What is the soul of science fiction movies? And how to find the soul of science fiction movies?
J.J. Abrams's "Star Trek 11" and "Star Wars VII" are full of contemporary entertainment without departing from the original framework (even too conservative); Colin Trevoro's "Jurassic" The visual effects of "World" are amazing and full of entertaining spirit, even higher than the two authentic sequels of "Jurassic Park"; Ridley Scott returned to the world of "Alien" after a long absence, creating spectacle photography The technology has gone up a new level-however, even if these sequels/restart movies N years later are great, no matter how close they are to the original, they can always feel a barrier, as if there is something at last, like tears in the rain , Annihilated in the torrent of time.
Until Dennis Villeneuve's "Blade Runner 2049".
In the early years of sci-fi movies, due to the constraints of visual effects technology, the film has an excellent fascination with narrative itself, with special emphasis on the transmission of information-and this has also allowed many sci-fi adaptations to benefit from the depth of the original work and add visual effects. Breadth. Regardless of the subject matter, these early science fiction films have more or less the characteristics of narrative poetry: the drama is weak, but the stable rhythm brings a strong sense of infiltration. With the large-scale evolution of CG technology in the late 1990s, the pursuit of visual impact quickly replaced the position of traditional narrative. Even Steven Spielberg himself could not avoid this problem: "The Third Type of Contact The difference in creative thinking between "ET" and "Minority Report" and "World War" is still very obvious.
Of course, this is not to say that CG is useless. However, when the inherent properties of movies as a narrative tool are over-ignored by technological development, it is still a pity-otherwise, why would people like the new version of "The Clown"?
For similar reasons, the appearance of "Blade Runner 2049" makes people feel truly ecstatic.
We often say that making movies does not mean that money is omnipotent. "Blade Runner", which was born in 1982, does not have huge production funds and modern CG technology. It is completely dependent on the wisdom of the creators, and the historical status it finally obtained does not need to be repeated: the far-reaching cyberpunk Aesthetic art, the exploration and questioning of the nature of human self, and even one of the most important works in the careers of Ridley Scott, Harrison Ford, and Rutger Hall. The hard-core sci-fi movie shows a unique temperament. "Blade Runner" not only redefines the genre of sci-fi movies-not only a fantasy stage for romance and adventure, but also a fertile soil for cultivating thinking-and directly produces from "The Matrix" to "The City of Souls", Even "Ghost in the Shell" and "Psycho-Measurer" span eastern and western cultures and have a wide range of impacts of continuous vitality and creativity.
Villeneuve’s "Blade Runner 2049" not only did not make the film a fan’s private property, but also expanded the philosophical discussion initiated by "Blade Runner" ambitiously. It is the most profound and most challenging in recent years. Sexual sci-fi movies make "Genesis: Legacy of War" with the same motif look as simple as Disney's children's drama. Through its magnificent visual experience and narrative skills, it spirally embodies the praise of human nature.
Nowadays, many new generations of filmmakers, although occasionally have excellent works, but the standards are uneven, only Villeneuve not only has a high starting point, but also has a high level of difficulty. The so-called generation of newcomers for the old, two consecutive highly difficult sci-fi movies ("Arrival" and "Blade Runner 2049") within a year are enough to make Villeneuve become the king of sci-fi movies from a quasi-main force. , So that a receiver like JJ Abrams is ashamed, and even has great potential to become Kubrick's successor.
We often see this statement: the grandiose and far-reaching topics discussed in science fiction make the realism genre seem fragile and narrow. Compared to pure madness and escapism, "Blade Runner" can be said to be one of the film works that best reflects the spirit of science fiction. Among the many tasks completed by "Blade Runner 2049", the most impressive is the amazing expansion and improvement of the world constructed in the original. One of the keys is the joining of the original screenwriter Hampton Fancher. This decision greatly guarantees the continuity of the entire film-not only the story and characters, but also the worldview and narrative atmosphere. On top of this, the use of CG comparable to "Mad Max 4: Fury Road" enables Roger Diggins' great lens to obtain a legendary and gorgeous visual experience. The electronic music composed by Benjamin Wolfisch and Hans Zimmer instantly smoothed the 35-year gap.
In 2017, when "Blade Runner"'s "derivatives" and "derivatives" have been put on the big screen in Scarlett Johansson's one-piece autumn clothes, "Blade Runner 2049" is not only not full of inferior CG People of the same age approached, but took a step back and returned to the space capsule of Kubrick’s 2001 Space Odyssey, and even the end of the world in Planet of the Apes. This unique phenomenon of "returning to ancestors" brings this series closer to the height and status it deserves. In fact, Villeneuve only slightly emphasized the connection with the first film in the sequel, and the low-key black quality and harmonious overall atmosphere also protected Ridley Scott well. Spiritual heritage.
It is easy to find that Villeneuve in "Blade Runner 2049" well continues the "Prisoner" and "Border Killer", as well as the strong and confident visual language shown in "Arrival". Roger Dickins and Villeneuve not only visualized the "futuristic world" in which the film is located, but also made it seem extremely natural-while providing a strong visual impact, it also Do not forget to remind the audience of the purity and realism of this world. The film even offers one of the most impactful shots in recent years. In terms of performance, "Blade Runner 2049" is as solid as other Villeneuve works. Whether it’s "Arrival"
Amy Adams, Benicio del Toro of "Border Killer", and Villeneuve have proven his skills and skills, especially in Dave Battista's body-Jean The transformation of your elder brother into a young man is always the most important test of the director's training level. And Ryan Gosling's performance in this film is even one of the highest levels of his career: in a calm expression, you can clearly see the deep emotions hidden behind the handsome appearance.
According to the production logic of "restart" movies that is flooding nowadays, the remake of "Blade Runner" is actually very easy-even if the level is not good, you can make up a story of Rick Dyke and Rachel's escape. But when hundreds of creators not only get inspiration from "Blade Runner", but also interpret their "Blade Runner" story version in hundreds of ways, it is difficult to find neither. It is a perfect solution to expand the legacy of the original work.
But Villeneuve did it. Not only did he choose the most difficult path, but it was as good as Ridley Scott did 35 years ago, and even more satisfying. Like all good movies, "Blade Runner 2049" refuses to provide the audience with all the answers, but allows the audience to argue and discuss the true meaning of it, not just passive recipients of knowledge and entertainment.
"Blade Runner 2049" is as bold as "Blade Runner" and even more amazing with the help of IMAX. In any case, this is one of the best movies of the year. It is still too early to judge whether "Blade Runner 2049" can replace Ridley Scott's sci-fi masterpiece, but it is certain that this is a well-matched and ambitious excellent work.
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