If you take a look at the best sequels out there, you'll find that they don't spend an inordinate amount of time retreading old ground at the expense of the story. Rather, a good sequel builds off of the previous film and, if done correctly, not only reinforces the previous film's themes and message, but adds upon them in a meaningful way.
Blade Runner 2049 does this correctly, and you don't even have to have seen the original to enjoy this film.
Set thirty years after the events of the original film, Blade Runner 2049 focuses on Agent K (Ryan Gosling), a replicant blade runner tasked with hunting down old models that aren't programmed like he is, namely to obey.
He stumbles upon a mystery that threatens to unravel the status quo between humans and replicants for good, and through much detective work, he finds himself in the company of Deckard (Harrison Ford), a man living alone with the demons of his past.
What the original film did was brilliant in that it explored the human condition without preaching the right answer to our faces, rather it let us ponder the questions it posed so we could come to the conclusions ourselves.
This film also poses important questions about humanity, about what qualifies as true feeling, and what the basis for a soul is, but also explores the prospects of science and human ambition, and what happens if it is left unchecked.
These themes are explored beautifully by characters on opposite sides of the spectrum, from Jared Leto as Wallace, the man who picks up the mantle of the Tyrell Corporation, to Ana de Ames as Joi, a holographic woman who is K's companion and who longs to be more than an incorporeal image.
It cannot be denied that this film is a visual masterpiece, every bit on par with Ridley Scott's original.
What faults there are lie with the length of the film (2 hours 43 minutes, and it feels it, especially towards the end) and with the music. While powerful and evocative of the original soundtrack, for every time it conveys an emotional gut punch, there's another time where it's really only there to be a loud noise, and it can get annoying at times. A little more restraint on the horns would have been appreciated.
Nevertheless, this film has everything a film buff would want, and even if that's not you, it's definitely worth a watch as an intellectual think-piece to discuss over dinner with friends.
