5 of 5 stars 
It's too bad she won't live! But then again, who does?
Written
on 26/12/07 by Kyle "THE SAUCE" Plaisance
Plot Outline
Deckard is a Blade Runner, a police man of the future who hunts down and terminates replicants, artificially created humans. He wants to get out of the force, but is drawn back in when 4 "skin jobs", a slang term for replicants, hijack a ship back to Earth. The city that Deckard must search for his prey is a huge, sprawling, bleak vision of the future. This film questions what it is to be human, and why life is so precious.Review Summary
After 25 years and 5 different versions, the definitive version of Ridley Scotts cyberpunk masterpiece is being released.The Review
In 1982 everything should have gone right for the film "Blade Runner". Ridley Scott was coming off the success of "Alien", and Harrison Ford was without a doubt the most bankable actor in all of Hollywood. The film was and unfortunately, still is a realistic portrayal of the future. It wasn't shiny and clean, it was dark, dirty and depressing. Offworld colonization was the norm, and synthetic humanoid replicants were being used as the colonies slave force.
The production was a nightmare from the start. Financial backers walked away days before filming was set to begin. The actors had to deal with filming in simulated rain for nearly two months. And Harrison Ford was obligated to record voice overs that damaged the final product.
In addition to opening the same week as "E.T.", this all hurt the film in its initial theatrical run. Film goers were expecting an action packed sci-fi film, and what they got was a philosophical journey in what it meant to be human. The film was more successful overseas, and had some critics praise its story. Others panned the slow buildup and out of place happy ending.
The film takes place in Los Angeles of 2019. Rick Deckard is a special type of police officer, one tasked only with "retiring" replicants found on Earth. Declared illegal on Earth because of a rebellion on an offworld colony, replicants are feared for their increased intelligence and strength. Deckard is called out of semi-retirement when four of the newest series replicants make it to our planet. Their leader Roy (Rutger Hauer) is seeking to extend their built in 4 year life span, a failsafe added to he and his companions series. The replicant characters never once commit a crime. An assault by the character of Leon was only done to protect himself from retirement. Roy isn't out to rule the world, he just doesn't want to die. Throughout the film we are constantly reminded that the good guys are out to kill those that simply want to live.
25 years later we are being treated to the fifth, and according to the director, final cut of the film. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and am glad to see that despite his opinions of the main character, the ending is left ambiguous. There is truly no happy ending for the characters, and we have to wonder, is Deckard a replicant, or not???