Blade Runner 2049

[Chance]

Placeholder.

Discuss.

[LOKNLOD]

I've never seen the original. Should I?

[TR675]

Yes. Great movie.


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[JAD]

I've never seen the original. Should I?
Only if you want to stay friends.

[ReverendMeat]

I've never seen the original. Should I?

If you're looking to cure your insomnia then absolutely.

[Chance]

If you're looking to cure your insomnia then absolutely.

Let's not say things we can't take back.

[blues]

If you're looking to cure your insomnia then absolutely.

I'm with you. Snoozefest. Should have been renamed "Blah, Slumber"

[LOKNLOD]

I'm with you. Snoozefest. Should have been renamed "Blah, Slumber"

But did you dream of electric sheep?

[blues]

But did you dream of electric sheep?

I was too busy navel gazing.

[FPS]

No offense, but the original is sci fi for smart people who are into symbolism and like a whole lot going on than first glance. If you just watch the movie on a surface level, it is kind of a snooze fest. But if you get the ideas in the movie, especially Batty’s soliloquy at the end, it will make you want to cry at the fleeting nature of humanity (like tears, in rain).

[blues]

No offense, but the original is sci fi for smart people who are into symbolism and like a whole lot going on than first glance. If you just watch the movie on a surface level, it is kind of a snooze fest. But if you get the ideas in the movie, especially Batty’s soliloquy at the end, it will make you want to cry at the fleeting nature of humanity (like tears, in rain).

On the whole I prefer Thomas Pynchon. Guess I'm just shallow. (And no offense taken. I've never been a big science fiction guy though I've read many of the greats over the years. To each his own.)

[ReverendMeat]

No offense, but the original is sci fi for smart people who are into symbolism and like a whole lot going on than first glance. If you just watch the movie on a surface level, it is kind of a snooze fest. But if you get the ideas in the movie, especially Batty’s soliloquy at the end, it will make you want to cry at the fleeting nature of humanity (like tears, in rain).

I've tried many times and I am not physically able to stay awake for the duration of the movie. I guess I'm just too dumb for it.

[modrecoil]

Re: Original: The Director's Cut version rules. Just gets better with age.

Pretty excited about the new one. Getting overwhelmingly positive reviews. Curious about the almost entirely different crew and cast choices. I'd think Ridley Scott wouldn't trust his legacy to another director but then again, I bet he retained final cut privileges.

For those that fell asleep during Blade Runner, you'd love the 1972 version of Solaris (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solaris_(1972_film)), one of my favorite movies (and novels) of all time. ;) My wife literally passed out half a dozen times without making it to the "Intermission".

[blues]

The original "Invaders From Mars", "World Without End", "The Day The Earth Stood Still"...now those were movies. ;)

[LOKNLOD]

Hmmm, sounds like this could go either way; opposing views from folks I respect on both sides. Guess I'll have to give it a watch and try for myself.

[blues]

Hmmm, sounds like this could go either way; opposing views from folks I respect on both sides. Guess I'll have to give it a watch and try for myself.

Be prepared...

http://amphetamines.com/wp-content/uploads/dexedrine-amphetamine.jpg



:p

[s0nspark]

For those that fell asleep during Blade Runner, you'd love the 1972 version of Solaris (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solaris_(1972_film)), one of my favorite movies (and novels) of all time. ;) My wife literally passed out half a dozen times without making it to the "Intermission".

LOL - yep, that is a slow one. I actually kind of liked the Clooney “remake” too - very different but with merit.

Blade Runner 2049 better not let me down. It takes a lot to get me to the theater these days - usually just a new Bond or John Wick movie tbh - and I hate laying out the cash for trash ;-)

This one looks great, though. The three short prequels were quite good...

[orionz06]

I've never seen the original. Should I?

Unfuck yourself.


Ok, kidding. Maybe... or not.

[FPS]

I didn't get the movie at first either and thought it was total meh (THIS is the famous Blade Runner???) so I had to cheat and read about it by smarter people than me. Then I gave it a go again and every time I watch it, I love it more and more.

If you decide to watch the movie again, look for all the symbolism that has to do with sight/seeing. Then, watch it again, and see all the symbolism that has to do with the frailty of humanity. Then, creator/creation. You can just keep working through the major themes of the movie and you start seeing more and more. Then, scenes that first appeared completely weird (like all those mechanical dolls) start making sense and you see the brilliant art behind the movie and how all the themes reach a crescendo with Batty's soliloquy and death.

If you've ever seen Minority Report, the same kind of thing is going on there (but a better and more rewarding plot in my opinion).

[JAD]

https://youtu.be/kWaJCOyORvI

[s0nspark]

If you've ever seen Minority Report, the same kind of thing is going on there (but a better and more rewarding plot in my opinion).

Philip K. Dick’s works are phenomenal source material in the right hands - engaging on many levels.

[JSGlock34]

Blade Runner is an influential film - countless movies have mined it for images and ideas. If you're new to it, I'd recommend The Final Cut (https://www.amazon.com/Blade-Runner-Final-Harrison-Ford/dp/B0012PDVUS/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1507337913&sr=8-7&keywords=the+final+cut)version as the best available at this point. It is essentially a cleaned up Director's Cut.

There are real differences between the Theatrical and Director's Cuts (and it's amazing how a few seconds of footage can completely change a story). They make an interesting comparison.

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5641f690e4b07d9ae5c82879/t/56a8db6b0bfe8ea72cca8ab9/1317504056307/1000w/gaff6.jpg

[Totem Polar]

I’m a fan of the old one. Keep that in mind when I say that the new one was excellent. We saw an early showing today. It’s quite long though, so hit the head first.

[s0nspark]

I’m a fan of the old one. Keep that in mind when I say that the new one was excellent. We saw an early showing today. It’s quite long though, so hit the head first.

Great to hear ;-)

[Vinh]

Didn't remember anything about the first one. Saw 2049 tonight. Home theater enthusiasts will absolutely love the low-frequency content, crazy LFE. Beautiful film, I followed the story right up until the end, now I'm not so sure. Still have no idea about Deckard. For me, it was worth the trip just for the sound alone.

[Darth_Uno]

I saw it back when I was 15 or so and thought it sucked, and watched it again ten years later and loved it. Looking forward to seeing the new one.

[Robinson]

No offense, but the original is sci fi for smart people who are into symbolism...

Bah! It ain't nearly as good as Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. Now THERE'S some symbology.

[NETim]

Woohoo! I enjoyed that ride! They spent about a bajillion dollars on production and it looked like they got their money's worth.

I loved it.

[JAD]

Philip K. Dick’s works are phenomenal source material in the right hands - engaging on many levels.

Fruit of the same vine, as it were, includes Burroughs (kind of both of them), Burgess, the aforementioned Pynchon, and in my opinion Gibson. Any fan of one should try all flavors.

[s0nspark]

Fruit of the same vine, as it were, includes Burroughs (kind of both of them), Burgess, the aforementioned Pynchon, and in my opinion Gibson. Any fan of one should try all flavors.

Absolutely agreed...

I would also heartily recommend Ian Tregillis (http://iantregillis.com/) - his Milkweed Triptych and Alchemy Wars series are both excellent - and also Paolo Bacigalupi (http://windupstories.com/)... his is some of the most memorable fiction I've read in recent years, particularly the short story collection, Pump Six and Other Stories.

[mtnbkr]

I didn't care much for Blade Runner the first time I saw it in my mid-to-late 20s, but fell in love with the cinematography and soundtrack when I watched it again a few years later.

I saw BR 2049 yesterday and loved the cinematography as well as the "story", but felt the soundtrack was lacking a bit. It was a worthy successor to the original though.

Chris

[GardoneVT]

I think BR 2049 will be the last of its kind; meaning big budget, traditionally released movies built around exporting the human condition.

My generation and the ones following don't have time or interest in any of that,for the most part. Which is a shame as I believe there's ways films can explore human issues other mediums can't. Unfortunately, this is an age where a ten minute YouTube video holds more appeal then a three hour long Blade Runner sequel.

[Coyotesfan97]

I rewatched Blade Runner in preparation to going to see BR 2049 tomorrow. It was awesome. I’d forgotten how good it was.

[Bigguy]

I loved it. I thought they did a fantastic job of recreating the future noir of the first film in an updated way. They paid homage to the old characters and themes without falling into the deadly trap of relying solely on their own mythos.
The sound track was also fantastic in that you continually heard rifts from the Vangelis original sound track, but the music was also updated and felt comfortable in a modern movie.
They handled the characters was brilliantly. The story was a logical and believable sequel to the original.

[TR675]

Agreed. I liked it a lot. It is an intense movie. I also like Ryan Gosling; dude picks interesting roles and projects and does a good job with them.

[Coyotesfan97]

There was a change of plans so I saw it this afternoon. What a great movie! The feel is very close to the original. There were some scenes I was literally sitting on the edge of the seat. I googled and saw no after credit scene but the music playing for the credits made it worthwhile sitting through. I stayed and processed the movie.

I even saw a scene which reminded me of Soldier...

Highly recommended like see it as soon as you can!

[NEPAKevin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrZk9sSgRyQ

[Coyotesfan97]

https://youtu.be/UgsS3nhRRzQ
Wallace 2036


https://youtu.be/aZ9Os8cP_gg
Sapper 2038

[Greg]

Bah! It ain't nearly as good as Attack of the Killer Tomatoes. Now THERE'S some symbology.

If I REALLY want to piss off the wife (and help jump the gap to exwife status) I would bring home some 1950s horror turd, or a Roger Corman directed shit show. Attack of the KIller Tomatoes had her mad at me for days.

[Joe in PNG]

If I REALLY want to piss off the wife (and help jump the gap to exwife status) I would bring home some 1950s horror turd, or a Roger Corman directed shit show. Attack of the KIller Tomatoes had her mad at me for days.

As a MSTie, I have tons and tons of bad movie suggestions, but "Manos- The Hands of Fate" would be the ultimate for bad movie turd.

[Greg]

Excellent! Thanks Joe.

Sorry for the sidetrack. It's all Robinson's fault :cool:

I like the original BR but I think I prefer the Director's Cut that lacks the narration. Will certainly see the new one at some point.

To give you some idea of how infrequently I go to the theater to see a flick, the last 2 I went to were Borat and Jurassic World - so 2 in the last 10 years.

[Joe in PNG]

I'm just hoping the new BR is still showing in Australia when I head down that way this Christmas.

[ReverendMeat]

As a MSTie, I have tons and tons of bad movie suggestions, but "Manos- The Hands of Fate" would be the ultimate for bad movie turd.

If you aren't watching the MST3K version Manos is boring as hell. If you want a bad movie that's entertaining on its own merits I gotta go with Troll 2.

Anyway. Just got back from Blade Runner. Easily the best new movie I've seen in I can't remember how long. The art direction, cinematography, music, everything is just superb. And it's got, like, EMOTIONS and stuff, which the original kind of doesn't at all.

[Joe in PNG]

If you aren't watching the MST3K version Manos is boring as hell. If you want a bad movie that's entertaining on its own merits I gotta go with Troll 2.

There's entertaining bad movies- say what you will about Ed Wood as a bad director, at least his films are entertaining. Not in the way he ever intended of course.
"Zardoz" also falls into the bad but oddly fun category.

And then there's just the appallingly bad movies- the works of Coleman Francis comes to mind.

And if you haven't seen it, check out the Rifftrax Live version of "Manos". The MST crew was able to riff it a second time without repeating a single riff.

[Bodhi]

I thought it was a masterpiece. Deakins will surely, finally, receive his first Oscar for Cinemaography. Best film of 2017.

[Stephanie B]

I am going to vehemently disagree. I thought it drew a good vacuum.

They should have hired a script doctor. The movie was bloated and pretentious. It could have been cut down a good 20-30 minutes. or more, without damaging the story. Somebody should have found a color to use other than light bronze/beige. The office spaces for the Wallace Corporation were hideous.

The sound levels were atrocious. At times, it went to near-deafening for no discernible reason. I had a set of earplugs in my handbag and I used them.

[Totem Polar]

As an aside, we always bring filtering earplugs to movies. I once measured an Army recruitment commercial at 103 db with my meter before one of the various “Iron Man" movies. That’s plenty loud.

But I digress. Carry on...

[43Under]

I loved it. Probably the best movie I've seen in the theater in a couple of years. Not without flaws, mind you, but still incredibly well-executed. A worthy sequel that was, in many ways, better than the original. This Villeneuve guy has been on a roll!

[nalesq]

I thought it was a decent sequel and enjoyed the production. The set dressing, cinematography, soundtrack, etc, was outstanding and respectful of the original without being slavish to it.

However, unlike in the original BR, the villains in 2049 were prosaically and boringly psychotic in a way that made no sense. There were also some strange plot holes. I could explain further but don’t want to spoil it for folks who haven’t watched it, because in spite of my reservations, I still think it’s worth watching.


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[olstyn]

As a MSTie, I have tons and tons of bad movie suggestions, but "Manos- The Hands of Fate" would be the ultimate for bad movie turd.

Feeders 2 (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0366436/?ref_=nv_sr_1) gives it some stiff competition. :)

Regarding BR2049, I still need to see it; it's good to hear that most people seem to think it lives up to the original.

[Joe in PNG]

Feeders 2 (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0366436/?ref_=nv_sr_1) gives it some stiff competition. :)

Regarding BR2049, I still need to see it; it's good to hear that most people seem to think it lives up to the original.

I don't watch bad movies without the support of Joel (or Mike) and the Bots.

[olstyn]

I don't watch bad movies without the support of Joel (or Mike) and the Bots.

Oh believe me, I didn't do it on purpose. It was 99.9% the fault of a friend who, for some still unknown reason, had a copy of it.

[Joe in PNG]

Oh believe me, I didn't do it on purpose. It was 99.9% the fault of a friend who, for some still unknown reason, had a copy of it.

That's hardcore, dude.

[john c]

How "Rated R" is this movie? I'd like to take my 12 year old son to see it, but am unsure of how much sex, nudity, etc is in the movie. Is it okay for a 12 year old who's into sci fi?

[Coyotesfan97]

Not a lot of nudity and one sex scene that isn’t too graphic IIRC

[GardoneVT]

How "Rated R" is this movie? I'd like to take my 12 year old son to see it, but am unsure of how much sex, nudity, etc is in the movie. Is it okay for a 12 year old who's into sci fi?

Nyet,comrade. Lots of nudity ,although it's mostly the incidental variety.

[Thy.Will.Be.Done]

I will


Agreed. I liked it a lot. It is an intense movie. I also like Ryan Gosling; dude picks interesting roles and projects and does a good job with them.

Every movie of his I see makes me more of a fan of his work, I used to be pretty meh about his stuff until I saw "The Place Beyond The Pines"... flat out awesome movie in every way. Another one after that I was really a big fan of was "The Nice Guys", which is a comedy that I was surprised to see him playing a lead role. The fact alone that he has a lead role in Blade Runner 2049 makes it a must see for me, let alone the fact that I am a huge fan of the original Blade Runner Director's Cut.

It actually wasn't until I went back and watched the Director's Cut with commentary from Ridley Scott regarding all the details of the plot and trouble they went to in production that I could really appreciate the movie. Kinda reminds me of how often I have been introduced to something like certain music or artwork and at the time have little to no appreciation for it. Then some time and experiences later in life seeing/hearing the same you are now a huge fan of the work... seems like many things I have said I hated and would never own have turned around 100% in time.

Case in point, when I was getting into Heckler & Koch pistols a while back... I was pretty much only interested in the 'modern' designed ergo wonder pistols they had. I hated the way the USP's looked like about as ergonomic as a brick, the P2000 I was just indifferent to... could take it or leave it. Some time later once I actually got on the HKPro forum and started listening to all these people saying P2000 or USP/Compact were their favorite pistols made me wonder if I was missing something.... it turns out I was in fact missing the big picture due to looking at things within a vacuum.

I always figured these would be a problem for my small hands, so I went to LGS and started handling all their H&K's... damned if I wasn't most drawn to the USP and USP Compact with the P2000 being a close second to the USP's. After having cycled through many of the H&K lineup since getting the bug (P30, P30SK, P30L, P2000SK, USP Compact), I can honestly say that the pistol I had literally said to myself I'd never own... is now my favorite pistol in the USP 40. The pistol I said was too blocky and chunky for my small hands and short fingers... though I do still own P30L which I very much appreciate also.

Without a certain point of reference or perpective, it's hard to make much sense of any data/input...

[lwt16]

How "Rated R" is this movie? I'd like to take my 12 year old son to see it, but am unsure of how much sex, nudity, etc is in the movie. Is it okay for a 12 year old who's into sci fi?

A good bit of nudity......some of it related to replicants on display/entering the world.......and the rest sexual in nature. I could have done without the latter and had more combat scenes instead. The former replicant nudity stuff seemed appropriate for the story.

Female breast and rear end type nudity. Think hologram advertisements. Depending on the maturity of the 12 year old, I guess.

My wife thought it was too much also. The sex scene was where I chose to run to the john cause long movie and old bladder.

Regards.

[lwt16]

A good bit of nudity......some of it related to replicants on display/entering the world.......and the rest sexual in nature. I could have done without the latter and had more combat scenes instead. The former replicant nudity stuff seemed appropriate for the story.

Female breast and rear end type nudity. Think hologram advertisements. Depending on the maturity of the 12 year old, I guess.

My wife thought it was too much also. The sex scene was where I chose to run to the john cause long movie and old bladder.

I thought it was a good movie and I was a big fan of the original theatrical version. I found the Final cut in the clearance bin at Walmart and really miss the voice over from Ford. My wife fell asleep early on when I showed it to her (original) but aside from a few yawns, she enjoyed 2049.

But yeah, more combat between BRs and replicants would have pleased me more than T&A. And I appreciate the continued confusion as to Deckerd's true nature......real or synthetic.

Regards.

[Peally]

Very minor spoilers...

The R rating was appropriate, while not DOOM 2016 the movie it was not remotely a PG-13 level film.

I really enjoyed it, which is really saying something since I think a good 90% of films and games are mediocre. Music had nice throwbacks, the characters from the first film were appropriately used, the CGI and world design was excellent, etc. I agree the antagonists were a bit one dimensionally stupidly evil to the core versus being more nuanced and simply human though. They did well handling the Deckard replicant-or-not thing with the whole movie revolving around how it's almost impossible to tell anymore (being set at a later date than the original film).

I thought the nudity was fine, it never seemed excessive but then teh boobies don't bother me at all. IMO it would have been really out of place if it went with the hyper conservative typical "graphic murder is fine but a nipple is evil" approach.

I hate gore and unnecessary violence in movies but aside from a few scenes I wasn't bothered by it too much. YMMV, I'm probably a minority there. The encounter in the outskirts was fine. Did not enjoy the "new replicant inspection" scene at all from a narrative or concept standpoint though.



I think it's a shame we'll never see a sequel, the world is too derpy for the types of movies I enjoy to survive at all.

On a related note Manos: Hands of Fate is a brilliant MST3K episode. However like the Star Wars Holiday Special without their commentary it would be the equivalent of self-waterboarding.

[nalesq]

How "Rated R" is this movie? I'd like to take my 12 year old son to see it, but am unsure of how much sex, nudity, etc is in the movie. Is it okay for a 12 year old who's into sci fi?

I would definitely not take a 12 year old to see this. It’s not simply that there is sex and nudity - it is also that some of the contexts in which such things are shown are particularly unwholesome, e.g., murder, slavery, pornography, prostitution, etc.


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[Peally]

The world of Blade Runner is extremely fucked up on multiple levels, it's not a family movie to bring kids to.

[john c]

Thank you for the responses. I'll wait a few years to let him see it.


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[Thy.Will.Be.Done]

The world of Blade Runner is extremely fucked up on multiple levels, it's not a family movie to bring kids to.

All depends on whether you believe kids should be sheltered from these things, rather than being informed of how fucked up the world is.

[Peally]

All depends on whether you believe kids should be sheltered from these things, rather than being informed of how fucked up the world is.

It's a movie bro. There's less dumb ways to teach that.

Unless replicants are real...

[ReverendMeat]

How "Rated R" is this movie? I'd like to take my 12 year old son to see it, but am unsure of how much sex, nudity, etc is in the movie. Is it okay for a 12 year old who's into sci fi?

There's some T&A but nothing distasteful, any 12 year old boy would get a kick out of that. But the graphic violence, nihilism, and being 3 hours long would all make me disinclined to bring a kid.

[Stephanie B]

I think it's a shame we'll never see a sequel, the world is too derpy for the types of movies I enjoy to survive at all.A 30+/-year cycle pretty much guarantees that I'll miss Blade Runner 2079.


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[lwt16]

Well, if my wife and I are still around in 30 years, we will be pushing 80 and at least will appreciate the decibel levels instead of looking up at the speakers on the theater wall wondering if they are going to come crashing down on us.

[Lyonsgrid]

I rarely go to the movies these days. I made an exception for this one and I'm glad I did. I thought it was a brilliant film and worthy squeal on many levels.

I was introduced to Blade Runner in the mid 90's when I took a Film Studies class and the Professor was obsessed with the film. He had us write a paper on it and it's always been one of my favorites. My wife however, thinks it's total rubbish.

[Thy.Will.Be.Done]

A 30+/-year cycle pretty much guarantees that I'll miss Blade Runner 2079.


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Honestly, the way hollywood is moving expect to see many more sequels that you would never have imagined...

[GardoneVT]

A 30+/-year cycle pretty much guarantees that I'll miss Blade Runner 2079.


Given BR2049 earned $60 million in revenue against a $155 million budget, I'd not hold my breath for a sequel.

[Stephanie B]

Given BR2049 earned $60 million in revenue against a $155 million budget, I'd not hold my breath for a sequel.

Blade Runner wasn't exactly a smoking hit at the box office in the 1980s. Otherwise, there would've been a sequel a lot sooner than there was. It took this long for the filmistas to delude some studio executives into thinking that a sequel would be a money-maker.



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[43Under]

Blade Runner wasn't exactly a smoking hit at the box office in the 1980s. Otherwise, there would've been a sequel a lot sooner than there was. It took this long for the filmistas to delude some studio executives into thinking that a sequel would be a money-maker.



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Worldwide opening weekend was $90 million, and its gross world wide has now eclipsed its budget.

I'm not clamoring for a sequel to the sequel, but Hollywood has shown many times it's stupidity in reinforcing a flop. This is not a flop. Personally, I loved it.

[GardoneVT]

Worldwide opening weekend was $90 million, and its gross world wide has now eclipsed its budget.

I'm not clamoring for a sequel to the sequel, but Hollywood has shown many times it's stupidity in reinforcing a flop. This is not a flop. Personally, I loved it.

Let's not BS ourselves. The studios didn't green light a $155 million dollar budget expecting to make a profit on foreign revenue. This movie grossed just barley higher then John Wick 2 on its opening weekend despite a substantially larger budget.

Financially BR2049 was a flop,even if it did break even on foreign sales. While a cinematic and conceptual masterpiece,its not a movie accessible to mass market audiences. My generation prefers movies that are short and fun, not long commentaries on the human condition.

Films like 2001-A Space Odessey,BR1, the original Star Wars trilogies, and other old-school Sci Fi films were about exploring human philosophical issues in ways not otherwise possible in conventional society. In the 1970s and 1980s movies were the only national form of reliable content delivery.

Today we have YouTube and social media for that. Commentary on any number of social and philosophical issues are now easily accessible 24/hours a day within seconds from your favorite smartphone via any number of apps . Blade Runner 2049 depicts and questions the reality of what we define as a real relationship,among other topics. Of course I can also access a multitude of philosophy videos which do the same thing within seconds off my device.

Given those realities,I'm forced to conclude those old school movies are conceptually obselete. Hence the anemic US box office,among other issues.

[Stephanie B]

Originally Posted by Stephanie B
Blade Runner wasn't exactly a smoking hit at the box office in the 1980s. Otherwise, there would've been a sequel a lot sooner than there was. It took this long for the filmistas to delude some studio executives into thinking that a sequel would be a money-maker.Worldwide opening weekend was $90 million, and its gross world wide has now eclipsed its budget.

I'm not clamoring for a sequel to the sequel, but Hollywood has shown many times it's stupidity in reinforcing a flop. This is not a flop. Personally, I loved it.
Studio acountants are among the most creative on the planet. Probably somebody has a spreadsheet that shows that Avatar wasn't profitable.

Anyway, supposedly there is some multiple of the production budget that marks when a movie is seen as being profitable. It took the original a long time to cross over into being considered to be profitable. BR2049 has got a good distance to go, I'll bet.

[Joe in PNG]

I would imagine that BR2049 will do quite well on the home format market (download, DVD, or BR) in much the same way that the original did.

[43Under]

Let's not BS ourselves. The studios didn't green light a $155 million dollar budget expecting to make a profit on foreign revenue. This movie grossed just barley higher then John Wick 2 on its opening weekend despite a substantially larger budget.

Financially BR2049 was a flop,even if it did break even on foreign sales. While a cinematic and conceptual masterpiece,its not a movie accessible to mass market audiences. My generation prefers movies that are short and fun, not long commentaries on the human condition.

Films like 2001-A Space Odessey,BR1, the original Star Wars trilogies, and other old-school Sci Fi films were about exploring human philosophical issues in ways not otherwise possible in conventional society. In the 1970s and 1980s movies were the only national form of reliable content delivery.

Today we have YouTube and social media for that. Commentary on any number of social and philosophical issues are now easily accessible 24/hours a day within seconds from your favorite smartphone via any number of apps . Blade Runner 2049 depicts and questions the reality of what we define as a real relationship,among other topics. Of course I can also access a multitude of philosophy videos which do the same thing within seconds off my device.

Given those realities,I'm forced to conclude those old school movies are conceptually obselete. Hence the anemic US box office,among other issues.

I disagree with your final analysis. I don't think they can do as well as often, but relatively recent films that were visually stunning and fairly "deep" like "Inception" and "Interstellar" did quite well at the box office. Besides their director (Nolan) and music (Zimmer), they had something else in common: neither was a sequel. I think a lot of people are sick of sequels.

[GardoneVT]

I disagree with your final analysis. I don't think they can do as well as often, but relatively recent films that were visually stunning and fairly "deep" like "Inception" and "Interstellar" did quite well at the box office. Besides their director (Nolan) and music (Zimmer), they had something else in common: neither was a sequel. I think a lot of people are sick of sequels.

Inception and Interstellar were emotionally dry, barely comprehensible movies saved by powerful action scenes. Spacecraft and cities blowing up are cool. Layered plots and quantum interpretations of time,not so much.

[Stephanie B]

[QUOTE=GardoneVT;665381My generation prefers movies that are short and fun, not long commentaries on the human condition. [/QUOTE]

My generation prefers movies that are not so overlong as to mandate a bathroom break before the credits roll. If they're going to run three-hour movies, they can go another 15 minutes and build in an intermission.

[Thy.Will.Be.Done]

Saw it a week ago today, loved every minute... thought the plot was fantastic all the way through. It's already gone from my local theater, so glad I was able to catch it at the big screen before it went away. It was excellent, not just coming from somebody who loved the original... it was just a stellar production overall.

[Cypher]

I've never seen the original. Should I?

One of the few times I'll say that the movie was better than the book

[orionz06]

Didn't remember anything about the first one. Saw 2049 tonight. Home theater enthusiasts will absolutely love the low-frequency content, crazy LFE. Beautiful film, I followed the story right up until the end, now I'm not so sure. Still have no idea about Deckard. For me, it was worth the trip just for the sound alone.

Finally saw it Monday night. Great movie. The sound was nuts. It really contributed to the "big" feeling of the movie. Everything about it in the theater was BIG. The world, sound, visuals, etc.

[Cypher]

I went an bought a used copy of the Ultimate, Super, Duper, This time we really mean it, Director's cut of the original on DVD and watched it last weekend. It wasn't the same movie I remember. Still better than the book though

[Hemiram]

One of the few times I'll say that the movie was better than the book

I liked the book, I never thought the movie was worth much. I feel the same way about the new movie. Too long, and too boring. I didn't pay for it, or I would have been angry.