Blade Runner 2049 (DVD/Blu-Ray)

I seem to have been one of the few people who were unimpressed with Blade Runner 2049, I was hoping the DVD extras might help things along some.

I’m not going to go over the film again, I don’t have 2 hours and 37 minutes (DVD) spare, or 2 hours and 43 minutes (all other formats), so you can read our review of the film here. I will say that some of the shorts did help, a little, but not enough that I felt geed up enough to sit through it all again.

There are a few formats and variations for the film, as you’d expect these days. You can buy it on DVD, 4k Ultra HD, Blu-Ray and limited edition two-disc Blu-Ray too.

The latter version seems to have the most features and includes five exclusive art cards designed by Matt Ferguson.

On the DVD with the film you have the prologue films: 2022: Blackout, 2036: Nexus Dawn, 2048: Nowhere To Run with an introduction to them all by Denis Villenueve.

2022: Blackout is an animated feature set in LA, May 2022 a time when humans are uprising against Replicants and killing them. A rogue replicant, or three, are attempting to bring this to a halt by setting off a giant EMP weapon, though why it won’t affect the replicants I’m unsure. Anyway, they set off the EMP which effectively brings down the Tyrell Corporation, clearing the way for the Wallace Corporation to take over, eventually.

2036: Nexus Dawn is, as you might imagine, set in 2036, LA. This short is an interview of Wallace by Benedict Wong as Wallace attempts to kick-start replicant production once more, something the panel is dead-set against.

2048: Nowhere To Run follows Dave Bautista’s character as he makes his way into a city to sell some of his creations and, whilst there, protects a young girl he knows from some men that are harassing her. This brings him to the attention of a man who calls in Bautista’s address to the authorities.

As well as the short films you also have a section titled ‘Blade Runner 101’. This contains a number of features, all of which are very short talking head pieces with snippets of interviews from the cast and crew:

• The Replicant Evolution – about replicants in general.
• Blade Runners – focussed on why K came about.
• The Rise Of Wallace Corp – tells us how Neander and the Wallace Corp came about.
• Welcome To 2049 – about the environment, the various replicants available, food and off world.
• Jois – all about the hologram Jois, who she is and her relationship with K.
• Within The Skies: Spinners, Pilotfish and Barracudas – a very short section on the vehicles.

I can’t say you’ll be bowled over with any of the parts within ‘Blade Runner 101’. They’re all extremely short and feel more like snippets you’d see before the film aired on TV. They certainly don’t show you how things are made, for example.

On the second disc you have:

To Be Human: Casting Blade Runner 2049 – A bit of a love fest from crew to actors and actors to actors about how amazing they all are and were all, of course, always the first choices. Luv, Sylvia Hoeks, does particularly stand-out here, you see a bit of her audition tape which is scarily good.

Fights Of The Future: The Action Of Blade Runner 2049 – Takes us through some of the action sequences and stunts that took place during the filming

Two Become One – This takes you through how they did the scene whereby Jois and the prostitute combine to make love to K.

Dressing The Skin: The Fashion Of Blade Runner 2049 – Comparing costumes from the original to now and how costume designer X came up with her ideas and some of the elements that were rejected.