Blade Runner: Review By slysnide

Loosely based on author Philip K. Dick's novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?," Director Ridley Scott and Producer Michael Deeley deliver a philosophical cult film which questions morality and life's purpose with themes as powerful as the Bible itself.

In November 2019 the technologically advanced city of Los Angeles is seemingly ruled by the Tyrell Corporation thanks to its innovations to daily life, such as robotic animals as luxurious pets, and androids created for manual labor on distant mining worlds. But when four androids go on a murderous rampage to get back to Earth, retired cop Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is threatened out of retirement to assassinate them. Along the way however, the viewer is prone to question the morality of the characters and their motivations as the black and white scenario quickly deteriorates into a philosophical journey which taps biblical themes.

Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) is the leader of the troupe of fugitive androids whom seeks to extend their life spans--cut to a mere four years to limit independent thinking from dominating them--but anticipates more resistance to such a peaceful gambit due to the selfish nature of their very existence. Perfectly created androids with artificial intelligence whom are bred for slavery. A meaningless life with trivial benefits for the benefactors; namely their god like creator Doctor Eldon Tyrell (Joe Turkel), who created them for a world which craved them, and then slayed them with blade runners when the world loathed them. Throughout the film Batty carries himself with intimidation in his dark clothing and bleached hair like a halo on his head, whereas Tyrell is always cloaked in angelic white with dark hair. Such blatant symbolism allows the viewer to identify the themes Batty's associated with immediately, and it works ever so well with Rutger Hauer's commanding performance.

Rick Deckard on the other hand is representative of blind ambition, for he has no real personal quarrels with the androids he hunts, but goes about the job ruthlessly, taking advantage Tyrell's' latest android Rachael (Sean Young) for personal sustenance along the way; Whereas his most human moments comes from seeing the origami figurines left randomly by his partner Officer Gaff (Edward James Olmos), which leads us to question if Deckard too exists for the sustenance of the Tyrell Corporation whose power goes unchallenged in a city populated by police whom seem to enforce nothing, yet are seen everywhere. This was by far one Harrison Ford's most ambiguous performances.

With Rachael, the viewer is presented the last of the four character types, being the oblivious slave, versus Deckard's strict enforcement of Tyrell's wishes, versus Batty's rebellious attitude against the oppressive system, versus Tyrell's godlike control over everything. The visuals and effects emphasize this argument, showcasing a classic film noir world whose morals are satisfied by a system which seeks greater wealth and power for no sufficient purpose, and no regard for those forever dammed by their influence over others whom are oblivious to their power.

The only quarrel one finds with the film is its relatively slow pacing, yet there are only a few major sequences in the film, all with powerful dialogue, thus justifying the pace. Though the great gaps between characters' storylines can be slightly annoying. And one is also left with some desire to further explore the psyche of the supporting characters that are only showcased in the interrogative detective style that the storyline is presented in.

With spectacular effects by Douglas Trumbull, and symbolism mirroring the themes of John Milton's "Paradise Lost" throughout, "Blade Runner" remains one of the best sci-fi films ever made for its sheer ingenuity, excellent talent on and off camera, and its powerful themes older than living memory.