Ridley Scott: The '80s
Blade Runner (December 17/07)
Undoubtedly an impressive achievement in set design and visuals, Blade Runner otherwise possesses few elements designed to effectively capture (and subsequently hold) the viewer's interest over the course of its bloated 117-minute running time. The threadbare storyline - which follows Harrison Ford's futuristic bounty hunter as he attempts to track down four runaway humanoid robots - has been augmented with characters that are scarcely developed beyond their most superficial attributes, and it becomes exceedingly difficult to care about any of their exploits once the novelty of the film's look wears off (which doesn't take long at all, admittedly). Scott, working with cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth and production designer Lawrence G. Paull, effectively paints an evocative portrait of a smoky, downright seedy world, yet there does reach a point at which the relentlessly grimy atmosphere becomes overwhelming and oppressive. The synth-heavy score by Vangelis only exacerbates the film's many problems, while the sluggish pace succeeds only in keeping the viewer at arm's length (the protracted finale is, to put it mildly, awfully anti-climactic). That Blade Runner is now considered a landmark achievement within the science fiction genre is nothing short of baffling, with the frustratingly ambiguous conclusion only cementing the film's status as a hopelessly overrated piece of work.
out of
Legend
Someone to Watch Over Me
Black Rain (October 30/06)
Hindered by a slow pace and routine storyline, Black Rain quickly establishes itself as one of the more forgettable entries within director Ridley Scott's filmography. Michael Douglas stars as Nick Conklin, a tough, play-by-his-own-rules cop who finds himself caught up in a deadly turf war between rival Japanese gangs. The overtly somber vibe offered up by screenwriters Craig Bolotin and Warren Lewis is consistently undermined by their emphasis on various action movie cliches, including the ubiquitous Angry Captain and Conklin's wisecracking, ill-fated partner (played by Andy Garcia). There is consequently virtually nothing here to hold the viewers interest, as the increasingly ludicrous plot developments become more and more difficult to overlook. The film's problems are exacerbated by a seriously overlong running time, and there's little doubt that by the time the action-packed third act arrives, the viewer's ability to actually care about the outcome has long-since been obliterated. And although Douglas delivers an effectively grizzled performance, Black Rain is never quite able to shed its status as nothing more than a relic of the 1980s.
out of
