Blade Runner (1982; 1992)
Directed by Ridley Scott
Cyborgs; Dystopia; Gender; Genetic engineering; Posthuman; Science fiction
This science fiction film noir features genetically engineered replicants who return to Earth to find their creators.
In the 21st Century, the Tyrell Corporation genetically engineers a series of androids called replicants: virtually identical to humans, they exceed their creators in both strength and intelligence. These replicants are designed as off-world slave labor in the colonization and exploration of other planets. Once they mutiny in the colonies, they are banned from Earth and a special police squad of “blade runners” is created to “retire” replicants found here. Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is one such blade runner, ordered to hunt down four “skin jobs” who hijacked a ship from the colonies and returned to Earth. Although their purpose is initially unknown, one of the replicants is discovered attempting to infiltrate the Tyrell Corporation. These replicants were designed not to have human emotions, but because the designers anticipated their capacity to develop them, replicants were manufactured with a failsafe four-year life span. They are hunting for their designer, J. F. Sebastian, because they are trying to prevent their imminent demise. Deckard initially indicates that replicants are like every other machine – until he meets Rachael (Sean Young). Tyrell constructed Rachael with both human emotions and memories, and leaves her unaware that she is a replicant; even Deckard struggles to identify her replicant status. Rachael is distraught when she learns the truth from Deckard, and when she disappears from the Tyrell Corporation, Deckard is ordered to hunt her as well. Neither Rachael nor the fugitives can postpone their deaths, as either the failsafe or the squad will end them. With Rachael’s help, Deckard manages to kill three of the four rebels, but when Deckard confronts leader replicant Roy, only Roy’s human capacity for sympathy saves Deckard from death. In the end, this prompts Deckard to side with and protect Rachael.
The Nexus replicants challenge our understanding of humanity, if only because they raise questions as to the relationship between our corporeal and intellectual forms. What distinguishes humans and replicants – who look, emote and remember like humans – other than their origins? Roy (Rutger Hauer) demonstrates more depth of emotions – love for Pris, friendship with Leon, compassion for Deckard – than the humans that have ordered him dead. Rachael asks Deckard if he’d ever mistakenly retired a human, or had taken the replicant test himself; if replicants like Rachael become harder to detect because of their memories and the attached emotions, this “experiment” alters the spectrum of humanity. The replicants’ resistance to their off-world servitude, which gets them banned from Earth, is the sort of human behavior that makes them dangerous; their superhuman strength, beauty or intelligence is useful to humans as long as the replicants are unaware of the disparity between their position and that of those they serve. Perhaps the replicants’ sudden development of emotional consciousness – and the ensuing confusion and instability – represent more the dangers of humanity than of replicants. Do the human emotions somehow make the replicants “better,” even though this may put them at a disadvantage with humans like Tyrell? And can humans justify the “retirement” of beings who are virtually indistinguishable from themselves?
* This summary applies to the 1992 “Director’s Cut” of the film, which differs in content from the original 1982 release.
Evaluation: This film is so rich that it takes multiple viewings to appreciate Scott’s achievement. Blade Runner is a classic, managing to blend science fiction and action while still creating three-dimensional characters and raising provocative ethical questions.
– Natalie Champ