SNMR 1.25: "Blade Runner"

The second of this week's SNMR double feature concludes Harrison Ford month. Tonight's film is "Blade Runner" (1982,R,117 minutes) starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, Darryl Hannah, M. Emmet Walsh and William Sanderson. The film was directed by Ridley Scott. I'm watching the Director's Cut.

This dark, sci-fi film has become a cult classic and I think is very underrated. It has always been one of my favorite Ford roles. I've seen this film many times. Probably the first time I saw it was after it came out on video, because I was not old enough in 1982 to see an R movie by myself.

From the DVD's dust jacket:

Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) prowls the steel-and-microchip jungle of 21st century Los Angeles. He's a "blade runner" stalking genetically made criminal replicants. His assignment: kill them. Their crime: wanting to be human.
The story of Blade Runner is familiar to countless fans. But few have seen it like this, because this is director Ridley Scott's own vision of his sci-fi classic. This new version omits Deckard's voiceover narration, develops in slightly greater detail the romance between Deckard and Rachel (Sean Young) and removes the "uplifting" finale. The result is a heightened emotional impact: a great film made greater. Most intriguing of all is a newly included unicorn vision that suggests Deckard may be a humanoid. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Is Deckard a replicant? As with all things in the future, you must discover the answer for yourself.

From Martin & Porter's DVD and Video Guide 2006, p. 115:

This Ridley Scott (Alien) production is thought-provoking and visually impressive. Harrison Ford stars as a futuristic Philip Marlowe trying to find and kill the world's remaining rebel androids in 2019 Los Angeles. The film may not be for everyone, but those who appreciate something of substance will find it worthwhile.

This is the kind of film that you need to pay attention to because of the small details that you miss if you aren't. Harrison Ford is excellent in the lead role and Sean Young also gives an excellent performance. The script is well written and moves at a decent pace. I think the film drags in only a few places. The line between who is and who isn't a replicant is thin and subtle so that you never really are sure who is and isn't. This is an overall excellent film, one of my favorite Harrison Ford movies. I'll give this film four and a half out of five stars.