Blade Runner vs Blade Runner 2049: Face-Off

With both Ridley Scott and Denis Villeneuve seeing acclaim for their recent outputs — THE LAST DUEL and the remake of DUNE respectively — we thought now would be an excellent time to examine a franchise that ties these accomplished filmmakers together. After a long and tumultuous production, Ridley Scott’s BLADE RUNNER was released in 1982 with Harrison Ford starring as Rick Deckard, a former “Blade Runner.” That job description entails hunting down humanoid-looking androids known as “Replicants” and terminally “retiring” them. In the film, Deckard is tasked with finding Roy Batty, played by the late, great Rutger Hauer, and his band of rogue replicants. Along the way, Deckard crosses paths with Rachel, a replicant who believes she is human, played by Sean Young. 

35 years after the release of the original Blade Runner came its sequel, BLADE RUNNER 2049, directed by Denis Villeneuve. The sequel stars Ryan Gosling as “K,” a replicant Blade Runner who finds the remains of Rachel, which has evidence of replicant reproduction — a concept previously thought to be impossible. K tries to track down the child and Deckard, who has been missing for 30 years, in an attempt to avoid war between humans and replicants. 

While both films were technically commercial failures, they have lived on with cult followings and an indelible influence on the science-fiction genre. But when pitted against each other like attack ships on the shoulder of Orion, which film will glitter like C-beams in the dark and which will be lost in time like tears in rain? So let’s put these films through the Voight-Kampff test and find out… FACE OFF! 

This episode of Face Off is written by Paul Cooper, narrated by Shawn Knippelberg, and edited by Paul Cooper. Watch previous episodes below and let us know in the comments which sci-fi film you prefer – Blade Runner or Blade Runner 2049!