As a big fan of the previous cult classic, the one major concern I had about seeing the movie Blade Runner 2049 was the chance that it would not live up to the first Blade Runner.  Whether it be the gorgeous set pieces, the thrilling soundtrack, or the suspenseful plot, it's safe to say that Blade Runner 2049 is a solid sequel to the original.

The film takes place 30 years after the events of the first film; a new Blade Runner, an LAPD officer named ‘K’, discovers a very important secret that has the potential to disrupt the dystopian cyberpunk society, or what's left of it. This discovery leads K on a journey to find Rick Deckard, the previous Blade Runner, played by Harrison Ford, who has been missing since the end of the last movie.

But the movie is not just great based on its storyline alone, the gorgeous art direction and set pieces to help immerse you in the world of Blade Runner. Now, cyberpunk environments might not be everyone's favorite movie setting, but by utilizing the whole range of the color spectrum to pull you in, it enhances the story and the motifs. The three colors—white, dark blue, and yellow—show up prominently to help push different themes like a blank canvas, a feeling of loss, or just the city itself.

The score further impacts the film and each different piece subtly helps impact each scene in its own special way.  From the drowning engines of the city's hovercars to the dark and dreary music set along the torrential coast, the masterclass of a score helps push both motifs and themes of the movie along while also improving the tension within each scene. A fight scene occurs between two major characters along the concrete beaches with waves crashing along the shore, as the music crescendos and decrescendos, it mimics both the waves and how the stakes are increasing for the main character as the fight goes on.

The satisfying conclusion to the blade runner series is just one more plus that this movie brings to the table. The completion of the Harrison Ford / Rick Deckard story arc set up during the first film ends satisfyingly and more importantly, is not dragged out. As the movie goes along the story keeps improving and set up more and more questions that are all eventually answered by the end of the film in a final climactic and enjoyable ending.

So whether it be the stunning visuals, the tension building soundtrack, or the satisfying conclusion, Blade Runner 2049 is a cinematic experience that anyone with an interest in distopias, Ryan Gosling, and so much more will enjoy.