A magnificent work, if we consider the time when it was released and the technical resources that existed.
Honestly, I didn't expect much from this movie. It was a film that was not successful in theaters and that only took off when it went to VHS, acquiring admirers since then and becoming one of the most respected films of all time. Set in a profoundly dystopian Los Angeles, it raises many philosophical and sociological questions around human nature, the course of humanity, our relationship with technology and our morality in general.
Watching this film in 2022 was funny because the action of the film, released in 1982, takes place in the year 2019. That is, it was set in a future that, now, is past for me and never materialized (and I'm glad). The film's plot is not easy: humanity colonized other planets while destroying Earth, and created very realistic human androids while destroying itself. However, the androids, called replicants, got out of control, and are now hunted and killed, or used for the most vile purposes. The metaphors are clear, there is a lot of philosophical material, and it leaves us thinking for a long time.
Ridley Scott gives us, with this film, one of his masterpieces. The film is magnificent in every way, and it is worth giving it the time it needs to surprise us. It creates a neo-noir plot where nobody is innocent or angelic, and where danger is everywhere. The lighting, the shutters on the windows, the indispensable “femme fatale”, all the classic components of noir are here, in a frankly colorful film with sets and landscapes that combine the most grandiose futurism with the decadence and dirt of the world we destroy. The dialogues are memorable and full of deeply symbolic moments. The characters are rich, dense and complex, and it's extraordinary to think that we still don't really understand, after several decades, whether the main character is human or not.
In fact, it seems that time has not passed for this film: if we think that it is from the early 80s, it is incredible that it is so visually powerful and that it has such good cinematography. It looks like a movie made ten years ago. The sets and costumes couldn't be better, and the special effects are stunning. The soundtrack, composed by Vangelis, is smooth and hypnotic.
Adding to all this, we have Harrison Ford, in one of the most underrated works of his career. He does a really good job, and he deserved more recognition for that. Sean Young also deserves a round of applause for the way he brought his character to life, a replicant who really thinks she's human. There are other very good actors, and we can highlight Rutger Hauer in particular, but they do not match this duo of artists.