OK here's the deal folks. I know many of you love this movie, and would sell your soul to Ridley Scout. But after watching the film for the very first time ever, in the form of the HD-DVD Final Cut version, I am just....underwhelmed.

Don't get me wrong, the cinematography is nothing short of STUNNING! But there lies the problem. While the Riddler was consentrating soooooo hard on getting his movie to look good, he forgot to focus on the main ingredient....the story.

The plot in this movie is bland and just fails to deliver any kind of emotion to the viewer. I couldn't care less about whether Decker lived or died at the end of the film. And Sean Young's character is about as lifeless as you can get. Harrison and Hauer turned in pretty decent performances, but the rest of the cast seemed to just be phoning it in. And I mean damn....Daryl Hannah as a replicant? Gimmie a break. That's a poor casting decision if I ever seen one.

Overall I only have very mild regrets about buying the 5-disc HD version. It's gorgeous and the visuals are way ahead its time. But the story failed to deliver and didn't even come close the hype I was exposed to, once word got out of a special edition release.


As a sci-fi movie that has been labeled iconic, The Terminator, AI, Minority Report and Face/Off kick the shit out of Blade Runner.

Quite daring thread here.

And Face/Off is a corny piece of shit and not sci-fi.

Although I have to agree with OP - Blade Runner being an iconic movie etc. in my opinion is a bit overrated. I'd like to emphasize - not poor, just overrated.

OP must have a death wish.

There's your problem. I thought Blade Runner was overrated as well the first time I saw it. Now it's one of my all time favorites. Watch the documentaries, listen to the commentaries, and check out the European Theatrical Cut. Then let it sit and percolate. Go back and watch the Final Cut in a month or so.

The word "overrated" in threads like these always ends up translating to "I didn't like the movie as much as other people do, and my artistic judgment is clearly superior to everyone else's."

To the OP ... "faze" it? Really?

No, I never think my judgment is in any way superior to anyone else's. But in the first part you may be right - I don't like it as much as others, I think it received too much praises. Well, ways particular movies become cult ones are inscrutable. I bet you have some movies in mind you don't understand how they gained such a status. I repeat - I don't think it's a bad film, just can't understand the general admiration. Who knows - maybe one day I'll see the light and discover it's a great movie...

I think the OP is right.

I actually was going to buy the briefcase for MONTHS after I heard about it. Then I realized that there was no way I was going to spend the time to watch each version once, let alone enough times to warrant buying the set. So it came off of my list a few days before it came out. Never saw one in the stores, and don't miss it. I mean, the movie's OK, but it's not Aliens or anything.

No, it's not Aliens, but Aliens is no Blade Runner, either.

Sorry guys but lets faze(sp) it. Blade Runner is simply a poor movie, in my opinion.

There, I fixed your thread title.

You are welcome.

Incendiary even.

BTW, even if I consider it overrated, it doesn't mean I'm not going to buy the briefcase

Hey, man, I'm incendiary too!

Anyway, I only watched the film for the first time after the final cut was released. I felt the same way as the original poster - in awe of the visuals, but left cold by the story. After hearing about this 'masterpiece' for the last 20 years, I was expecting to be blown away on first sight.

However, this is something that rarely happens for me with movies, or music for that matter. I'm usually left somewhat cold on first viewing, but I gradually warm up to many things on repeat viewings/listenings. So, I'll be in the theatre this weekend to catch BR on the big screen.

If anyone is in Columbus, OH, and would like to arrange to see it together, that would be smashing.

btw, who is this 'ridley scout'?

Haha, the original post is really funny for some odd reason.

As for it being a poor movie? naw, it's not... Not even close.

I think Blade Runner is slightly overrated, but still a great movie.

The visuals are fantastic (although you'd think these filmmakers would get a clue and set the film farther in the future if they're going to have L.A. look THAT different from modern day), the story IS solid (simple, but solid), and Ford and Hauer give really good performances.

It really IS a Science Fiction Film Noir. Especially the theatrical cut with the narration. I think I fall into the minority as someone who likes the narration - it really adds to the whole "Film Noir" mood, IMO.

Well, you start as a Cub Scout, then you become a Boy Scout, and then if you keep advancing you become an Eagle Scout, and finally, if you're really good, you become a Ridley Scout.

There are some films that cannot really be judged on just a single viewing.

Blade Runner is one of those films that just gets better and better on repeat viewings.

Well you are certainly headed into troubled waters making that statement. I personally have been a massive fan since the first time i saw the movie around 22 years ago. Its my number one film and i think that its a movie that only gets better with time. Your main complaint seems to be a lack of a story...well i can agree that the story is not a Citizen Kane...but then what is. Compared to a lot of movies that are made i think Bladerunners story holds up pretty good. At least it trys to demonstrate a way of life and make the viewer think about what is happening to the characters. I don't think you have done yourself any favours by saying that movies such as AI and Face/Off are iconic. Face Off is basically an action movie and the sci-fi element is minor at best. Don't get me wrong, i enjoy the movie for what it is....but the storyline there is not exactly stellar. And as for AI....well we all know the Pinochio story.....so i don't see any level or originality there at all really. Well made and i enjoy it to some extent....but a very flawed movie. I agree that the Terminator is an iconic movie, and i really enjoyed Minority Report (but its not iconic).

Anyway, getting back to Bladerunner, you also mentioned that you thought that the acting was phoned in. I don't know by who because i think that all involved did a bang up job. I am not a fan of Daryl Hannahs and she only seems to get worse with time, but i think she plays the part very well here. The same for Sean Young. She is an actress who is generally terrible, but in Bladerunner i thought she was very good. It was her first acting gig as well which has to be taken into account, but i just don't get where the bad acting part comes into your argument. If anything poor acting makes a person believe they are replicants as they are acting robotic.

In an age where we are given mindless (but entertaining) movies like Transformers i think it is very harsh to judge a true sci-fi classic in this way. There are inumerate movies that get made and do not stand the test of time at all. Bladerunner is one that just gets better as each year passes because it is evident that it was well made (especially for its time) and it puts into perspective how much shit gets put into cinemas these days.

Face/Off?

You simply cannot compare the two movies. You cannot even really compare Alien and Aliens. Aliens is full on action sci-fi movie. Bladerunner is a sci-fi thriller. Alien is more a sci-fi horror. Just completely different types of movies, but each great examples of movies in its genre.

I think that BR is slightly overrated on the first take, especially towards a younger underinitiated crowd. If I, like FM, waited 20 years I might have a different initial impression than I had when I saw it the first time. Multiple viewings may help along the appreciation level.

But as a film being "simple" .. not sure about that. Five different cuts might indicate otherwise. It is simple in it's approach and narrative, but what makes the film so great are the many unseen layers that the viewer leaves with - or should. If the quality of a film could be judged alone simply by the exchange of afterthoughts that BR has given us, then I'd be hard pressed to say BR is a poor film.

You had me somewhat agreeing w/ you until this comparison...

I think one of the things to remember about Blade Runner is when it was made. At the time good Sci-Fi movies were more the exception than the rule (if it is even a "rule" now ).

I wonder what NeoGAF would think of this thread. OH wait here it is.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=234528

Personally I feel it gets, and deserves, it's rating based on the originallity and the grounbreaking visuals. It's not suppoed to be the kind of movie people are knocking it for not being. It's suppoed to be bleak, dark, and relatively unemotional.

What what do I know. I'm one of those people that actually prefers the voice overs. I do wish there was less of them, but I also wish a cut fell somewhere inbetween keeping most of the better voice over parts.