I will admit, when I heard that a new Blade Runner film was coming, I was both pleased and worried. I was delighted that one of my favorite films was getting a sequel, but equally, I was terrified that they would mess it up.
Fortunately, when it released, I watched it and it won me over. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’s as good as the original, but even so, that was a practically impossible task. What I think it did do, however, was apply a modern take on a franchise that deserved far more love than it had.
There were around 99 ways to get it wrong and one to get it right and, on reflection, I’m happy enough to say it got it right.
One person, however, who isn’t a fan is Rutger Hauer, star of the main antagonist Roy Batty from the original Blade Runner movie.
One of his most iconic scenes in the original film is his ‘tears in the rain monologue’. Having pursued Deckard following the death of all of his ‘friends’, Batty, the replicant, gives a monologue which shows that he is capable of mercy, even if his hunter wasn’t.
It is something or urban legend that Rutger Hauer improvised the scene. That is not entirely true. It’s more accurate to say that he re-wrote the dialogue into something fantastically better. Here’s the scene below and it is one of those moments of pure genius from cinema.
In a report via CNET, Hauer said: “In many ways, ‘Blade Runner’ wasn’t about the replicants, it was about what does it mean to be human? It’s like ‘E.T.’ But I’m not certain what the question was in the second ‘Blade Runner.’ It’s not a character-driven movie and there’s no humor, there’s no love, there’s no soul. You can see the homage to the original. But that’s not enough to me. I knew that wasn’t going to work. But I think it’s not important what I think.”
As much as I admire him and his performances, particularly in Blade Runner, the short answer is no. I think Blade Runner 2049 was an excellent film if, for other other reason than acting as a sequel to a cinema classic, it didn’t get it wrong.
I do understand what he means. Blade Runner 2049 doesn’t ask any big philosophical questions the original film does, but to me, that’s ok. It is the sequel I wanted, managing to build on the original without spitting all over it.
What do you think? Is Rutger Hauer right? Did you enjoy Blade Runner 2049? Have you ever seen the original? – Let us know in the comments!
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