40 Years Later: Blade Runner

Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young
Running time: 117 minutes

Four decades ago, the second-best film in the Blade Runner series was released… Sike! Picking a favourite between Ridley Scott’s 1982 masterpiece, Blade Runner, and Denis Villeneueve’s 2017 masterpiece, Blade Runner 2049, is nearly impossible - mainly because, you know, they’re both masterpieces. But Scott’s original was ultimately a game-changer, a true work of art that redefined a genre of cinema for good. Weird, audacious and full of iconic moments, it remains one of Hollywood’s finest ever products. 

Loosely built from Philip K. Dick’s trippy 1960s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, it is, however, easy to see why this movie was under-appreciated upon its release. Featuring replicants, Voight-Kampff tests and absurd animatronics, this is a singularly strange film in so many ways. There are bold swings that had never been seen before, and it’s understandable that some failed to land with paying audiences. 

But, damn, if you’re on board with this, you are in for one hell of a ride. The surrealness is, for the most part, mesmerising, engulfing the audience in this never-before-seen dystopian world. The set-building is phenomenal, with production designer Lawrence G. Paull and his crew creating a claustrophobic, smog-filled and downright grimy setting for these characters to live in, and the consistently unsettling score helps to establish an atmosphere of menace and unease.

The themes explored within this universe are impressively poignant, throwing up philosophical conundrums with a subtlety and nuance that isn’t always associated with this genre of cinema. From the exploration of just how intelligent artificial intelligence could become - do robots have the capacity to become almost human? - to the deep religious undertones dotted throughout the movie, Blade Runner’s motifs have shaped science-fiction storytelling to various degrees in the forty years since - and have sparked countless debates and musings in that time, too. 

Yet it is the characters within this world - and the performances from the stars behind them - that are perhaps most impactful. Harrison Ford is in fine form in the lead role, ditching his Han Solo-esque charm and wit for a more serious, introspective display that emphasises the emptiness of Rick Deckard’s existence. Sean Young puts in a layered, multi-dimensional performance to elevate what could easily have been a shallow and one-dimensional character. And Rutger Hauer’s Roy Batty remains one of the most remarkable on-screen antagonists of all time, with the Dutchman’s wonderfully complex display encapsulating the peculiarity and intensity that has made Blade Runner so iconic. Hauer’s “Tears in Rain” monologue is a masterclass in acting, a mind-blowing minute of cinema that ultimately defined his lengthy career, and it only gets more impressive with each subsequent watch. 

So, while Blade Runner may have notoriously bombed at the box office in 1982, it is clear to see why it’s become a cult classic in the four decades since. Its boldness, audacity and one-of-a-kind world-building leave its mark on the viewer long after the credits roll, and iconic scenes, concepts and lines of dialogue have influenced countless sci-fi projects since. Like its long-awaited sequel, this is a true masterpiece - good luck picking a favourite between the two. 

Did you know? Director Sir Ridley Scott regards this movie as probably his most personal and complete movie