Los Angeles, California, 2019. With towering skyscrapers looming over the dystopian mega-city, grizzled Blade Runner, Rick Deckard is called out of retirement when rogue Nexus-6 replicants steal a spaceship to get back to Earth. The order is crystal clear: Deckard must seek out the illegal replicants and destroy them before they locate their creator. However, as Deckard tries to fix the mistakes of those who want to play God, unprecedented, conflicting emotions cloud his judgment. Blade Runner isn't one of your typical movies but more of a piece of art to be experienced. It is certainly one that will require you to have an analytical mindset before watching it, as it throws plenty at you. There is a lot of visual storytelling alongside the laid-out story with plenty to be picked apart and dissected with all sorts of meanings behind every scene, action, etc. On my first viewing of this futuristic gritty film-noir-esque story, I was simply blown away by the visuals. Seeing a 'futuristic' 2019 where skyscrapers tower across L.A. with flames and lights covering the landscape as far as the eye can see was exquisite despite its dystopian reality. Equally, the phenomenal score of Vangelis brings a hauntingly beautiful element that carries the tone of this film throughout and is a true highlight. Such a summary can apply to the entire production with its beaten down, dark and dreary setting is still visually pleasing to look at with a lot of praise going to Ridley Scott's directing. His other film, Alien (1979), is one of my all-time favourites and has an equal style that carries over. We follow Deckard whose job is to destroy rogue replicants and although he is the protagonist he is not always displayed as a hero. He makes some poor decisions being flawed and in some scenes, he is framed as not someone simply doing a job, but being a killer. His destruction of replicants shows some truly graphic executions that further make us question his actions and the replicant's humanity. The replicant's story is an intriguing one mainly due to Roy Batty who is such a powerful villain and his hunt to meet his maker, be more human and protect his fellow replicants is so interesting. His 'Tears in the Rain' scene is one of the most incredible monologues I have witnessed in a film and is phenomenal. The other most important character is Rachael whom Deckard has feelings for despite being a replicant, which makes his job all the more conflicting. One of the most complicated parts of this film is its history of different cuts with there being a total of seven, but when discussed, five mainly come to mind. The key differences between them are the voice-over, the alternate ending and the unicorn daydream. The voice-over was an inclusion by WB after a poor screening with a test audience but was not what Scott wanted nor did Ford like the addition. It is an aspect not all that popular among fans being badly written and poorly spoken but also because it explains things in the movie dumbing it down for audiences. This was removed from the later versions, like the Final Cut, which I saw. It was funny having not known about the monologue beforehand, yet, whilst watching, I almost felt like scenes were missing one. I don't know if that's just me, but it was an interesting realisation such already existed. The alternate 'happy' ending of them driving off to a greener landscape was also a scene removed from the later versions, which I agreed with as it didn't really fit in with what came before. The most important addition was the inclusion of a scene where Deckard has a daydream of a unicorn, which fundamentally alters the whole movie considering the ending with the origami unicorn. It leads to the age-old debate, is Deckard a replicant or not? For me the answer is clear but what do you think? Overall, Blade Runner is a cinematic masterpiece that finally got its realisation with The Final Cut. It is a film I think multiple viewings are required to truly get it. I found myself repeatedly thinking on it after my watch and couldn't stop playing it over in my head. Any movie that gets you to think about it after it's done must be very impactful. It's not a film I'd put on any old time but certainly one I was glad to have seen. Also, check out the sequel Blade Runner 2049 (2017).
Deep in space, the crew of the Nostromo (a commercial spaceship) is on a journey back home and in cryo-sleep capsules for the long trip. However, halfway through their course, they are awoken when they pick up a distress call on a distant moon, from an alien vessel. Upon landing on the rocky terrain, 3 members go in search of the origin, and little did they know what they would uncover. The crew encounters a nest of eggs inside the alien ship where an organism from inside one egg leaps out, attaching itself to one of the crew. Brought back aboard the Nostromo the true horrors were yet to begin... Alien is a timeless classic and one of my absolute favourites. It is simply incredible! This film is everything I love about older movies, especially when it comes to old sci-fi flicks. Despite releasing 43 years ago, this movie still holds up today managing to impress and shock people, hammering home its timelessness. I have always had a fascination for anything science fiction especially in regards to space and futuristic technology. With these older films, the technology tends to be a mix of the future and tech of its time, which is now so outdated however it is a detail I cannot help but adore which is best seen throughout the film with the Nostromo. They also manage to implement this mixture of technology to the world making it appear outdated and clunky but is still high-tech which is a neat idea. Not only that, but this film takes the time to show how it all works. Everything has a purpose and by showing all their functions, it creates a bigger sense of believability and realism to this universe. They not only do this with the Nostromo but also with the alien organisms. Like, for example, with the face-hugger. We hear how it operates and we later see an up close dissection of the creature, further showing us how it could actually exist and operate which is just so cool. I additionally love these films for their use of models/miniatures for the ships that feature so much detail, which end up looking so grand when fully implemented into the film. The ship is also brought to life with the use of the incredible sound design from the wailing of the alarms to the whirring of the machines. Not to mention the ambient feel of the Nostromo's interior shown throughout which sets the tone whilst giving so many beautiful shots of the architecture. The actors deserve a lot of praise and credit too alongside Ridley Scott for making this film what it is, from the way it was shot to how authentic these characters feel. You care for them and understand their struggles so when they are put in this danger, you too feel in danger and fear for their safety. I feel this strongest with Ellen Ripley. We follow Ripley alongside the whole crew of the Nostromo on their journey and survival, however, she stands out above them all. If she had been in charge, I can only imagine how entirely differently the events of this film would have turned out, seeing as she would have ensured the creature never boarded the ship, to begin with, adhering to the protocols, unlike the captain. This film takes on a survival horror genre that is very intense, having you in a constant state of fear never knowing when or where the creature could spring from. The alien (known as a Xenomorph) has a phenomenal design that is super creepy yet very iconic. It is incredibly big and strong, has acid for blood and is practically unstoppable. If you enjoy this film for its survival horror aspect then: Alien Isolation (Video Game 2014)is a great additional part of the franchise that delivers the same experience but allows you to take control as Ripley's daughter set 15 years after this movie. Overall, I adore this film so much and will always remain a favourite of mine. There are so many memorable moments throughout Alien from the discovery of the mysterious vessel and hundreds of eggs deep within to the chestburster scene, there are so many famous scenes to experience. It is such a classic flick which has earned its place in pop culture history with its iconic scenes, characters, visuals and not to mention its tagline: In space, no one can hear you scream. I cannot stress enough that you check this one out alongside the equally perfect sequel: Aliens (1986).
