I hadn't seen Blade Runner in I don't know how long, and this was my first time watching the "final cut".

There are a lot of pluses for the production considering the age of the movie. The sets and special effects are fantastic and there are some beautifully shot scenes that remain memorable. The soundtrack is also pretty killer.

It is a duller movie than I remembered or would have assumed though; definitely leaning into the noir aspects more than an "action" film. I've got nothing against the noir subgenre, but I never felt like there was enough mystery or charisma to keep the story interesting in that way. Ford and Hauer have some fun moments, but Hauer's character is missing for the bulk of the movie, and Ford's character feels like he's getting roped along by the plot more often than actually controlling his own destiny, despite the implications of the ending.

The romance angle also feels pretty rushed and the culminating scene plays out more like an assault than anything. I've come to accept that this was just the way "romance" was regularly portrayed in films of the era and before (From The Quiet Man to Rocky), but that doesn't mean I have to enjoy it.

Still, beautiful looking movie and incredibly creative. I can understand why it has the following that it does.