"I Hope you're Satisfied with our Product." Blade Runner 2049 Review

Blade Runner 2049

2.5/5

Directed by: Denis Villeneuve

Written by: Hampton Fancher and Michael Green

Rated: R

           Writer's express their worldviews through genres, and science fiction is the most apt and malleable gateway for a writer's thoughts on the world around them. Through the technologically advanced worlds in science fiction, screenwriters have illustrated their thoughts on policies, social issues and generalized norms. In 1982 Hampton Fancher employed this genre, combined with film noir, and wrote the screenplay for Ridley Scott's critically acclaimed Blade Runner. 35 years later, Fancher and director Denis Villeneuve (Arrival 2016) have revamped Scott's vision to reflect their new worldviews. Based upon Blade Runner's science fiction themes and environment, Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 inhabits a new atmosphere with an original narrative tackling a wide variety of social issues and ambiguous situations.
           Blade Runner 2049's story is an unexpected narrative approach for a science fiction block buster. It is an investigative look at what defines humanity and what lies the world foolishly believes. Because the film's narrative does not have the gravitas of other science fiction block busters, Blade Runner 2049's story can feel sluggish and monotonous. Though the story covers a wide variety of topics and social issues, the film's narrative does not successfully interweave these concepts into a coherent ideology. This does not mean the film does not feature compelling scenes. The action sequences are unflinching, the romantic moments are sensuous, the dialogue is fascinating, and the story is intriguing, but the film's decision to treat all of the story's themes as ambiguous entities makes the film an overall unrewarding experience.

           What keeps this story somewhat engaging and worth watching is its main protagonist. Officer K. is a Blade Runner charged with the task of hunting down and retiring replicants, artificially made people. Ryan Gosling portrays this standout character with a brazen charm and razor sharp subtlety. This seasoned actor is able to show his character's thoughts and beliefs through the intensity and gentleness in his eyes. It is clear every twitch of his face; every curl of his mouth; every flare of his nostrils; every step he walks speaks K's inner emotional conflicts and mental competence as the lead hero of Blade Runner 2049.
           Accompanying Gosling's performance are actors and actresses Ana De Armas as Joi, Robin Wright as Lieutenant Joshi, Sylvia Hoeks as Luv, and Jared Leto as Niander Wallace. Though all of these performers suit their on screen personas, their line delivery and idiosyncrasies can become predictable and eventually unstimulating. These performers play their parts well, but their character's inert natures give them little room for exploration and discovery.

           Along with this considerably immobile cast of characters, Blade Runner 2049 is comprised of a vapid and tiresome atmosphere. While cinematographer Roger Deakins provides shots with adequate composition, they have little variety. His shots seldom include camera movement and only depict one shade of color. There are no hue gradients in Deakins' color pallet, and as such his shots feel lifeless and inactive. The best element in this film's visuals is its lighting design. It is wondrous watching character's slowly cross a massive corridor, as a golden light illuminates their path with each step they take. It is an impactful part of this film's aesthetic, and it does not attract attention to itself. However, an element that demands attention is this film's score. Hans Zimmer ,musical composer, tries to add energy to Deakins' devoid scenes, but he does so with overbearingly loud drones, inconsequential ethereal synthesizers and harsh bass drops. All of Blade Runner 2049's atmospheric pieces gives this film a unique look and feel, but make the film an unengaging experience that would be better watched on a home viewing screen.

Verdict: Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 features a top notch performance from Ryan Gosling and excellent lighting design, but its slow paced story told through devoid images and stagnant color palettes and characters makes this film an ultimately unrewarding cinematic experience.

"I'm gonna put the Show back in Chauvinism." Battle of the Sexes Review

Battle of the Sexes

1/5

Directed by: Johnathan Dayton and Valerie Faris

Written by: Simon Beaufoy

Rated: PG-13

            On Thursday September 20, 1973, over 90 million people across the world tuned into to one sporting event. Men and women alike watched the game of the decade in the Houston Astrodome, where over 30,742 spectators gathered to watch former 1939 Wimbledon champion Bobby Riggs, 55, take on World no. 1 Billie Jean King, 29. The momentous match between the lobber and the libber was hailed as the "Battle of the Sexes." This incredible true story of friendly competition, the press's power, and people's desire to prove once and for all which is the better sex...is not in this movie. Battle of the Sexes is a hypocritical look at modern day USA through the perspective of a warped and considerably forgettable biopic.
           The only decent aspect of this film, and primary source of its humorous, dramatic, and relationally impactful scenes is Bobby Riggs, played by comedy genius Steve Carell. In real life Bobby Riggs was a gambling addict and a hustler who portrayed himself as a chauvinist pig on television. Steve Carell nails this role and Bobby Riggs' unique sense of humor. In his efforts to blatantly show how men are better than women at tennis, he plays with ridiculous handicaps, and dresses up in silly costumes. It is amusing watching this 55 year old play tennis with a frying pan, walking three large dogs, and wearing a little-bo-peep costume with his own herd of sheep.
           Billie Jean King is played by a soft spoken Emma Stone, and the camera intently shows off her spotless complexion. Billie Jean's theatrical portrayal is not characterized beyond her ability to play tennis, which is rarely shown on screen, and her relationship with her husband and the woman she is cheating on with him. The story does not take necessary time illustrating Billie Jean as a strong hearted and worthwhile protagonist. By the time the battle between her and Riggs begins, audiences may find themselves rooting for the misogynistic showman, which should be this movie's opposite intent.
           What greatly diminishes Billie Jean's chances for character development is her forced romantic infatuation with her hair dresser Marylin, played by a plastic Barbie doll faced Andrea Riseborough. These awful scenes seem to take up more than 75% of this movie's runtime, significantly diminish the plot's pacing, and appear to be constructed in a way that conveys unnecessary intimacy with as little effort possible.
           The directors chose to display Billie Jean and Marylin's sexual attraction, through psychological direction. The cinematography in their scenes consists of extreme close ups on make-up  covered faces, and provocative shots with free floating movement, but little substance. According to an interview with  "Ney York Times'" the directors' goal was to mimic what is known as "the autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR). It's when people talk in a certain tone [and] elicit a sensual response." While these scenes have the ability to provoke uncomfortable arousal from audience members, they fail to create tenderness and deep rooted passion between the characters. Billie Jean and Marilyn's romance focuses on superficial biological desires, rather than greater unconditional love, the kind that makes a character heroic and noteworthy.
           In addition to these lack luster sexual scenes, this movie is hypocritical of its message. In Battle of the Sexes the obviously villainous Jack Kramer, founder of the Association of Tennis Professionals, claims women cannot play tennis as well as men, because they crumble under emotional pressure more than men do. This movie could have easily disproven the claim, by showing a heroic Billie Jean King overcome all obstacles and challenge Bobby Riggs with a level head and an optimistic spirit. Unfortunately the movie does not do this, and instead plays into Kramer's words. In the movie Billie Jean's unnecessary romance clearly messes with her head, and is shown as the main cause of her losses on the court and her emotional strife. Meanwhile Bobby Riggs' wife divorces him, he suffers from a gambling problem, and his oldest son does not appreciate him, yet Bobby Riggs plays tennis like a champ with a can do attitude. The film also deliberately points out that if Billie Jean left her husband and followed her misguided heart, then she would be able to win more tennis matches and be happy. If this movie was showing Billie Jean as a strong willed protagonist who did not let her romantic life get the best of her, then her domestic life would not have had a pronounced negative effect on her athletic skill or competitive attitude. It is sad that this movie puts supplemetary effort into heroically parading the male pig, and then tries to persuade audiences into believing that the writer and ditectors cared more about the hairy legged feminist just because she had the most screen time.
           Battle of the Sexes is one of the most appalling bait and switches in biographical cinema. This movie's advertising claimed the film would be a well directed and uplifting story about gender rivalry and its affects on the athletic environment. It is disgraceful how a story with such magnitude, popularity, and open power for change was mutilated into an unbalanced self righteous pat on the back for men and an awkward side hug for women.

Verdict: With its one good character being the showy antagonistic chauvinist pig, Battle of the Sexes is a hypocritical waste of an iconic historical event and box-office money.