Blade Runner 2049 directed by Denis Villeneuve is a sequel to the original Blade Runner movie from 1982 directed by Ridley Scott. Although the movies have similar titles, they are a little bit different. The themes, characters, and motives of these characters make this movie unique. With this being said, android characters are exploited by showing true emotions in this film designed to bring out empathy from the audience.
Firstly, the theme of this movie, similar to the original, begins with a Blade Runner retiring androids. This Blade Runner, named K, is a replicant made from a familiar android. Early on in the movie, it is discovered that Rachael, Deckard’s lover in the first movie, was pregnant and gave birth. There were complications, and Rachael died giving birth. Once K finds Deckard after he had been in hiding for thirty years, he reveals to him he has a daughter that is still alive. He already knew, but never got to meet her. He said, “It was a part of the plan that I would never see her. Sometimes, to love someone, you have to be a stranger.” He changes his mind when K mentions that he can take him to see her. So, the overall theme of the movie is to find Deckard and reunite him with his daughter.
Next, the characters in the movie have similarities and differences. The major similarities of characters embodied in Wallace and, of course, Deckard. Wallace invents synthetic farming after the world’s ecosystem falls apart, and he purchases the Tyrell Corporation for himself. His plan it take make millions of perfect replicant androids, and call them his children. Deckard is a similar character with a different motivation. Before, his motivation was to retire androids and be with the woman he loves. With both of those taken away, he is in a vulnerable state. From the time he comes into the movie, his only motivation appears to be seeing his daughter for the first time.
To continue, some of the main characters in this movie are what make it so unique. To reiterate, the main character’s name is K, and he is a replicant made from Ana, Deckard’s daughter. This is a very strange twist added into the movie to suggest that female androids can now give birth. The movie is spent by Wallace attempting to duplicate this a million times over, but through synthesized methods. The evil character in this movie trying to stop K is ironically named Luv. For Deckard’s love to live, K has to kill Luv. Androids, specifically Luv and K, show real, genuine emotion throughout the movie. I think the best example of them showing their emotions is when they cry. Luv cried when Lieutenant Joshi would not tell her K’s location. Thusly, she used more emotion, and her anger led her to kill Joshi. And K shows his emotion by crying when Luv destroys the system allowing him to feel and see his holographic lover, Joi.
Now, it is proven that he is a replicant of Ana when he shares one of her memories. Invoked by Lieutenant Joshi, who is K’s boss just like Deckard’s old boss, he thinks back of her memory of hiding a toy horse so others would not take it. Later on, K went to find this doll in the location his memory served him, and it was still there. This proves the memory is true, but it is a false memory for him. It poses the question that, “Maybe you’re an android with a false memory, like they give them” (Dick 103).
Lastly, it should be noted that the writers still did not address the question Blade Runner fans have been wanting to know for decades. That question is whether or not Deckard is an android. It appears to me that this is what makes this movie franchise truly great. It evokes empathy from viewers without giving a true definition of either a human or an android.