Blade Runner 2049 [4K UHD + Blu-ray] [2017]

Product Information

Nowhere to Run (HD, 5:49) – This short was also directed by Luke Scott and gives a bit more backstory to Dave Bautista's Sapper Morton and explains why Ryan Gosling's K is looking for him at the beginning of Blade Runner 2049. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years. As well as perfectly backing up the visuals in transporting you to 2049, the sound mix recaptures the weird emotional-yet-detached atmosphere that works so brilliantly in the original Blade Runner without merely feeling like a rehash.

Watching his face when he so desperately wants to feel something for Joi, and the moment when he comes to realize that his memories about the horse are real. Whilst the score has been somewhat divisive amongst even fans of the film, with some just not feeling the oppressive overtones which often try to drown out the Vangelis-inspired core, whilst others embrace the respectful updating of score design which is perfectly in-line with Villeneuve's updating of visual aesthetic (and even the narrative design for that matter! While I think it's great that we're starting to see Dolby Vision metadata on UHD Blu-Ray now, I don't think we can say something is clearly "better" or not just because of Dolby Vision!Once that opening sequence is over and we are in some scenes driven more by dialogue and action you’ll notice great use of the Atmos (height) speakers and rear channels as K’s engine roars when he lands or later when the wind passes by. It’s handles every little sound effect perfect and throws them to the correct speaker placement throughout the film. So, fans can rest assured 50% of the original screenplay writing force is back here for this sequel.

Ridley Scott himself has recently come out and said that part of the reason why this film didn't connect at the box office was probably due to its length. The picture and sound are simply perfect, whilst the set is funded off with a decent selection of extras that expand on the film's production and ideas. Coming out of Sicario I was excited to see what Villeneuve could do with Arrival as the original short story was so short but heady.

Blade Runner 2049 captures that otherworldly sense of Blade Runner and in some respects it's better, if more straightforward than Ridley Scott's original.

However, 2049 also feels ponderous, detached and devoid of the sort of raw energy and blazing characters that tear through every beautiful frame of Sir Ridley Scott’s film. This Atmos mix handles these variations beautifully with plenty of constant surround activity from every angle.

While a lot of stuff is covered, 21 minutes feels a tad short for my taste, this could be its own feature-length documentary I'm sure. At home he lives a pretty mundane life with his companion “ Joi” ( Ana de Armas), who greets him every day and starts to prepare dinner. Gosling wears this introspective awareness in every scene as a character who is constantly evaluating his presence and his sense of place.

Atmos is well utilised in this aspect too, projecting disembodied voices with authority such as K's intimidating baseline test.Whilst Scott's original is a visually iconic 80s sci-fi masterpiece, Villeneuve's Roger Deakins-shot sequel boasts its own distinctive visual majesty, with some of the most jaw-dropping shots in any film of recent times. But the good far outweighs the bad, making Blade Runner 2049 an essential addition to your 4K collection. K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.