I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of Blade Runner 2049 since I first heard of it. Last night, I went and saw it on opening night with my daughter.

Before we went, we both watched the original movie. Turns out that that’s really a requirement for seeing the new one, which may serve to hamper sales in this stunningly beautiful sequel.

What can I say? The film was faithful to the feel of the original, and like the original it examined what it means to be human through the eyes of our manufactured servants, “replicants.”

The bad guys were truly bad, the good guys were flawed, vulnerable. All struggled in a future Earth where everyone who could left to “off world,” humanity’s expanding interstellar diaspora.

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. It was a thoughtful, intricate tale with stunning visuals and a well-constructed soundtrack. To the last moment, I was sucked up in the film and the ending made me want more. Ah, the ending. I won’t do spoilers, but the ending was no ending. It was another beginning.

Now, my daughter thought the original was better than 2049. She agreed that the visuals were excellent, and that the movie was well made. However, she was somewhat turned off by the length, and by the slow build-up of tension. Also, some of the plot twists left her scratching her head and served as a distractor.

Her opinion may be more typical of the average younger movie goer, and if so, then 2049 will have a rough road at the box office.

That would be a real shame, as this movie begs for another to follow on its heels.

Blade Runner 2049 is an excellent tale of a future where the line between man and machine is blurred, and our better natures might be expressed best through our creations.

Recommend. Do go see it.