The impressive 'Blade Runner 2049' asks what it means to be human
“Blade Runner 2049” has arguably induced the most skepticism of any film in 2017. The original “Blade Runner,” released in 1982, spent over 30 years amassing a cult following. A sequel threatened to tarnish not only the reputation of the original, but the loyalty of its following; the sequel’s potential mishaps and redundancies could eclipse the previous film's impact. With “Blade Runner 2049” being such a fragile venture, one may wonder the point in revisiting a film that most prefer be left alone. “2049” director Denis Villeneuve was forced to deal with that exact question, remarking that “every single fan will walk into the theater with a baseball bat.” Only with his determined mindset — that “art is risk” — could Villeneuve create the masterpiece he did, one that manages to, in an environment so foreign and unimaginable, deliver a message that could not hit closer to home.