Blade Runner: The Final Cut - I probably watched this once like 10 to 15 years ago as a teenager and haven't seen it since, outside of bits and pieces that you get from it being a pop culture feature, seen in references and reviews, and all sorts of stuff like that. With the sequel coming up, I figured it was time to go back and actually see what the movie was.
Overall, I think it's alright. I like a lot of the style, all this cyber/neo/dystopian stuff and the hilarious idea of what Los Angeles 2019 is supposed to be, but it's distinctive and you see where all the movies and anime and such were aping their style from. It's very detailed and I think that's what is best about this.
The story though, felt abit off. There were times where I didn't particularly feel like I knew what the movie was trying to get across. Everything to do with Rachel seemed almost entirely unnecessary to the movie and the sudden connection between them seemed outright abrupt...Oh, he's forcing himself on her, but she kinda reluctantly gives in, and now they are in love? Why? What does this do for the story in any way? She seemed so random.
There's also a point where it seemed like the police chief guy thanks him for the runner he killed, and says there's only one left, referring to Rachel, but ignores that there are still 2 left. I thought I maybe heard it wrong, but that's how it seemed to me.
I know there are some slightly different versions of the movie, like I thought there was one that maybe had narration, which I feel could've helped things, since the pacing feels a tad off in the movie, like when he goes to Tyrell for the first time, there's lots of shots of Deckard looking kinda confused in the cop car, going back and forth between the building and him and it seemed out of place. That and I know one version is supposed to more hint at him being a Replicant too, which would be weird, but I just have the Final Cut version since it seems to be the proper version of the movie if the Blu-Ray is also this (I bought it cheap on DVD).
Now I'm not one who always understands the philosophical workings of stories, the subtext of things and what not, like the ending I don't really get with the chinese guy and the unicorn stuff...I just don't know lol
It's a fine movie with a very interesting style and Ford and Hauer are great in it, but not sure if I'd consider this a particular favorite of mine. It'll be interesting to see what the sequel is.