A beautiful looking sci-fi film that starts off strong, but runs too long and starts to wear out its welcome. I have no memory of ever seeing the original “Blade Runner.” Either I never saw it, or I saw it and it made no impression on me. (I did read up on that film before seeing this sequel.) This film looks amazing. The effects are flawless, there are some epic shots of the dystopian future and fantastic set designs. The acting is strong, but subtle. However, the marketing of the movie is a bit misleading. Ryan Gosling is the star here. Harrison Ford only has a small amount of screen time, and Jared Leto probably has even less. Ford makes the most of his appearance, while Leto’s character isn’t very compelling. The plot has a lot of promise, and paired with the moral dilemma of what makes something alive, it sets up a thought-provoking ride. Unfortunately, the story collapses in the final leg. The extremely long running time and lack of a strong direction saps the movie of life. And the moral complexities are quietly shoved into the background.
**1/2 out of *****