Blade Runner (Blu Ray Review)

This is the mother of all modern science fiction movies and is probably Ridley Scott's crowning achievement. He created the sci-fi/horror genre with Alien, brought the historical epic back with Gladiator, and even redefined the thriller with Thelma and Louise. Blade Runner is one of the best movies that has ever and will ever be made. It has characters you can identify with and have sympathy for, all while taking place in a world that is incredibly believable. Anyone who scoffs at this movie is an asshole because there is really no denying the quality of the movie itself. People may not like the type of movie it is or the fact that it is sci-fi but the story boils down to the base of human instinct, survival. The villains aren't evil they simply want to find a way to extend their lives so they can keep experiencing what humans take for granted everyday, life.

Blade Runner holds a special place in my heart because it is one of the only movies that I never get tired of. I never skip ahead when I watch this movie, I don't take a bathroom break, I just sit there entranced from start to finish. Roy Batty is probably my favorite villain/anti-hero of all time because of the fact he really isn't a villain at all. He is a "man" trying to find a way to outlive his predetermined lifespan and will simply do anything and go through anyone who gets in the way of his goal. There is no overarching goal to his escapades except for survival and he is not going around killing random people. He knows who to go to and  if they can't help him, then he disposes of them. He is a replicant, what else is he supposed to do, he was bred to be a soldier. In a way he fights against corporate structure and fights for the low man on the totem pole (replicants). The depth of the movie is incredible and I haven't even really mentioned Harrison Ford in this review who plays his most complicated role to date. Playing a man that has to hunt replicants for a living and having to deal with the repercussions of his job in both a mental and physical way. 

This is one my prized Blu Ray discs in my collection. The video quality is astounding, for a movie that is 30 years old it looks considerably better than 95% of movies that are put out today. The only disc that has higher quality in my collection is Drive and that is the flat out best looking movie I have ever seen. Every scene is upgraded in just the right fashion, with even the smallest detail coming to light and being able to be seen. The massive city in the movie comes to life with its Asian/American mixture and all of the futuristic tech created for the movie. The final "battle" between Deckard and Batty is fantastic not just for the action that is going on but for the smallest detail such as being able to see individual raindrops on screen. Also the iconic image of the police hovercraft set against the jumbo tron with the geisha looks remarkable. These are the small things that make all the difference when watching the movie on a high definition screen. The contrast is spot on with all the colors being done correctly and light film grain was preserved to give the movie a very cinematic feel which I love. The sound for the disc is solid for a movie of this stature and the studio that handled it did an amazing job.

Verdict


This is a MUST OWN


This is one of the best Blu Ray discs on the market currently and it will probably stay that way for some time. The video and audio quality of the movie justify the purchase of this disc. Couple that with the fact that you get an astounding 5 cuts of the film in the package it make this a remarkable deal for any price really. Grab this as soon as you can because you will not be disappointed.