The World of Blade Runner

 

This interior scene is gorgeous. I ask myself what is the symbolism of red here? I can't parse it yet.


Fair warning: herein lie spoilers. Do not read it if you have not seen Blade Runner 2049.

I just rewatched Blade Runner 2049 and I think this is the first time I've started to comprehend it. I admit I had to watch a few primers on YouTube and read a couple of articles. This is exactly what I liked about the original Blade Runner from 1982, it was dense but compelling. People say the Blade Runner movies are slow, but they aren't slow like bad movies. They are slow like cerebral movies.

Some of the criticisms of the world of Blade Runner are valid. The movies are science fiction noir, and therefore the movies are somewhat dark and melancholy. Some of the female characters are not presented in the best light. The emotions are negative. The worst facets of humanity are examined.

Sorry for the low quality screen photos. I believe what I'm doing is legitimate academic criticism but I don't have time to go through a publicity department for a small blog. I can't see how this deprives a copyright holder of any value.


The lighting is dim. In comparison, I think Blade Runner had scenes with bright colors interrupting the darkness, fog, and smoke. Blade Runner 2049 is mostly hazy with muted colors all the way through. I think they could have done better, but I also wonder if it is deliberate? I haven't resolved that yet. I also wonder if the movie looks different on a different platform? I've watched it on Apple TV on an older MacBook Pro.

Like Blade Runner, the sequel has long sequences of quiet that are punctuated by sudden violence. In an era of cinema that features 15 minute battles that destroy entire downtown districts, I find this preferable. I have tired of lengthy action scenes. Sudden but brief violence seems more realistic and impactful.

Women

Polling indicates that women seem not to like Blade Runner or Blade Runner 2049, at least not as well as men. There has been much commentary on the role of women in Blade Runner 2049 (just do a quick Google search). Most of the criticism is directed at negative portrayals of female characters. The original Blade Runner featured female replicants (androids) who were attractive but dangerous.

The sequel empowers women, and there seems to have been an attempt by the filmmakers to present a spectrum of feminine roles and personalities, not all of which are positive. The story seems constructed to examine female character. The writers were men, and I believe the viewer is therefore implied to be male. This is not to say a woman couldn't enjoy the movie, but it is movie that examines humanity from a male perspective.

The artificial intelligence companion Joi personifies female compassion and empathy, but she also represents a male fantasy. 

Lieutenant Joshi is powerful and intelligent, but ruthless. She also displays fear the produces prejudice.

Luv is cunning but dangerous. She presents a serious facade that crumbles at times, with simmering emotions that break through the crust. She is a willing supporter of a replicant breeding scheme.

Freysa is a dominant leader, zealous in her pursuit of rights and empowerment for replicants. The part has little screen time but seems setup for appearances in sequels.

Ana Stelline is the architect of replicants's artificial memories, and a key to their more human qualities. She is a fundamentally sympathetic character.

The original Blade Runner 1982 lacks realistic female characters, though we must keep in mind that they are replicants, and therefore slaves. Women are mostly not present, and when present are dangerous fugitives. They are tragic figures. Two of the three women in Blade Runner 1982 are quite frankly treated like prey, though dangerous prey, like hunting a lion.

Blade Runner 2049 treats women better. There are several strong female characters, mostly replicant. They are nonetheless mostly dispensed with for one reason or another within the plot. I think the feminist commentary that the movie is chauvinistic misses its careful construction. The writer knowingly wrote chauvinism into the plot. The world of Blade Runner is a slave owning society. The chauvinism is deliberate and is meant to contribute to the fundamental questions both movies raise. What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be free? The female replicants of Blade Runner 2049 are not free.

I do not think this is true of Blade Runner 1982, which was written in a (more) male chauvinist world. The female roles presented in that movie reflect the male view of women in the late 1970s to early 1980s. I think Blade Runner 2049 was written with a mind to address chauvinism directly and it was integrated into the plot.

All of that said, I see nothing wrong with men writing a movie from a male perspective. Women write stories from a female perspective. Men can do the same.

I personally enjoyed Blade Runner 2049. Time will tell if I like it as much as the original Blade Runner from 1982.

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