Blade Runner 2049 - Your review and what could have been done to ensure its box office success?

[shaz619]

I just watched the movie and honestly it's a work of art an absolute MASTERPIECE, every bit as good as the original and it is worthy of all the critical acclaim. Unfortunately, and this makes me very sad; the movie thus far has not been popular amongst fans and while there has been success in the UK it has performed poorly in the US box office.

The movie itself was 163 minutes long and being an enthusiast I thoroughly enjoyed it but it has to be said that the movie was quiet long, maybe if the movie was split into two parts it would have performed better at the Box Office and bought in more casuals ? certain scenes could also have been altered to increase the pace and have a bit more action.

Personally I'd not want such a movie to be tampered with at all and feel it was brilliant in its current state but what is disappointing is that such movies tend to perform poorly at the box office which can prevent directors from making these excellent movies. So maybe there can be a middle ground where both fan groups are left satisfied, the casuals and the enthusiasts; because it's certainly better then drivel like The Fast Five and Transformer type movies coming out constantly.

 

[shaz619]

This has to be one of the greatest sequels I have ever seen

 

[shaz619]

[MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION] [MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION] [MENTION=137142]JaDed[/MENTION] [MENTION=48620]Cpt. Rishwat[/MENTION] [MENTION=139150]aliasad1998[/MENTION] [MENTION=47617]Red Devil[/MENTION] let me know what you guys think if you've seen it

 

[marlonbrowndo]

What could have been done to ensure box office success? One of 2 things

1) Replace all the depth of the movie by cheap action sequences and explosions. Replace the dialogue with cheesy one liners and forced comic relief. Replace Ryan Gosling with Vin Diesel. Replace the director Dennis Villeneuve with Michael Bay. Throw a few superheroes in there and release a trailer that reveals every plot point.

2) Replace the majority of today's film audience who have the attention span and mental capacity of a goldfish by people who actually understand movies and think about what they are watching. People who know and understand what quality is

 

[shaz619]

What could have been done to ensure box office success? One of 2 things

1) Replace all the depth of the movie by cheap action sequences and explosions. Replace the dialogue with cheesy one liners and forced comic relief. Replace Ryan Gosling with Vin Diesel. Replace the director Dennis Villeneuve with Michael Bay. Throw a few superheroes in there and release a trailer that reveals every plot point.

2) Replace the majority of today's film audience who have the attention span and mental capacity of a goldfish by people who actually understand movies and think about what they are watching. People who know and understand what quality is

Lmao there has to be a balance though mate, I hate the fact that there won't be a part 3 because they have the capacity to tell so many compelling stories.

With regards to the recent release how did you find the length itself and would splitting it into two parts have helped financially

 

[shaz619]

[MENTION=43583]KingKhanWC[/MENTION] Watch this in the Odeon Isense screen at Broadway Plaza, the 3D IMAX is pointless imo. I went to a screen at 5.45 on a friday but there weren't many people there, I suppose I was a bit early but my timing was bang on because the movie was very long and still had time to find a bite after. Out of the folk who were there, quiet a few old people and then there were folk in their early 20's sitting alone guys and gals probably the smarter ones amongst their group of mates It was interesting though, barely any casuals but perhaps they may have showed up at the later screens. A positive is that Blade Runner is still no.1 in the UK box office, hopefully it remains in that spot for the weeks to come because I want to see part 3 dammit !

 

[shaz619]

Batista had a small part in the movie as well, but that one scene of his was 10x better then anything Dwayne Pathetic Johnson has ever done in his entire hollywood career [MENTION=140459]SandyB[/MENTION]. Atleast Dave has some self respect unlike Dwayne.

 

[shaz619]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottm...mb-because-of-its-budget-period/#2ec8376f6578

Blade Runner 2049 earned $15.1 million in its second weekend of domestic release. That's a 55% drop from last weekend for a $60m ten-day total. And, like everything else about Blade Runner 2049, it's a relative disaster precisely due to its obscene $155m+ budget. No, Warner Bros./Time Warner Inc. didn't put up that money (it's an Alcon Entertainment/Sony production), but to the extent that overseas box office still follows domestic box office (more than you think), this does not bode well for its overseas haul. But if this were either a much cheaper film or a big movie coming off a much-bigger opening weekend, a 55% drop or a $60m ten-day total (and $158m worldwide cume) wouldn't be too bad.

 

[Suleiman]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottm...mb-because-of-its-budget-period/#2ec8376f6578

Why though? Why is it not generating revenue despite being a good movie. I liked it.

 

[shaz619]

https://www.wired.com/2017/10/geeks-guide-blade-runner-2049/

Are Audiences Too Lazy to Appreciate Blade Runner 2049?

Science fiction author Matthew Kressel is a massive fan of the original Blade Runner, and appreciates that the sequel replicates its mood and pacing.

“A lot of today’s Hollywood films don’t have a lot of patience,” he says. “They sort of expect the audience to get bored really quickly, so they’re like, ‘We’ve got to have an explosion every 10 minutes.'”

Hit the nail on the head

 

[shaz619]

Why though? Why is it not generating revenue despite being a good movie. I liked it.

It's the length of the movie, pacing and lack of non stop action I suppose. I think we could find a middle ground when it comes to the length but then maybe that would still not solve things ? casual fans especially will not appreciate a complex narrative or a long build to a satisfying pay off, they prefer fast and furious type of movies. When the original was released there was a similar problem but long after, it was finally appreciated after a while given how it was so ahead of its time and I think it made up for a lot of the initial losses through the DVD sales and re-releases. Maybe with time blade runner 2049 will be appreciated the same way. Am just annoyed that due to the casual fans we probably won't get part 3 when there's so many stories to tell

 

[SandyB]

Got pulled from most theatres in Bangalore (Metro cities ) after the 1st week itself. Wanted to catch the IMAX (digital) version, now some smally crappy 3d screen plays it .

Pretty bad IMO, seems the Marvel/DC films and Transformers like sci-fi LITE movies have absolutely dumbed down Hollywood audiences , like Bollywood masala did to desi audiences..

 

[SandyB]

What could have been done to ensure box office success? One of 2 things

1) Replace all the depth of the movie by cheap action sequences and explosions. Replace the dialogue with cheesy one liners and forced comic relief. Replace Ryan Gosling with Vin Diesel. Replace the director Dennis Villeneuve with Michael Bay. Throw a few superheroes in there and release a trailer that reveals every plot point.

I agree with most of your complaints, but people put a disproportionate level of blame on Micheal Bay for dumbing down Hollywood films. I mean, the GUY literally agrees that he makes dumb film for dumb audiences.. His movies have always been targeted at horny teenagers, and there has alwyas been such an audience in Hollywood.

He isn't one of those Marvel/DC/Disney hired bigwigs, trying to push mediocre/serviceable Sci-Fi/Action films as the next thing since sliced bread. ! They should get more of the blame. The last time bay Did something like that was with "Armageddon" back in the 90's.

Michael Bay makes fried chicken, but he sure makes it real good, real crispy and sells it as it is , with pepsi fries and a big box! . My problem is with filmmakers who package fried chicken with some lettuce and fruit juice and sell it to us as some "healthy meal" .

 

[Stewie]

Batista had a small part in the movie as well, but that one scene of his was 10x better then anything Dwayne Pathetic Johnson has ever done in his entire hollywood career [MENTION=140459]SandyB[/MENTION]. Atleast Dave has some self respect unlike Dwayne.

Bautista is a proper actor now and has had some high profile roles. He was great as a Bond villain, and in GOTG movies and a couple of other roles. The rock just plays a muscled douche (himself) in every movie he is in.

 

[Stewie]

Blade runner movies are tho Got procoking and a work of true science fiction. It takes a bit of intellect to appreciate such works. I think the sequel was brilliant but I can also understand there is no culture of enjoying such films in India and pakistan.

 

[shaz619]

Bautista is a proper actor now and has had some high profile roles. He was great as a Bond villain, and in GOTG movies and a couple of other roles. The rock just plays a muscled douche (himself) in every movie he is in.

It was a very moving scene, am a fan of his work prior to hollywood and it got him a foot in the door because guys his size don't always have decent mic skills and towards his final run with WWE his character work especially began to improve. What I've seen from Bautista is that he has never been the most naturally gifted guy but he always worked so hard to improve and the same can be said of his hollywood career, he has constantly challenged himself with regards to the roles he has accepted and looked to improve and become more varied so I have a lot of respect for him.

And yeah lmao muscled douche, that is basically the rock. Pathetic guy, every single movie he makes requires the same effort and his performances are hardly inspiring. I suppose it's all about money for a lot of people and he's a product of movie fans today unfortunately (also why blade runner has not been a big hit at the box office), but am more of a fan of the people who care about putting on a compelling performance as well.

 

[shaz619]

Blade runner movies are tho Got procoking and a work of true science fiction. It takes a bit of intellect to appreciate such works. I think the sequel was brilliant but I can also understand there is no culture of enjoying such films in India and pakistan.

It was brilliant mate, I could watch the sequel again and learn even more then I did the first time; it just has so much depth and am still annoyed that we may not get part 3. Hopefully with time people begin to appreciate this masterpiece and the studio's get a big return from the dvd and blue ray sales; that's what happened with the first one.

 

[majiz]

Waiting for a girl to go see it with

 

[tandapanii]

[MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION]

We must remember the first was a box office flop also, However, it gained a cult reputation through VHS and DVD etc, that led to, imo anyway, the production behind the sequel over estimating its worth as a financial commodity. I never thought he sequel would be a financial success.

On a personal level, I find the original outright boring. When you have to release 7 different cuts, each one an excuse as to why the previous cut was no good, you know something is wrong.

The sequel however was MUCH better. There was a coherent plot, a better central hero, Deckard's character actually becomes sympathetic and it was a beautiful movie to behold. The problem I had with it that the sections between each set piece seemed overlong (the movie could easily be cut to 120 and not lose any plot) and Goslings performance took too long to get going. For me it is a solid 7/10 movie.

A watchable, fun, sci-fi flick that is not an action blockbuster but not quite a sci-fi, meditative piece like Arrival or Twelve Monkeys for instance.

 

[Napa]

After Blade Runner, I thought Blade Runner 2049 would be a disappointment, however it was surprisingly good.

Blade Runner has been voted the best sci-fi movie ever and for good reason. To start with, there was Ridley Scott's visuals. Fantastic sets like the one in which Deckard interviews Rachel. There was super haunting music by Vangelis. Sean Young was a great beauty. Fantastic acting by her, Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer and the rest of the cast, not one bad performance.

Blade Runner stood out for its intelligence. The questions it asked were 1) What determines humanity? 2) Can those who humans regard as inferior non-humans have human emotions? 3) What rights to non-humans have? Can they be "terminated" at will? (This is a relevant question in many aspects of life as humans are constantly dividing each other on the basis of religion and community and inflict misery on the others.)

The answers were that the Replicants in Blade runner were capable of human emotions like fear, desire to live, anger, and finally (in Hauer's famous last scene) acceptance and forgiveness. They were indeed "human" or possibly even better.

After the high from Blade Runner I thought that a good sequel was impossible, as the original had already asked the big questions and given the answers. However, Blade Runner 2049 introduces some unexpected new elements and makes the trip to the theater worthwhile.

Personally I would have preferred that 2049 did not have some of the standard action scenes like the one around the sinking vessel towards the end. It reduced the film to something more common. I assume that the director/scriptwriter thought that there had to be some action eye candy for the masses.

Interestingly, the film has left open the possibility of another sequel: the coming war between the replicants and humans.

 

[Yaasir]

Went to go watch it after all the hype and I was thoroughly disappointed. At almost 3 hours long, it dragged. It was just way too slow for my liking.

Anyway I can see some people enjoying these kind of movies, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

 

[shaz619]

My favourite movie of the year along with Logan

 

[Suleiman]

My favourite movie of the year along with Logan

Loved BD 2049, and same. After dross like Thor and Justice League type stuff getting released, this movie stands heads and shoulders afridi) above the rest. Amazing cinematography and good writing.

 

[MABA]

It was a great movie, a shame it did not perform well at BO

 

[shaz619]

Loved BD 2049, and same. After dross like Thor and Justice League type stuff getting released, this movie stands heads and shoulders afridi) above the rest. Amazing cinematography and good writing.

Have not seen Thor/Justice-League and probably won't be watching them, loved BR 2049 the movie has so much depth that you could watch it again and again with varying perceptions / finding out new things. The finish was set up nicely as well, some seeds were planted for part 3 but after the box office performance maybe we won't get that sadly

 

[saadibaba]

An absolute piece of art. One of the best science fiction movies after 2001:Spce Odyssey. Brilliant cinematography and direction. Great score. A totally immersive experience. Better than its predecessor in my opinion. Like a graphic novel which got transformed into a movie. Every frame can be frozen and displayed as a painting. Genius. Words fall short...Highly recommended.

 

[Robert]

I liked it a lot. Visually and audially stunning. Preferred the original - I thought the characters were stronger, especially Roy Batty.

Poor old Deckard, having to fight all those Nexus 6 jobs....

I suppose the morally ambiguous tone did not go down well in the multiplexes. No obvious white hats and black hats.

 

[James]

Two points. From someone who has not seen it yet. (And really wants to.)

It was a box office disappointment as opposed to a complete turkey. It made back its budget and then some money on top of that. It still overall lost money due to advertising and promotion costs, however there have been many bigger flops at the box office than this. Like the original did, I think it will also make a lot of money on DVD and Blu-Ray. It is still on for full price on all home media formats which tells me that it is selling well (and that is why I have not bought it yet!)

Also, slightly more controversial - I think the film was commercially challenged because it was too intelligent. This was not another instant gratification popcorn franchise entry in the Avengers or Fast & Furious series. It actually required concentration and effort. Everyone in my office who I rate as having at least half a brain and has seen it, loved it - whereas the thicker people who went to see it have said that they fell asleep, walked out or were otherwise bored.

That is what you get with Denis Villeneuve - Prisoners, Arrival and Enemy are similarly complex and serious pieces of art. Take it or leave it.

And yeah, I really want to see this film.

 

[Robert]

I liked the dystopian images of an Earth ruined by climate change - the red deserts, air full of dust; the high sea walls with the rain pounding.

Funny how the original film posited the rich people all getting off-world by 2019.

 

[PetroDollars]

I cant stand dystopian movies, therefore i hated it and switched it off half way

 

[saadibaba]

Ive been thinking a lot about this movie since watching it few days back. Why I liked it so much, what made this movie miles apart from the rest. The obvious answer is the film's cinematography and art direction but when I started digging deeper, I realized why I loved this movie so much.

It put me into a trance like state. A high one gets after smoking a joint or after a couple of glasses of wine. The movie literally send you into this extremely observant yet mind numbing state by its stunning visuals, creating a mood and atmosphere unlike any. Its a completely immersive optical and auditory experience. One gets jolted out of that comatose state off and on when a fight scene or action sequence breaks out but brings you back in immediately. All in all, its a wildly hypnotic and surreal ride. I remember 2001:Space Odyssey doing a number on me like this before.

 

[James]

Finally seen it and I think it was magnificent. Visually mind blowing.

Right up there with The Empire Strikes Back as one of the ATG sequels.

Even better than the original.

And I personally think that Deckard is a human.

 

[shaz619]

Finally seen it and I think it was magnificent. Visually mind blowing.

Right up there with The Empire Strikes Back as one of the ATG sequels.

Even better than the original.

And I personally think that Deckard is a human.

I hope we get the finale but not sure based on the box office showing although they ought to get a return from platforms such as DVD, Blue Ray, Amazon Prime and Netflix. There is plenty of material for a third film but I get the feeling if we do get another there will be a similar gap time wise between the first and second. It truly was absolutely surreal in IMAX, one of the all time great cinematic productions in history; was like having an out of body experience and it constantly gave you a high which was stimulating on so many levels.

 

[James]

The “baseline test” concept was very intelligent and chilling. Takes the Replicant test from the first film to a new level - humans used to measure emotional responses in Replicants and would destroy the rogue ones that they found, whereas now they will allow Replicants to exist - but only if they can prove that they have no mind and no heart so they will obey. Humans are evil.

Interviewer: Officer K-D-six-dash-three-dot-seven, let's begin. Ready?

'K': Yes, sir.

Interviewer: Recite your baseline.

'K': And blood-black nothingness began to spin... A system of cells interlinked within cells interlinked within cells interlinked within one stem... And dreadfully distinct against the dark, a tall white fountain played.

Interviewer: Cells.

'K': Cells.

Interviewer: Have you ever been in an institution? Cells.

'K': Cells.

Interviewer: Do they keep you in a cell? Cells.

'K': Cells.

Interviewer: When you're not performing your duties do they keep you in a little box? Cells.

'K': Cells.

Interviewer: Interlinked.

'K': Interlinked.

Interviewer: What's it like to hold the hand of someone you love? Interlinked.

'K': Interlinked.

Interviewer: Did they teach you how to feel finger to finger? Interlinked.

'K': Interlinked.

Interviewer: Do you long for having your heart interlinked? Interlinked.

'K': Interlinked.

Interviewer: Do you dream about being interlinked?

'K': Interlinked.

Interviewer: What's it like to hold your child in your arms? Interlinked.

'K': Interlinked.

Interviewer: Do you feel that there's a part of you that's missing? Interlinked.

'K': Interlinked.

Interviewer: Within cells interlinked.

'K': Within cells interlinked.

Interviewer: Why don't you say that three times: Within cells interlinked.

'K': Within cells interlinked. Within cells interlinked. Within cells interlinked.

Interviewer: We're done... Constant K, you can pick up your bonus.

'K': Thank you, sir.

 

[shaz619]

The “baseline test” concept was very intelligent and chilling. Takes the Replicant test from the first film to a new level - humans used to measure emotional responses in Replicants and would destroy the rogue ones that they found, whereas now they will allow Replicants to exist - but only if they can prove that they have no mind and no heart so they will obey. Humans are evil.

The portrayal of the humans in both movies is very accurate, am going to buy the blue ray for both movies soon; I will probably learn something new each time they are watched again

 

[shaz619]

[MENTION=1842]James[/MENTION] did you cry when one of the evil people stepped on K's USB stick that was really sad

 

[James]

[MENTION=1842]James[/MENTION] did you cry when one of the evil people stepped on K's USB stick that was really sad

It was really emotional!

 

[Suleiman]

Anyone here watch Altered Carbon? Relatively new Netflix series also set in that cyberpunk tone and setting, saw the trailer and reminded me a lot of Blade Runner. [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] [MENTION=139150]aliasad1998[/MENTION]

 

[Angrez Pakistani]

An item song is THE answer to your question. Katrina could’ve made a cameo in it. I believe she could’ve made her presence felt in it.

 

[shaz619]

Anyone here watch Altered Carbon? Relatively new Netflix series also set in that cyberpunk tone and setting, saw the trailer and reminded me a lot of Blade Runner. [MENTION=46929]shaz619[/MENTION] [MENTION=139150]aliasad1998[/MENTION]

I haven't, but if it reminded you of blade runner then I need to see it ASAP !

 

[Greenstorm]

Just finished this movie like 15 minutes ago. Its a great one, very immersive and has its own pace. It reminded me of another under rated movie 'Equilibrium'.