Josh Barnett has seen things you people wouldn’t believe, like attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion, C-beams glittering in the dark near the Tannhauser gate… and Blade Runner 2049?
Barnett recently spoke with Wrestling Headlines about his ongoing Bloodsport series and took some time to talk about the Blade Runner franchise. Barnett had previously called the original film his favorite of all time, so WH’s Joey G decided to ask him for some feedback on the sequel, 2049. Barnett said it wasn’t perfect, but he actually liked the film and talked about the message he took away from it.
“While not perfect, it did not have the same noir elements of the original Blade Runner, still I felt like it stayed on path with how you might see that world unfold with continuing advancement how the world might look outside of Los Angeles, and I really liked using the character of K to delve into more of the question of, “what does it mean to be alive and human?” The fact that he gets used as a pawn throughout the whole thing yet,” Barnett explained, “when it all comes down to it, even the replicant revolution that’s just as much as manipulative, self-absorbed as anybody else they’re against, he (K) decides to not help them either because it wasn’t really about their side or anybody else’s side. It was what he felt like was doing the best thing he could do for the daughter of Deckard, which is such a monumental advancement in the idea of this whole process. Then again…also that whole concept brings up more questions of, “Okay…where does life start and begin? How does that include tech, and A.I. and non-biologically derived life?” I really loved 2049 and I do like it as a companion piece.”
Barnett would go on to add that he knows people just like to rip on Jared Leto now, but performance in the film was very enjoyable. He explained that Leto’s portrayal was an unemotional, extreme version of the materialist worldview and it was really well-done. Compared to Rutger Hauer’s performance in the original Blade Runner, Barnett further explained his viewpoint and called Hauer’s portrayal a deep exploration of humanity.
“I would actually argue Rutger Hauer’s character even being a replicant, showed far more humanity than Leto’s character did. Leto’s character is the most devoid of humanity of the Blade Runner series. He has almost no consideration of what life, and death, and love, these kinds of things are not in his wheelhouse. The thing about the Nexus 6’s and the original Blade Runner is as they continue to be in the world they couldn’t help but be apart of it, and have it affect them to bring out these human characteristics. Even in Rutger Hauer,” Barnett explained, “part of the reason he wants to live longer is because he feels like he’s being cheated of a life that he’s finally capable of understanding and experiencing.”
