Note: I’m reviewing here the two-disc release of The Final Cut, which is Ridley Scott’s definitive “Director’s Cut” of Blade Runner, which was screened theatrically earlier this year . All previous versions of Blade Runner are included in the five-disc “Complete Collector’s Edition” available on standard DVD, Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, as well as “Ultimate” versions of those with other junk contained in a replica of Deckard’s briefcase. There will also be SPOILERS in this review, particularly when referencing alternate cuts. I assume that you’re familiar with at the very least one of the prior cuts of Blade Runner. If you aren’t, you should probably stop reading and go rent Broken. 

I can’t think of a single film that resonates with me like Blade Runner. Sure, I write a lot of tongue-in-cheek reviews on even cheekier films that I claim nothing but wholehearted ecstatic love for. Films like Zapped!, Cherry 2000 and The Legend of Billie Jean are classics to my eyes, and I love them. I’ve seen them so many times that I’ve lost count and I never tire of watching them. I can state now, though, that I’ve seen Blade Runner at least 60 or 70 times over the years. It usually gets watched at least every six months or so, and if not the full film, then most certainly specific scenes. I’m a fan. You’re going to find some bias here. Keeping me in check with something I’m so passionate about is impossible. But since you’re reading this, you’re probably just as horny over seeing Scott’s “Final Cut” as I was a few weeks ago, unless you’ve already seen it. If you haven’t, well you’re probably really only interested in what’s different from the first so-called “Director’s Cut” from 1992. Well here it is… you ready? 

Not a lot. 

Essentially, it takes all of the important bits from the workprint that floated around prior to the 1992 Director’s Cut and reinstates them. Then, of course, with today’s finest technology, all of the special effects have received a facelift so that the spinner’s wires are no longer visible and sequences like Zhora’s retirement and the opening skyline look more realistic. At least that’s the long and short of it. There are a couple sequences that were altered. Batty’s talk to Tyrell is longer by a line or two and the violence has been taken up a notch, including some of the more gruesome scenes from the international theatrical cut.  

It’s true, content wise, there is nothing that has been added to The Final Cut of Blade Runner that makes the film any better or worse. If you’ve always hated the film, the new cut won’t change your mind a single bit. If you loved the film, you’ll love this cut just as much. The fact that the film wasn’t altered significantly may be a bother to some fans. When it comes down to it, though, this is the cut we’ve been waiting for. Scott was never satisfied with any of the releases to date, but with this new cut, 25 years later he’s able to make the film how he wanted it to be seen. If that isn’t a cause to celebrate for fans the world over, I don’t know what it is. We finally have a true director’s cut, and even better - all previous versions have been preserved too. 

But what is it, exactly, that makes Blade Runner endure after all these years? Trying to pinpoint precisely what separates this film from other great movies isn’t easy. It is clear to me that whatever flaws it has are minimal. So maybe on a pure filmic level, its greatness is that it poses so many questions within its narrative while still being coherent regardless of which cut you’re watching. Nothing is trivial or wasted in the script. It either works to create atmosphere, promote ambiguity for the guessing game to whether Deckard (Harrison Ford) is or is not a replicant or simply moves the film towards its end. Observations made with even the sparsest dialogue convey so much. For example, in the club scene Zhora (Joanna Cassidy) barely speaks, but through the tone of voice and mannerisms as she changes that it’s clear her suspicions have arisen from the moment she meets Deckard. Leon (Brion James) is also man also of few words, yet every word is delivered with such a relatable aspect of aggression and paranoia that it’s impossible not to relate. But it’s the Pris (Daryl Hannah) and Roy (Rutger Hauer) combination that truly are the most expressional. The “couple” is both so equally scarred yet childlike in every mannerism that it’s appropriate and fortunate that someone like Sebastian is who they get to work off of; someone naïve enough to understand their plight and get connived into helping them both.  

Another thing that I’ve grown to love is how there really is no central protagonist to the film. Sure, Deckard is the Marlowesque lead, but even if you don’t buy that he’s a replicant, it’s hard to argue how he’s conflicted about his role even before he starts the assignment of hunting the Nexus-6s down. Even more clear, Blade Runner makes every effort to show that these rogue replicants are all quite sympathetic only wanting a chance to live longer.1982 birthed a lot of sci-fi, but there hasn’t been a film of its genre that is more intellectually compelling or more inviting of self-interpretation than Blade Runner. In fact, the only film worthy of comparison would be Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey which is some damn fine company to be around. So despite the massive cult following that the film has found, everyone has different opinions on the points that the film touches on. For further evidence, read this very thread here at DIMP which has contained a solid discussion with various forum members (including myself) and their takes.  

Fifty years from now, people will still be talking about Blade Runner, replicant status, fantastic set design, the most beautiful Vangelis score ever, and so on and so forth. Long after we get to see what Los Angeles really looks like in 2019, these discussions will be continuing. While it may have had a rocky original run, Blade Runner is no longer a movie. Its pop culture and fine art rolled into one. 

Presentation
Blade Runner has never looked or sounded so good. In fact, most DVDs don’t achieve the same level of video quality that The Final Cut has now benchmarked. (And this is nothing compared to the level of detail in the Blu-ray release, but that is for discussion another time.) The streets of Los Angeles in 2019 are alive again and ready to be reexplored. The blacks are black, the neons are piercing and every raindrop is discernable. Much in the way Deckard is able to reveal images impossible to see in his photographs, this transfer is enough to actually make tears… in rain discernable. The 5.1 surround mix is again nothing short of luxurious and is extremely complementary not just to ambient effects and dialog, but to Vangelis’ absolutely impeccable score. This DVD is perfect. If you are still holding on to the original DVD, you don’t need it anymore. The Final Cut is your release of choice, grab one of the new Blade Runner editions, you won’t be disappointed. Subtitles are available in English, Spanish and French for those that require them. 

Extras

Introduction by director Ridley Scott – (0:38)
Exactly as it sounds, Scott briefly discusses the new cut of the film and its transfer.  

Commentary by director Ridley Scott
Here’s the commentary that everyone will listen to. Finally, the man himself discusses his new final cut and has plenty of time to do it. I like how Scott doesn’t stick solely to the film, but also talks about directing in general, comparing how tools and techniques have changed from 1982 to today (this was recoded while Scott was filming American Gangster), and how he recognizes that he’s not the easiest guy to work with.  

Commentary by executive producer/co-screenwriter Hampton Fancher, co-screenwriter David Peoples, producer Michael Deeley and production executive Katherine Haber
This commentary, and I don’t know why I thought so, I felt would be the more boring and drawn out. However, Fancher and Peoples are great commentators who are never afraid to make jabs at each other when talking about how they scripted it, what they changed of each others scripts, abandoned ideas, etc. It’s wildly listenable although they can come across pompous at times. Deeley also provides a great deal of insight that’s from a unique perspective because his ideas for Blade Runner often conflicted with Scott’s.  

Commentary by visual futurist Syd Mead, production designer Lawrence G. Paull, art director David L. Snyder and special photographic effects supervisors Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich and David Dryer
As you can maybe imagine, the participants here are rather dry with the occasional “Wow, this looks great!” comments. If you can dig through it, there are some great stories, particularly stories about their interactions with Scott and how he let them have such creative freedom at an early age. Some of the sign designs are discussed (sadly, the “Atari” sign isn’t one of them) and how the designing worked to complement the lighting. Good stuff, even if it is the lesser of the three. 

Three commentaries are a daunting task to tear into, but these three are all consistently interesting and engaging. 

Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner – (3:33:57)
Getting the entirety of the second disc to itself (save for some promo spots) Dangerous Days spends over three and a half hours telling you just about everything you need to know about Blade Runner’s history from its origins in the mind of Phillip K. Dick to the new version that is included here. I would be shocked, seriously shocked if most of the content here is new to fans of Deckard, but what is here is a wealth of monumental information the likes of which hasn’t been seen outside of a few circumstances (The Frighteners and 12 Monkeys documentaries come to mind). While for most films this kind of attention would be long surpassing overkill, with Blade Runner (and, readers, this could be the bias I warned you about) it seems too short. Far too short. However, seeing literally every important member of the project (save for Brion James who died several years ago) telling their stories makes for a very rewarding watch even if the stories you already know. For fans of every familiarity whether they’ve seen it once or a hundred times, Dangerous Days is required viewing. 

Trailers
There is an additional gallery showing the trailers for I am Legend, Invasion, Fracture and Superman: Doomsday. An odd assortment of trailers to be sure, and sadly there is no trailer for Blade Runner itself (though it is included on the 4th disc of the larger sets).  

The Bottom Line
The two-disc release of Blade Runner is the lightest of all the new releases when it comes to extras. It wasn’t created with the mega-fan in mind, but it definitely will satisfy a newbie’s curiosity. The commentaries are full of great dishing and the feature-plus-length documentary is one for the ages. If you’re new to the whole phenomenon, this release makes for great training wheels for the uninitiated. Buy a copy for a friend and see if they can appreciate it for all that it is.