Blade Runner is a 1982 science fiction movie that has garnered a cult following since its release. As an avid film lover I sat down to watch this film expecting something in semblance to Harrison Ford’s other famous work: Star Wars, what I got was something better.

Released in 1982, Blade Runner was directed by Ridley Scott, known for directing The Martian, Thelma & Louise, Alien, The Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, and recently, House of Gucci. Scott has garnered many awards and international respect.

The film stars Harrison Ford alongside Sean Young, Rutger Hauer, Darryl Hannah, and Joanna Cassidy to name a few. In case you’re unaware of his expertise, Harrison Ford has been placed as number seven on the list of highest grossing domestic box office stars of all time.

The score was written by Vangelis who is known for his academy award winning score to Chariots of Fire.

Blade Runner takes place in a science fiction realm where Replicants (human-like robots intended to be used as aides) are marked illegal after taking over an off-Earth colony. The premise of the movie surrounds Rick Deckard, (Harrison Ford) a former Replicant hunter, who is forced by his old boss to find and hunt down four Replicants who illegally arrive on Earth.

His first stop is visiting the maker of Replicants, Dr. Elden Tyrell (played by Joe Turkel). There, Deckard administers an emotion test to one of Tyrell’s assistants. Since Replicants are made to look entirely human, the test is designed to uncover whether whether someone is a robot or human. The test on Tyrell’s assistant takes much longer than usual, but Deckard concludes Rachael is a replicant. Tyrell explains that Rachael has received an implantation of memories that are not hers to make her feel more human.

From there, the story takes off as Deckard searches for clues to the whereabouts of the illegal Replicants.

The scenery in this movie was amazing. Of course, the special effects look a little strange since it’s about three decades old. Nonetheless, the dark ambiance and dramatic colors play an important role in the tone of the film.

The story looks promising from the beginning, and the characters are well-thought out. The action scenes were great and believable. Some of the action dragged out, but overall, action scenes showed the same quality as the rest of the movie.

Personally, I like watching movies that focus on one or two characters instead of a group. These movies are usually better at conveying emotion to the audience and thus more impactful. Blade Runner did a great job at this; throughout the whole movie I was invested in Deckard’s search for the Replicants and his building relationship with Rachael. The plot twist at the end was unpredictable and left the meaning open for interpretation.

I would give this movie a 9.5/10. The plot was one I felt invested in, the characters showed true depth, and the romance was not cloying. I recommend this movie to any fan of science fiction, action, or film noir. Scott did a great job directing despite the movie being a flop back in 1982.