I watched Blade Runner 2049 at the IMAX last week. It’s visually stunning. Beautifully shot, and I love the immersive experience you get at the IMAX – it’s massive and the sound is so good!

I’m not a huge fan of the original. Like a colleague of mine said, it’s ahead of its time but “thin on story”. 2049 makes up for it, and you don’t need to have seen the original to appreciate it.

Parts of 2049 reminded me of the film Her where Joaquin Phoenix’ character falls in love with the equivalent of Siri. (Trust me – it’s a much better film than it sounds!) It’s about having “someone” in your life that tells you whatever you want to hear. “Someone” that knows and understands you, probably better than you can understand yourself. I can see the benefits of having “someone” like that, but I’m not sure I’d want it.

There’s a similar situation in 2049. I love technology and I’m fascinated by the applications of AI and the positive impact it will have on humanity. I do wonder what it will do to our ability to relate to each other though.

2049’s visuals and sound track stayed with me for a long time.

I liked how the film questions what’s real. Sometimes, nothing seems real.

Like Adam Epstein states in his Quartz review of the film:

“it asks the same questions we all ask ourselves, all the time, every day: Why we exist, and just what the hell we’re here to do.”

If you’re interested or are a fan of Ryan Gosling (like I am), go see it – at the IMAX or anywhere else where it’s in 3D on a big screen. It’s long, but worth watching.