MovieChat Forums > Blade Runner 2049 (2017) Discussion > The first was lightning in a bottle

The first was lightning in a bottle

posted 7 years ago by kenoh89
10 replies | jump to latest

It's success can't be replicated, because too many things happened during it's time that can't be repeated.

First, we had the 80's. a time when the sci-fi genre was transitioning to something more adult and grounded, and less fantastical. We had Ridley Scott as director, just riding off Alien's success. Ford was younger and arguably at his prime, also coming off the success of Empire Strikes back and Raiders of the Lost Ark. You had Vangelis coming off the success of Chariots of Fire, which won numerous awards, including having won an Academy Award for Best Original Score.

Now, lets look at what we got going for Blade Runner 2049:

We have our director, Denis Villeneuve, who is not coming off any recent successes, and his latest movie got snubbed big time, deservedly so, because honestly, Arrival was nothing to write home about. (Boring and pretentious AF) He hasn't proven himself to even be in the same league as Ridley Scott, not even a much older, and arguably, past his prime Ridley Scott. Jóhann Jóhannsson? Who the **** is that? I don't know any music this guy has done to that would be considered memorable. As far as I know, up until this movie, he was a nobody.

As for Ford and Gosling. Ford is way past his prime. The guy hasn't made a decent film in years. In the Force Awakens, he was riding on Nostalgia to keep the fans happy. He broke his knee on set from a prop model. The guy almost died in a plane crash just a year before that. In regards to his current acting career, he's running on life support. He hasn't driven a movie himself, since the Crystal skull. That was almost a decade ago...

Gosling? He's is still riding off his goodboy looks, since the Notebook. La La Land may have been able to swoon award critics and young female movie goers, but how many went expecting another Notebook? He has never starred in, nor driven a sci-fi movie, especially not a sci-fi classic like Blade Runner.

When you sum it all up, this movie has a higher chance of failing. I wouldn't go in expecting a similar success to Fury Road. People are just getting their hopes up for this to even be considered as entertaining.

[–] Lucky_Man 7 years ago

I don't think anybody is expecting this movie to stand up next to the original. Most fans are excited to see another foray into the dystopic neon Los Angeles of the future to watch somebody hunt robots.

I'm sure the filmmakers are skilled - and I'm sure it will be aurally and visually exciting.

The only thing I'm worried about is the foundation of a film. The script. I know Hampton Fancher is the top billed writer, whom provided the bulk of the finished script of Blade Runner (1982).
Then there is Michael Green, who is relatively untested, he's got some irons in the fire - penned the story for Alien: Covenant, and wrote the screenplay to Green Lantern, which I haven't seen.

The teaser trailer curtailed a lot of the fears I had about this project and somewhat raised my expectations. But, alas, so did the Force Awakens teaser trailer and that movie was totally derailed by a lazy script.

So let us just dig a hole to keep our expectations in and hope for the best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2uOzV4glRs

[–] benGsboat 7 years ago

Look at Arrival's awards and nominations, look at the critics and audience scores, and look at the box office. Saying it was "snubbed big time" is utterly clueless, kenoh.

[–] death-lord 7 years ago

Arrival unlike blade runner had a great script

[–] ArnoldFord (57) 7 years ago

Really?

[–] CremersAlex 7 years ago

First, we had the 80's. a time when the sci-fi genre was transitioning to something more adult and grounded, and less fantastical.

Caravan Of Courage: An Ewok Adventure is more adult?

[–] politicidal 7 years ago

See you opening weekend then!

Whatever you are, be a good one.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 7 years ago

One other part of the original's lightning: Rutger Hauer's amazing performance as Roy Batty. If you don't have a great antagonist, you don't have anything.

[–] Guitar King (4356) 7 years ago

Blade Runner's success? Are you ignorant of the fact it was a financial bomb at the US box office and there have been SIX edits of the movie attempting to fix the fundamentally flawed film?

[–] DracTarashV2 (4475) 7 years ago

The original may be my favorite film ever, so I hear you. However, I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said this new one doesn't have my interest. I'm going to appreciated for what it is/will be