no exception! Ford's Rick Deckard is a world-weary, semi-retired cop with the Replicant Detection Division of the LAPD. He’s a quiet and complex character, made even more so when his very humanity is called into question – an intriguing query that is left open-ended at the conclusion of the movie (at least in the director’s cut), and has been debated hotly ever since. Ford was a master of subtlety in portraying the character, with his expressive eyes and commanding presence bringing so much to Deckard as his conviction to his job, his morality, and even his very humanity are called into question.
Meanwhile, Ryan Gosling’s Officer K is, in every way, mechanical. A perfect Blade Runner as well as replicant, he (almost) never fails his baseline test and has a reputation for getting the job done. However, despite his emotional journey, which drives him to the very brink and forces him to question everything he knows about himself, the character is just not as memorable as Deckard. As a true-believing Blade Runner/android, Officer K is inscrutable (a performance which in less-talented hands than Gosling’s would have been wooden), but by the same turn he lacks the essential humanity of Deckard, which lessens the connection felt by audiences. Deckard’s journey is turned outward, reevaluating society and his role in it, while K’s is turned inward, a personal emotional struggle which makes for good storytelling but blunts empathetic audience impact.
WINNER: Blade Runner (1982)
Blade Runner: 3 / Blade Runner 2049: 2
Passing the Voight-Kampff with 3-2 results, the original Blade Runner is the winner.
Do you agree with our choice, or should our opinion be lost in time like tears in rain? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to WatchMojo for more thought-provoking versus battles.
When it comes to cyber-noir and sweeping visions of the future, who wore it better? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be comparing the original Blade Runner to its 2017 sequel to determine which one dreams of electric sheep, and which one passes the Voight-Kampff test. Because we’ll be getting into the nitty-gritty of it, a spoiler warning is in effect.
#5: Cultural Impact
When Ridley Scott brought Blade Runner to audiences back in 1982 it blew freaking.minds. The visuals, the music, the gritty future, the fully realized world complete with cultural progression, the way the whole thing was sllooooooowwweed dooooowwwn, was such a stark change to almost every sci-fi film to date – which were predominantly fast-paced with lots of action and sparkling set pieces. While it was not a huge smash hit upon initial release, its cult status grew over time, and in 1993 it became preserved in the United States National Film Registry. The dialogue and music has been sampled more than any other 20th century film and it is thought by many critics to be one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time. Blade Runner changed the game of visual storytelling in all genres.
Blade Runner 2049 is both stunning visually and satisfying on-whole, and French Canadian director Denis Villeneuve did a brilliant job in bringing back the atmosphere and tone of the original while also expanding the world and adding new details. However, the fact that it was an extension of the first film certainly hurts its overall impact factor. A great sequel (especially since it was released 35 years after the first), it certainly did not reinvent the genre, and just did not have the same mind-blowing effect of the first one simply because it was living in the very legacy that the original provided.
WINNER: Blade Runner (1982)
Blade Runner: 1 / Blade Runner 2049: 0
#4: Visuals and Music
The visuals of the original were ground-breaking, and Ridley Scott’s vision created a world like no other on screen to that date; the music by composer Vangelis (which, as we mentioned, is incomparably sampled in other compositions) is instantly recognizable. Together they immersed the audience into the hard-boiled, cyberpunk noir in a way that was so familiar yet totally alien. The special effects were some of the most innovative ever employed, using matte paintings, multipass exposures, and using all of the practical effects available. Not only do they stand up well, but to this day they are considered some of the best ever.
In Blade Runner 2049, they were able to take that look and feel of the original and build on it. Rather than try something new, they developed the world so that it was bigger, grander, and perhaps closer to what the filmmakers had originally envisioned. With more settings than just rainy future LA, we also get a sense of the entire world of Blade Runner, thanks to stunning effects work that’s given plenty of room to breathe with the help of Roger Deakins’ incredible cinematography. It is one of those rare cases where somehow a film overtakes the original.
WINNER: Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Blade Runner: 1 / Blade Runner 2049: 1
#3: The Villains
In the original, the rogue replicants Pris, Roy, and the others act as the main antagonists, but they are more than just villains: they are complicated characters whose main objective is not conquest or the harm of others; they just want to live. They may kill in order to achieve their goals, and even be cold-blooded about their kills, but ultimately they are creations that are self-aware and (like real humans) do not want to die. This makes Deckard’s race to find and "retire" them all the more complicated. In their final conflict, Deckard is spared by the replicant leader, Roy, and it is not Deckard who offs him, but his own programming. The iconic speech Roy gives when he's powering down helped to establish Blade Runner as one of the finest and most compelling pieces of sci-fi out there.
In the sequel, the villains are part of the Wallace Corporation, the successor of the Tyrell Corporation after it went under. They make replicants and dabble in genetic research and experiments, such as cloning. Their sketchy agenda is pretty much on the table from the start: their desire is to learn how replicants might reproduce – basically so they don't have to go through the cost of making new ones, and can create a cost-efficient labor force of slaves. Niander Wallace, the creepy CEO of Wallace Corp. played by the ever on-point Jared Leto, is the quiet menace to the terrifying brutality of Sylvia Hoeks’ Luv, the Wallace Corps.’ replicant enforcer. They're nasty, but their blunt evilness is not quite as impactful as the nuanced villains of the first film.
Winner: Blade Runner (1982)
Blade Runner: 2 / Blade Runner 2049: 1
#2: The Plot
The plot of the original is slow and beautiful, zeroing in on Deckard and the rogue replicants. The story of Rachel and Deckard and their developing relationship is compelling and memorable. However, despite its linear development, at times the plot can feel hard to follow. This of course has much to do with not only the level of subtlety employed and the blessed lack of clunky exposition, but the fact that it was breaking new ground in storytelling, and developing a world that audiences were unfamiliar with all while trying to tell a compelling narrative.
In Blade Runner 2049, there are clear objectives, and the plight of the main character is more or less up-front. It retains the subtle, engaging neo-noir atmosphere of the original but raises the stakes, introducing new elements, characters, and dilemmas that go far beyond of a world-weary beat-cop on a case. It also had the advantage that the world was already developed, and while such a fact wins no points in the innovation department, it did help the filmmakers because they already had an established world to play in, and audiences because they had a familiar world to enjoy and understand. More sprawling in scope, Blade Runner 2049 is not only entertaining, but never gets lost in itself.
WINNER: Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Blade Runner: 2 / Blade Runner 2049: 2
#1: The Blade Runners
We can't really say enough about late 70s/early 80s Harrison Ford; he was killing it in every genre, and future noir was no exception! Ford's Rick Deckard is a world-weary, semi-retired cop with the Replicant Detection Division of the LAPD. He’s a quiet and complex character, made even more so when his very humanity is called into question – an intriguing query that is left open-ended at the conclusion of the movie (at least in the director’s cut), and has been debated hotly ever since. Ford was a master of subtlety in portraying the character, with his expressive eyes and commanding presence bringing so much to Deckard as his conviction to his job, his morality, and even his very humanity are called into question.
Meanwhile, Ryan Gosling’s Officer K is, in every way, mechanical. A perfect Blade Runner as well as replicant, he (almost) never fails his baseline test and has a reputation for getting the job done. However, despite his emotional journey, which drives him to the very brink and forces him to question everything he knows about himself, the character is just not as memorable as Deckard. As a true-believing Blade Runner/android, Officer K is inscrutable (a performance which in less-talented hands than Gosling’s would have been wooden), but by the same turn he lacks the essential humanity of Deckard, which lessens the connection felt by audiences. Deckard’s journey is turned outward, reevaluating society and his role in it, while K’s is turned inward, a personal emotional struggle which makes for good storytelling but blunts empathetic audience impact.
WINNER: Blade Runner (1982)
Blade Runner: 3 / Blade Runner 2049: 2
Passing the Voight-Kampff with 3-2 results, the original Blade Runner is the winner.
Do you agree with our choice, or should our opinion be lost in time like tears in rain? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to WatchMojo for more thought-provoking versus battles.
