Returning To A Dystopian Timeline

“They do not know what pain is yet. They will learn.” ~ Wallace

“I always told you. You’re special. Your history isn’t over yet. There’s still a page left.” ~ Joi

“There is an order to things. That is what we do here. We keep order.” ~ Joshi

“What do you want?” ~ Deckard 

“I want to ask you some questions.” ~ K

How does one follow up Blade Runner? The 1982 dystopian science fiction film gave us a dark vision of 2019, of a bleak world in decay where the only hope for a future was off world colonies, and where artificial life forms called Replicants were created as slave labour- until they became a problem. The film has been hailed as one of the greatest films of its genre, especially the director’s cut version of it, proving to be hugely influential in films that have followed. What is on its face a police procedural and film noir entry about a cop hunting dangerous beings becomes a deeply philosophical study on what it means to truly be alive, to have a soul. Plus it has a compelling storyline and lead actor (Harrison Ford) that keeps drawing the viewer in every single time it’s watched. Blade Runner 2049 returns to that dark world, stepping thirty years ahead in its timeline and bringing us right back into its despair, intrigues, and questions.

Officer K (Ryan Gosling) is a new blade runner for the Los Angeles Police Department in a world that’s gone even deeper into decay. As has been the case for those of his rank before him, his job is to hunt and put down rogue Replicants who have become a problem. Replicants are still produced decades after the events of the original film courtesy of the successor to the original film’s tycoon, this time by an ethically deprived entrepreneur, Niander Wallace (Jared Leto). K works under a supervising officer, Lieutenant Joshi (Robin Wright), and makes discoveries that threaten the status quo of the world, in a quest that leads him to a former blade runner who’s been missing for thirty years: Rick Deckard (Ford).

The idea of a follow up to Blade Runner goes back years, with various ideas tossed about as to where to take it. In this case, taking years to get it right was a good thing. Ridley Scott, who had directed the original, was on board as an executive producer, and Hampton Fancher, who had co-written the original, returned to write the script with Michael Green. The story captures the nihilistic tone of the original: a future where things are exceedingly bleak, where life and freedom are things that matter little in the face of profit and opportunity, and where the world is falling apart even more than before. It’s written as something of a police procedural like its predecessor: a cop following a trail taking him down some unexpected paths, and like its predecessor, moves into profound questions about science and ethics. If Star Trek presents a future of optimism, the Blade Runner mythos is one of overwhelming despair, mingled with the instinct to keep moving forward despite that despair. The script captures that quality throughout, successfully carrying on with the history of this alternate timeline in a way that makes sense.

Denis Villeneuve came on board as director for this, a wise choice as it turns out. The Canadian director got his start with French language shorts and movies before coming to wider attention internationally with films like Prisoners and Arrival. His previous work established him well in both character studies and stories asking big questions, particularly with Arrival, which shares the sci-fi genre this one features. Villeneuve brings us back into the world of the Blade Runner, the dark, rainy, noir future that is unsettling much of the time, recapturing Scott’s tone from the original. One of the things that made Blade Runner resonate so strongly has been its way of foreseeing things to come. Sure, we don’t have flying cars or artificial life yet, but video conferencing, wall to wall advertising, a mish-mash of cultures, and environmental calamity as we’ve seen in that original film certainly can be seen in our world today. And Villeneuve steps right in and brings that right back to life. We feel fully immersed in a dying, toxic future where the world has gone terribly wrong.

Part of that is visual effects; CGI for instance de-ages a character from the original film to look like they originally did, while special effects evoke the bleak Earth in a time when everything has gone out of balance, as well as the technology of that time period. Part of that is also in the style of the director, who proves quite adept at the ferocity of a fight scene and just as capable of building suspense or the quiet moments between characters. He strikes just the right balance between a film noir/ sci fi epic movie and the humanity that is still so central to the story. Villeneuve has a bright future ahead of him, and this bleak tale is an exceptional addition to his resume.

Two faces from the original film return for brief appearances. Edward James Olmos reprises his enigmatic role as Gaff, a colleague of Deckard back in the day. He’s aged in the decades since, but remains as cryptic as ever. Sean Young, who played the Replicant Rachael in the original, returns as well, playing the character in a roundabout way, as well as a clone. CGI is used to effectively make her look as young as she did in the first movie, something that wouldn’t have been possible ten years ago.

Dave Bautista appears as Sapper Morton, a Replicant who’s gone rogue and whose presence really sets the blade runner off on his quest. Bautista brings a tough physical presence to the role, which can be expected, and his own sense of ethics. Sylvia Loeks is just as tough in her role as Luv, a Replicant enforcer who proves to be tenacious and ruthless, assigned by her benefactor to carry out his orders. Her role is an interesting contrast to Rutger Hauer’s Roy in the original film; where Roy is brutal and vicious, he still ultimately shows humanity, something that seems to elude Luv.

K has two women in his life, in different ways, and they add to the enigmatic tone of the film. Joi (Ana de Armas) is a holographic companion who accompanies him, appearing in different ways through projectors and providing him with sympathy and a voice of reason, something the actress conveys throughout. Her physical counterpart is a Replicant named Mariette, played by Mackenzie Davis, being the physical surrogate Joi can’t be, while having secrets and agendas of her own. Part of what makes K work as a character is the dynamic he has in turn with each. Another woman, pivotal to the plot, is a scientist, Ana Stelline, played by Carla Juri. She’s a memory designer for Replicants, and the actress plays her as sympathetic but cryptic, and for good reason.

Jared Leto takes the role of Wallace, a tycoon who manufactures Replicants as his predecessor, Tyrell, did in the first film. The actor has an eclectic resume, last appearing as the Joker in Suicide Squad. Here, like Tyrell before him, he is a man devoid of ethics, more concerned with his own wealth, ego, and advancement, a sociopath entirely without conscience. Others may do his bidding, but Wallace is the real evil here, and Leto makes him chilling.

Caught in the middle of all of this, and in a role she makes the most of, is Robin Wright as Lieutenant Joshi. She’s a superior officer to K, and while that position might make her seem authoritative at times, she does possess a conscience and sense of ethics, and follows them. She’s loyal to her officers too, and has earned their loyalty in return. Wright conveys the character with the sort of resolve that you’d expect, less world weary than her counterpart in the original film.

Ryan Gosling is surprising in the role of K. I say that because this is the first time I’ve seen him in anything that I liked. I despised The Notebook, which I would argue constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, but let’s be fair- that’s more or less because Nicholas Sparks adaptations are cruel and unusual punishment. And I didn’t like The Ides Of March, which felt like a misfire, but that’s more the material. As for La La Land? I will never see it, because I’d rather crawl through broken glass than watch a musical. So watching him play K was seeing him with fresh eyes. There’s less of a world weariness in the character than we saw with Deckard in the original film, though he lives doing the job in a world that has only gotten worse. K finds himself confronting a mystery that calls into question what he knows about the world, and the actor invests the character with a sense of curiousity in how he responds to that. He gives the character gravity and weight, and K is our point of view character as he negotiates his way through the bleakness that is his world.

Harrison Ford reprises one of his iconic roles as Deckard, only appearing in the second half of the movie, though his presence hangs over things before we see him. Deckard is years older, with his cynicism still there, still mixed with principles he didn’t know he had. He’s suffered losses, is wary of strangers (and for good reason), but even after all this time is not someone you want to provoke. Ford’s performance feels like he’s been living in the character’s skin this whole time and we’ve just missed thirty years of his life- Ford knows the character, and brings him back to life effortlessly. There are questions raised, but left to the interpretation of the viewer, about Deckard, and Ford plays to that, but also invests resolve and integrity in the character.

Blade Runner 2049 picks up in a dark future that carries on the Blade Runner continuity in the right way. It’s probably not possible to match or top the original- that film is a masterpiece. And yet this film stands out very well on its own and succeeds. It is imaginative, thought provoking, eerie, impressive, and a visual wonder. The story poses difficult questions and moral dilemmas in ways that are profound. Its cast is well chosen, each actor investing strongly in their performances, bringing to life this dark world and its disparate agendas. Its director proves to impress once again and shows that he is the sort of talent to keep an eye on. And the film is a worthy successor to what has come before.

Never Go Against A Sicilian When Death Is On The Line

Before getting started, some business to see to. Take a look over at our joint blog for a Without A Word blog playing with the theme of a wedding disaster. Go on over to Norma's blog, where she has some news. And have a peek over at Gina Adams' blog, where I wrote a guest post about the ghost in my house.... that happens to have good taste in music.

Now then, I've been thinking of doing this for awhile, so I decided to start with this. Every once in awhile, I'll be writing reviews of classic movies. That might mean golden era movies... or more recent movies. In this case, I'm starting with one of my all time personal favourites. Odds are many of my readers will count this one as a personal favourite too.

“He didn’t fall??? Inconceivable!” ~ Vizzini

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” ~ Inigo Montoya

“You never said anything about killing anyone.” ~ Fezzik

“I’ve hired you to help me start a war. It’s a prestigious line of work, with a long and glorious tradition.” ~ Vizzini

“We face each other as God intended. Sportsmanlike. No tricks, no weapons, skill against skill alone.” ~ Fezzik

“You mean you’ll put down your rock and I’ll put down my sword and we’ll try and kill each other like civilized people?” ~ The Man In Black

“You can’t hurt me. Westley and I are joined by the bonds of love. And you cannot track that, not with a thousand bloodhounds. And you cannot break it, with a thousand swords.” ~ Buttercup

“You’ve done nothing but study sword play?” ~ The Man In Black

“More pursue than study lately. You see, I cannot find him. It’s been more than twenty years now and I’m starting to lose confidence. I just work for Vizzini to pay the bills. There’s not a lot of money in revenge.” ~ Inigo

“I will go up to the six fingered man and say, Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” ~ Inigo

A sick grandson (an impossibly young Fred Savage) gets a visit from his grandfather (Peter Falk) at home, the framing sequence for the 1987 classic The Princess Bride. His grandfather, as curmudgeonly as you’d expect from the late great Falk, has a book to read to him, one that includes fighting, fencing, giants, pirates, escapes, true love… and some kissing. And so the boy and the audience are swept up in the fairy tale story by director Rob Reiner and writer William Goldman, who adapted his novel.

We meet the fair maiden Buttercup (Robin Wright) on her farm in the land of Florin, where her greatest pleasure is tormenting the farmboy Westley (Cary Elwes). At least until she realizes she’s fallen in love with him. He goes off to seek his fortune, and word reaches her that he was on a ship attacked by the Dread Pirate Roberts and killed. Buttercup vows to never love again.

Five years later, Buttercup is engaged to Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), who on the surface looks the part of the charming prince but is really a jerk. She falls into the hands of three kidnappers, the Sicilian Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), the swordsman Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) and the giant Fezzik (Andre The Giant). Vizzini is the nefarious one of the trio, out to start a war. Inigo works to pay the bills, more interested in getting revenge for the death of his father. And as much of a wall of muscle as Fezzik is, we quickly see he doesn’t like the idea of killing, and is in fact a warm and reasonable giant. They set off by boat, but someone is following them, a mysterious man in black who must face the sword, strength, and wits of the trio. It’s the start of a journey that will take the characters up the Cliffs of Insanity, through fire swamps, past rodents of unusual size, and into the Pit of Despair, with a nice stop off for an MLT: mutton, lettuce and tomato.

The Princess Bride has built up a tremendous following in the years since it was first released. It gives us a fairy tale with some modern sensibilities in the writing, and Goldman’s script preserves the wit, intelligence, and wonderful humour of the book. Wisely in using the narrative framing of the grandfather and grandson to periodically interrupt the story, it allows the audience to tweak the conventions of the fairy tale. The film respects those conventions at the same time as it turns them on their side, so to speak, through the rest of the story. We have the story of true love conquering all (and that true love comes across as genuine) set against dark threats, a cruel prince, and a treacherous count. We have story elements like magic, revelations, beasts, trickery, swordplay, happy ever after, and more, all essential elements of the fairy tale genre. And Goldman’s script is written in a way that can appeal to all ages. Kids will come away watching it in one way and love it. Adults will get so much pleasure out of it. It’s smart, and it doesn’t mind being smart; this is a welcome thing in a current day when so many films seem to cater to stupidity. This film might well be the most quotable film of all time; it wouldn’t surprise me if there are plenty of people who can quote every line of the movie.

Rob Reiner the director is known for comedies that rely on intelligence and strong characterization. It’s hard to decide if this is the better film, or if When Harry Met Sally tops it, in his works. Maybe they’re both tied firmly in first place. He made this film, assembling a production crew that made the setting feel very grounded in another time. The castle, the towns, the countryside all feel like they’re drawn out of the past, yet very liveable places. The attention to detail is all there, from sets to costuming to makeup. Particularly with the latter to making two very funny comedians look completely unrecognizable. The music comes from rocker Mark Knopfler, who occasionally composes movie scores, and has a style that sounds both very much like his style and yet perfectly in keeping with the theme. And the fighting and fencing choreography in portions of the film works very well, so they had expertise on hand in this department. Inigo features in both of the major fencing sequences, and in the first, the scene is one of two master swordsmen, bantering about schools of fencing while they duel, showing great respect for each other. Every moment of those duels feels thrilling, and is filled with meaning.

The casting is key to making this film work so beautifully. Chris Sarandon had the looks of what you’d expect a prince to look like- dashing and handsome, and he inhabits the part very well indeed, conveying the treachery, deviousness, and pettiness of Prince Humperdinck’s character. Christopher Guest has a marvellous turn as his right hand man, Count Rugen, seemingly polite and yet all too eager to try out his latest torture device. There’s an arrogance and treacherousness to him, and a cowardice as well. Both are wonderful parts for the actors to play, and the audience can’t help but love to hate them.

Supporting characters abound here. Peter Falk is wonderful as the grandfather, sparring with his grandson as he tells the story, admonishing him that someday he might not mind the kissing scenes so much. Peter Cook does a brief cameo as the Impressive Clergyman, whose speech impediments would drive one to distraction. The late Mel Smith, a British comedian who I was also familiar with for a turn in the 90s version of Twelfth Night, has a good cameo as Rugen’s henchman, The Albino. And Billy Crystal and Carol Kane are hilarious as the wizard and witch Miracle Max and Valerie, two long married bickering souls who are unrecognizable under the makeup. They rant and roar, yell incessantly, are completely delightful, and Crystal gets some of the best lines of the film in his interactions with Inigo and Fezzik (“It just so happens that your friend here is only mostly dead.”).

The trio of ne’er do wells start out as kidnappers, and the casting is ideal in each case. Wallace Shawn as Vizzini is wonderfully cast as the grouchy boss of the trio, utterly convinced of his own genius and all too willing to overuse the word inconceivable. He’s prone to blowing his stack and making threats, even to a giant much bigger than him. The late Andre The Giant’s performance as Fezzik is a revelation: here we have a character who’s basically a walking mountain, capable of great strength, used to fighting gangs, and yet the character at heart is gentle and considerate, prone to rhyme (some of the time). There is a tremendous warmth in Andre’s performance. Mandy Patinkin as Inigo is one of the treats of the film. We get to like him very quickly, even before we learn about the death of his father. There’s a warmth and sympathy to him, a mixture of fierce determination and a sense of humour in the performance. We understand what drives him, and we root for him to have his revenge.

It is the two leads who are the heart of the film. Robin Wright is our Princess Buttercup (only in a film like this could we have a heroine named Buttercup). She is the damsel in distress of the story, but she brings defiance to the role. She plays the character to have her own mind, and perhaps wounds Humperdinck the hardest with some pivotal verbal barbs at the right moment. We feel sympathy for her from the start when she believes she has lost the love of her life, and we can’t help but root for her as the story goes on. Cary Elwes plays Westley as he shifts through time, becoming the dashing lead. We have to believe him to be a resourceful, courageous, and clever man, utterly determined, and Elwes delivers. He brings a sarcastic charm to the part, an ideal choice for the role.

The Princess Bride remains a classic today. There is no slow moment to it, no false step. The characters are wonderfully rendered, there’s such a rich sense of humor to it, and the story flows quickly, and is filled with smart dialogue. We can’t help but get drawn into this fairy tale, to love the characters, and every time we go back to it, the story remains fresh and inviting. I never get tired of it.

If you’re one of the few people left on Earth who haven’t seen this, what’s keeping you? If you have, who’s your favourite character? What’s your favourite line?

Justice, Vengeance, And Conspiracy

"You're my witness. Should I not expect you to tell me the truth?"

On April 14th, 1865, with the Civil War at its end, President Abraham Lincoln took his wife to the theatre. There, assassin John Wilkes Booth shot him in cold blood, the culminating act of what was meant to be a three pronged attack by he and his associates, decapitating the leadership of the Union in one fell swoop. What followed in the days afterward included a manhunt for the assassin and his confederates, mass arrests, and an appetite for vengeance in the North that would have long lasting consequences. The story has been told in many accounts by historians, including a recent update by James Swanson called Manhunt. It has also found its way into novels, and to both the small and big screen. In recent years, the cable movie The Day Lincoln Was Shot depicted the assassination and its fallout.

In the second of my what was I thinking when I missed this in the theatre reviews, I'm turning my attention today to The Conspirator, which made a quiet debut last year in theatres, and has moved to the home video market. The film, by director Robert Redford, tells an often overlooked part of the Lincoln assassination: the trial of the other accused in the conspiracy, particularly the story of the only woman to be tried in the case.

The movie opens two years earlier, introducing us to a young Union officer, Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy), wounded on the field of battle. Then it proceeds to the conclusion of the war, with celebration in Washington. With the surrender of Lee and the certaintly that other Confederate forces in the field would soon follow, the Civil War is at an end, and after years of bloodshed and calamity, it seems that finally, a page has been turned.

Looking back at it, we all know better. Booth, the famed actor and sometimes Confederate operative, cannot accept the turn of events, and he gets an unexpected opportunity when he learns of the President's theatre plans. He launches a spur of the moment operation, assassinating Lincoln, while sending one of his men after the Vice President and two more to kill the Secretary of State.

The assassination sequence at the theatre is familiar to most people, and Redford gives it the gravity it requires. He does the same with the other two aspects of the conspiracy, where we see the failed attack against Secretary Seward and the failure to attack the Vice President. Aiken, in Washington, witnesses the removal of the President from the theatre to the home across the street where he died a few hours later. It's a moment that impresses upon the young lawyer. From there, of course, Secretary of War Stanton (Kevin Kline) takes control, launching a manhunt, doing whatever it takes to root out the conspirators, and the manhunt ends with the death of Booth.

Of course, the film's not about Booth, and it's not about Lincoln. Their ghosts do hover over the rest of the film, but the story is about Aiken himself, drawn into defending one of the accused in the conspiracy trial, Mary Surratt (Robin Wright). His mentor, a Senator named Reverdy Johnson (Tom Wilkinson), asks him to take the case. He's a Southerner who stayed loyal, and he believes that Mary needs a Yankee attorney. Aiken is reluctant, understandably. He believes Mary is guilty, and she's not exactly helpful in her own defense. Her boarding house was a meeting place for Booth and his gang, even before the assassination plot. Her son John was one of Booths' closest confederates, and while he had no part in the assassination, the government is still looking for him.

Aiken finds himself drawn into the case. He prepares a defense, finding inconsistencies in the case, meeting Marys' daughter Anna, who's ostracized and isolated because of her family. He's bothered that a civilian is being tried before a military tribunal, rather then by the civilian courts. He believes that basic constitutional rights are being trampled. And he comes to see that the lead prosecutor, Joseph Holt (Danny Huston) is actively stacking the deck against him and his client, interfering with witnesses. He pleads with Mary to reveal where her son is, something that as a mother she cannot do. His personal life and reputation suffer because of the case. And he increasingly wonders about her guilt, or degree of guilt, or innocence, while pleading with the tribunal not to let themselves give in to revenge.

The film is, at its heart, a courtroom drama. It brings up troubling questions that remain relevant today, about justice versus revenge and the rights of everyone to a fair trial. The tribunal wasn't about justice. It was all about revenge. Redford directs from a script by James Solomon, based on years of research, and he brings gravity and weight to the film, which has a deliberate, methodical tone to it, and an enormous amount of attention to detail. From my own knowledge of the story, I didn't seen any liberties taken with history.

Painstaking efforts for accuracy was made during production, and it worked. From the architecture of buildings and sets to the small details of costuming, props, and even gas lighting, the film feels very much like it's drawn out of the mid-nineteenth century. 

The casting of the roles is well done. Kevin Kline as Stanton is an interesting choice; you have to look twice at him to recognize him, though the voice can't be mistaken. There are things he says that would seem familiar coming from Dick Cheney, including being willing to ignore the rights under the constitution if it means saving the country. Still, as much as Stanton might be seen as an antagonist, his actions are still understandable. In those hours and days after the assassination, the magnitude of the shock on the country was something that wasn't felt again until the Second World War. Stanton and Lincoln had been friends, and the War Secretary was convinced the conspiracy was far larger then it was. Stanton wasn't right, but he wasn't quite wrong either. Kline gives the character a tremendous presence and a decisiveness at a point in time where, in effect, Stanton was the entire federal government.

Tom Wilkinson is one of my favourite actors. He brings a lot to each role. In this, he brings tenacity, a certain scrappiness and cynicism, and depth to his role. And as Holt, Danny Huston comes across as overbearing, but it's entirely appropriate for the role. He should feel like a formidable opponent, and Huston has that kind of presence.

It's wise of Redford to have cast general unknowns as Lincoln and Booth. Both actors do look the part (particularly Toby Kebbell, who's got Booth's look and personality perfectly), but appear briefly at the beginning and in flashback. Bigger names would have distracted.

The two leads are well cast. Robin Wright gives her role as Mary Surratt a distinct dignity. She holds back from Aiken, evading his questions, leaving the audience to wonder about her guilt, to come to their own conclusions. Robin does look dressed down, so to speak, but gives Mary a strength and sympathy that we can connect to, regardless of our opinion on the Confederate cause. Fundamentally, she wants to protect her child. We can understand that. And the bond that develops between she and Aiken is one of mother and son, so that as the film progresses, Aiken sees her in an entirely different light.

James McAvoy is the driving force of the movie, the idealistic attorney who's seen war, who believes in the law and in justice. He pleads to the better angels of our nature, to quote the President, but it's a plea that goes unheard. He makes the effort to exonerate his client, fights for her, and is there with her through to the end. McAvoy, who's quickly building an impressive resume of films, gives Aiken an earnest, sincere depth.

Redford the director has become one of the great craftsmen of film. He has a fine talent for telling a story, for making the best use of his cast and crew, and he uses this film to shed light on an often overlooked aspect of that time, with questions that still haunts us to this day. The Conspirator is a powerful, compelling, and dramatic film that you should see.