Blade Runner 2049

Score:  B

Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Starring Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas, Harrison Ford
Running time: 163 minutes
Rated R

Long Story Short:  Blade Runner 2049 is a sequel coming thirty-five years after the original sci-fi classic.  Directed by the incredibly talented Villeneuve, the sequel is quite faithful in style to the original (too much so when it comes to characters and story - in my opinion) and executed with the highest quality.  Gosling does well as the lead, but beyond the stunning visuals there is too little to occupy you over the exceedingly long running time.  Must-see if you're a fan of the original; otherwise, proceed with caution.


In a sci-fi future, humans share the world with replicants, or androids.  One replicant, known as K (Gosling) is a blade runner, which hunts and "retires" (eliminates) rogue replicants.  In the process of retiring one such replicant, K finds the remains of another replicant hidden on its property.  Analysis at the LAPD reveals that the replicant was a woman who died during child birth - a revelation, as it was believed replicants were not able to reproduce.  Fearing global turmoil at the news, the LAPD tasks K with destroying all evidence of it, including the child.  K's mission brings up similarities to his own implanted memories, and he struggles with yet is increasingly intrigued by his personal connection to the situation.  But his time is short, as word of the news has gotten out, and soon there is a race to get to the bottom of this mystery.

In continuing and expanding the unique world of its predecessor, Blade Runner 2049 relies on a fairly small cast to bring it to life.  Ryan Gosling is the lead as replicant/blade runner K, and he does a very good job in the role, even as the role itself proves limiting.  K is not human, which is made clear by Gosling's mostly impassive expressions and minimal yet efficient physicality.  Yet he also experiences emotion to some degree and has limited memories, and the actor shows this well (as does the camera, so frequently focused on him) through subtle reactions.  As intriguing as this performance is, there is simply not much, well, character there in the first place and so a sense of connection to this central figure is lacking.  Ana de Armas plays something even less human - a program that can take holographic form, named Joi, which serves as K's "girlfriend".  Ana does an impressive job with the ostensibly human yet very artificial role which is, of course, shallow, yet also visually innovative (more on this later).  Harrison Ford, the main character from the original, shows up only late in this one.  There are a few good moments with him and K, but his role is really mainly a plot device and Ford didn't make much of an impression on me.  Smaller supporting roles include Sylvia Hoeks' Luv, a menacing nemesis replicant, Robin Wright as a strong, stern yet good LAPD officer, and Jared Leto as a very creepy main villain.

Blade Runner 2049 is an ambitious and creative work by one of today's most talented filmmakers, one that is faithful to the original - enough so that it suffers from the same flaws, too.  Blade Runner, and now its sequel, are primarily driven by two elements - a vision of a vast and desolate future Earth, and much more intimate stories about these human-like "replicants."  Although it's implied that the world's population has ballooned, both films feel startlingly lonely, even empty, leaving much space for the central characters to act as symbols for this strange new world.  Like the original, however, those characters are simply not up to the task; the impressions of interesting drama is there but it's all shadows, swallowed up by the gloomy tone and indulgent (to me, tedious) pace.  The plot here had the potential to be significantly more interesting than the original's, but it's stretched over such a long running time - and advanced in such subtle fits and starts - that it's too easy to lose track of what's going on.  Still, there is much to be said for the filmmaking, which retains the style of the original - from the lighting to the dark, synth-y soundtrack to the dialogue - yet improves just about everything in it.  If anything keeps your interest through the lengthy film, it's the visuals, from the many haunting and caringly crafted locations to the atmospheric cinematography.  And the Joi "character" is amazing, flickering oh-so-faintly but obviously to constantly remind you she is a hologram, and at one point even "melding" with another human being.

***

The score I've given to Blade Runner 2049 - a "B" - reflects a combination of my simply not caring for the style of film that this (and its predecessor) is, and my admiring the quality with which it was made.  More and more, I prefer my sci-fi films to be on the lighter and energetic side (Star Wars), while this franchise is very much on the darker and slower end.  Perhaps my opinion would be improved if the characters and stories were interesting, but they are mediocre at best, to me (granted, the sequel is a significant improvement here).  Of course, if you loved the original, likely you will love this one, too - in fact, you'll probably like it even more than the first.  So why did I see this sequel if I didn't like the original?  I thought the original had some potential that could be built on, but far and away the top reason is because of the director, Denis Villeneuve.  He has made tremendous - and unique, creative - films in Prisoners, Sicario, and Arrival, and is one of my very favorite filmmakers working today.  His talents are very much apparent in Blade Runner 2049, and for a sequel true to the original, this is frankly probably as good as it could be.  If you're a sci-fi fan, this is worth seeing (and obviously essential for Blade Runner fans); otherwise, maybe Netflix it sometime if you're curious.



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Battle of the Sexes

Score:  A

Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
Starring Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough, Bill Pullman
Running time:  121 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  Battle of the Sexes is based on the famous tennis duel between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King, and serves as a drama with real life topicality along with a healthy dose of humor.  Emma Stone and Steve Carell are both excellent as expected, pulling their characters' rivalry far beyond a simple battle of women's rights versus male chauvinism.  Come for a high-quality, affecting film that keeps you entertained throughout: recommended to all.


In 1973, Billie Jean King (Stone) was the top American woman tennis player, serving as a leader for a close-knit group of her countrywomen.  Even as the women's game was rising in popularity (and financial success), the leaders of tennis' organizing bodies like Jack Kramer (Pullman) refused to increase women players' pay to anything close to the men's.  King thus formed the first women's tennis association.  As King and the others traveled to tournaments, struggling to stay afloat, she met and found herself attracted to a hairdresser named Marilyn (Riseborough), despite being married.  Retired but frustrated and addicted to the excitement of his playing days, Bobby Riggs (Carell) pulled the media stunt of challenging the top women's player, Margaret Court, to a match.  The public response, as well as tennis patriarchy's, to his victory compelled King to challenge Riggs to another match; with the media spotlight even brighter this time, the outcome promised to have ramifications far beyond the tennis court.

Battle of the Sexes features an excellent cast, bringing the historical drama to life with both tension and humor.  Emma Stone leads the way as Billie Jean King, a strong and committed athlete and leader who nonetheless faces daunting challenges both on and off the court.  Stone, one of the most talented actresses today, makes the character more than just an important symbol.  She is believable, both physically and in her demeanor, as a premier athlete, and shows King's powerful force of will and determination.  Yet she also convincingly shows King's struggles, and the way that what happens on the court and off the court affect each other.  Carell is able to bring his considerable talents for both comedy and drama to bear in his role as Bobby Riggs.  Riggs is, well, quite a character, from horsing around with his son to showboating on the tennis court.  The film also depicts Riggs genuine struggles, both in his relationships and his obsessions with attention and excitement, and Carell makes him actually somewhat sympathetic through this.  Among the supporting roles, Bill Pullman as the ATP director and Andrea Riseborough as King's lover are the most significant and both do quite well, helping to increase the impact of the different forces pulling on King.

Battle of the Sexes is a very well-made historical drama, effectively mixing important themes and character drama with comedy to make for an entertaining and affecting film.  The film is not shy about confronting major topics surrounding King and her match with Riggs - namely, the challenges faced by women athletes and gays (King being both) - but it gets its important points across without disrupting the dramatic narrative; in fact, they drive much of the drama quite naturally.  One could argue that the film doesn't go quite far enough with either issue, but I think that both fit well with the tone of the film which calls for at least somewhat of a light touch.  This other facet, the more straightforward entertainment, is achieved through the camaraderie of the women tennis players, and perhaps even more so with Riggs' antics (even if it creates some friction as you find yourself laughing with the "bad guy").  Riggs goes so far over the top - including practicing dressed as Little Bo Peep complete with sheep roaming the court - that even King rolls her eyes and laughs.  It's the tension created between the symbolic importance of the match (can women "compete" with men?) and the ludicrousness of the event that makes the film so compelling.  Finally, I'll point out that they show enough of the sport to give you context and add extra drama to the climactic match, but little enough that it came off more as a regular drama than a sports drama (great accomplishment in my book).

***

Battle of the Sexes is in the Oscars conversation at the moment, and for good reason.  I could certainly see this going up for Best Picture, with its great mixture of quality, important issues and entertainment value, not to mention perhaps Best Actress consideration for Emma Stone.  The film does seem just a bit overlong, dragging in a few places.  While the style of the film is perfectly appropriate for the story, it also holds it back from being considered among the very greatest dramas. That's nit-picking, though: this is highly recommended for any adult, and in particular, of course, fans of tennis, Emma Stone, and/or Steve Carell.  Well worth a trip to the theater to see this one.



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