Blade Runner - I don't get it, why is it good?

I DVR'd Blade Runner the other day to make a fourth attempt to watch this movie. I watched an hour and a half of whichever two hour version was on. I just don't get it. Why does everyone think it's so good? To me it wasn't even as entertaining as a Sat. night Syfy movie.

Have you tried watching on DVD? I can't stand to watch movies on tv, I lose interest quickly with all the commercials.

Haha--it's okay--we all have our faves and BR does not seem to agree with you. But it's hard to explain the significance; like explaining why pizza is good.

The only thing I can think of is that a lot of people saw it when it came out so nostalgia must be part of it. I'm really trying to watch the whole thing, but I just don't get why everyone likes it.

I've also always found this to be a mediocre B movie. As much as I like Ford, he always seems to be waltzing through it. The narration also is awful.

It is very polarizing. I love it myself, but I can see the flaws (some wooden acting, pacing, etc). But to me, it's about the atmosphere and how the film so dark but seems almost ethereal.

Not knowing everyone's age, I think that may have something to do with it also the time frame. For 82 at least for me it was well done. It's like the Blair Witch Project post that was up a few months ago, this person did not see it when it came out and did not understand why so many people liked it. I think as time goes on and other movies come out people's thoughts are different. Also it could be it just does not do anything for you, which is cool too. It's like watching Citizen Kane (1941), some people just don't get it, I being one of them. I watched it several times, thought it was cool but just did not see the "Whole craze" thing. It just comes down to you like what you like and dislike what you dislike.

I was 15 and my father died earlier that year.
Life and death were on my young mind, I don't know if that
is why I bonded with the film so much or not. I loved sci fi and
this was probably going to be big with me anyways.
Who was really the villian in this film? That was all sort of new to me
as well. Rachel of course is a vision, as a 15 year old male I can't
say that didn't hurt. The gun, the flying cars, Harrison Ford, the take on future LA
already felt familiar as a southern Californian, I was reading the magazines back then,
I knew it was going to be a different kind of sci fi film.


I think the film is best watched alone, at night and undisturbed.
It's atmospheric and it sets it's own pace. There's a lot of big
themes going on under the surface.

I never inteded to insult anyone, so if it was taken that way I am sorry.

Citizen Kane subject matter is of no interest to me.
So that might be the case here for Blade Runner for some.
I recognize it's importance in establishing a films narrative and
that it set a template going forward, also technological advances,
but I just don't care for stories about people like Hearst.

I believe most would say it allows us to look at ourselves and the human experience through the prism of science fiction. Films tend to work best when they completely sell you on their reality - the production design alone, which I think STILL holds up, made me suspend disbelief and become immersed in the story.

Fans of the film tend to love the visuals, the mood, the characters, and the storyline. And the props, the vehicles, the buildings. The art direction. The script.

But, it's an art film. It's not for everybody. It's paced slowly, the characters don't always do things logically and the "hero" of the piece runs away from, and cowers from the "bad guys". He shoots women in the back, etc.

Unless you see Roy Batty as the hero. Then it's a different kind of film.

But I think anybody with 12,000 + posts knows exactly why people love this film.

I don't know. I like it though... But I like movies that are a bit "off" have you seen Machine Girl? Love it! And there are not many that do.....

Am I the only one that prefers the Theatrical release over the Directors Cut? Everyone seems to hate the Harrison Ford voice-over, but I like it. I think it just adds to the noir style, like 40's detective movies.

I just love that it's a love story about robots!

Actually when I first saw it in the theater (in 1982 ) ...

I didn't like it.

But when I finally saw the director's cut, I came around. Final cut is even better.

You'll take my Tomenosuke Blaster from my cold, dead hands!

rodneyfaile said:

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Not everyone likes the same things, so I would never insult someone's taste for not liking it.
Instead, I'll just list some of my favorite aspects.

Let's start with the visual. The art direction and cinimatography are simply gorgeous. There is just so much to look at. I've seen it a million times and I still notice new things. The lighting is outstanding. Light bouncing around with lots of shadows and shapes. I think visually it is a true work of art.

The next part that jumps out at me is Vangelis' score. He captured the mood of a gritty noir detective movie and updated it to a dystopian future. Notes coincide with what is happening on screen with the visuals. He just captured the perfect sound to fit this movie at every turn.

Then there is the story. I consider it philosohical and thought provoking. It asks lots of questions. What does it mean to be human? Is a replicant human? Is it alive? How about a soul? What would it be like if you discovered you were a replicant? Roy develops empathy in the end, but is it humans who are actually losing their empathy throughout their lives?

It's a different kind of movie. Dark and brooding. It's like the Maltese Falcon in 2019. Deckard works alone, there is no team of buddies. He isn't an action hero. He gets beat up.

Is Deckard a replicant? I think so, but I guess the choice is yours. Same with the other questions above. The movie doesn't force anything down your throat. A lot of the story takes place in your own head.

I wish the noir detective movie genre would have a big resurgence.

This, this, and more this. I agree with it all.

SSgt Burton said:

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Of course everything I just said becomes utterly meaningless if you subscribe to the "Deckard is a Replicant" nonsense.

"Deckard is a replicant" is what makes it interesting, as far as I'm concerned!

Seriously tho, I always had the notion that Deckard didn't exist, moments before we see him reading the newspaper and waiting for a seat at the noodle bar.

And Deckard is anything BUT a "perfect killing machine." He's very nearly incompetent. He gets his ass kicked by Leon, Zhora, Pris and Batty.

Rachael has to save him, in fact, by shooting Leon.

Deckard gets "the shakes - bad" after all of his kills.

And don't get me started on why his job is killing them but he doesn't know the first thing about replicants. Bryant has to explain everything...

k

And Deckard is anything BUT a "perfect killing machine." He's very nearly incompetent.

Yes because these particular Replicants are the pinnacle of Man's success in creating his own image- yet in this case the Replicants have surpassed our abilities.

Deckard said he quit because he had a "belly full of killing." And given what Bryant said to Gaff about his history (the slaughterhouse line) he was a one man murder squad. At the very least he was extremely good at what he used to do (before he quit, and before the Nexus 6 models arrived). Bryant said he needed his "old magic" back.

My take is that these "machines" have become our equals both mentally and emotionally, yet we kill them with no mercy when all they want to do is continue living (Deckard doesn't hesitate to shoot an unarmed woman in the back while she flees because after all... she's not a woman; it is a machine... that is able to shed a last tear as she dies).

So yes- Deckard "was" the perfect killing machine UNTIL he was put up against the Nexus 6s, got his butt handed to him in every confrontation from Zhora through to Batty, and "should" have died were it not for one of these "machines" who he was suppose to kill, showing one of the utmost human traits; compassion.


This is what makes Blade Runner so powerful for me. However if it is simply a story about a machine being sent out to kill other machines (who don't want to be killed)... well...

Doesn't really affect us as humans much. We've simply sent another machine to do our dirty work and have learned nothing.


Kevin

Some like it and some don't.

When I saw it opening day my wife went with me and she does not normally care for sci-fi but LOVED that film.

I think her being japanese had a lot to do with that!

I can't pinpoint one reason why I love the film so much. I love the art direction, and soundtrack, and themes (like many other films), and the fact that it was a fun movie to talk about since it had so many unanswered questions...BUT, it just is that sometimes when I watch this film in a dark room at night with a head set on, I can feel totally transported to the world it is in. I also can feel like I am taking a hot shower after shoveling the driveway after a blizzard. It just feels that good to me, and I can not tell you why 100%.

Andy

No reason.

It's cult, and its the general ensemble of everything that will 'do' it for you.

You either like it, or you don't.

Sluis Van Shipyards said:

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I DVR'd Blade Runner the other day to make a fourth attempt to watch this movie. I watched an hour and a half of whichever two hour version was on. I just don't get it. Why does everyone think it's so good? To me it wasn't even as entertaining as a Sat. night Syfy movie.

While obviously everybody's entitled to their opinion, I will just interject that if you've recently DVR'd it, it's probably the version that's been on Encore or Starz. That version, which had the forced voiceovers, etc. blows compared to the far more superior director's cut IMO. That being said there are like five different versions of the movie out there.

As far as why it's great: it was a groundbreaking film that visually set the stage for sci-fi to this day, and featured that great "lived in" world that Lucas hit upon in the original trilogy. Other than that, the plot is truly interesting, philosophically -- but those points are my opinion.

I can totally understand why one wouldn't be able to understand or get Blade Runner. I for one think the film has MANY problems with it's narrative and in other ways it's characters.

One big area I honestly don't care about is the character of Deckard. I normally can follow a big jerk throughout a whole movie if their motivation is right, but Deckard comes off as a character who has no motivation for what he's doing. Why is he a Blade Runner? Why is he not interested in taking the assignment yet does so anyways when Bryant calls him little? And for the love of pete, why doesn't he call for backup when he's about to go up against two replicants when he was so easily disarmed and nearly killed by the last one?

I know many have argued that this is more about the replicants than Deckard, and I agree with that. It's just hard to invest in these replicants who because story wise, they have murdered a lot of innocents. Like where was the justification or reasoning behind murdering Sebastian? He was the one person who helped Batty and Priss.

As to whether or not Deckard is a replicant, I thought throwing in that element was kind of stupid. If Deckard is supposed to be a replicant, why does he have so much trouble dealing with other, older model replicants? He can't seem to get the job done unless he has his gun.

But for all that, I still regard this film as an "important" film that should at least be watched by those who have an interest in it. The mood, setting and feel are second to none. And unlike Prometheus that tried to sell the audience on the idea that big gray hairless handsome squidwards were the creators of life on Earth, Blade Runner sells the idea of machines being more human in a much more realistic and understanding way. Engineers creating us? That's stupid. Replicants wanting to live past their original life span? That I can see happening.

Now if only we had a complete score soundtrack release without any dialogue or sound effects..... Oh, Vangelis. You really hate me that much.