I love escapist entertainment and sci-fi movies are my favorite genre because they provide glimpses of possible futures or transport me to different worlds. They come in different flavors. I can try movies like Terminator 2 when I want to see all-out action, or watch Children of Men if I want something more tense and thought-provoking.
Blade Runner is a sci-fi classic that questions what it is to be human and whether artificial intelligence can be alive. It was a box office disappointment on release, but has since become a cult classic. It has subtle performances for a blockbuster and a distinctive gloomy cyberpunk aesthetic with neon lights and flying cars in the constant rain.
The movie was directed by Ridley Scott and stars Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Daryl Hannah, and Sean Young. It’s set in a future 2019 Los Angeles. Human-like androids called replicants are used as off-world slave labor. They are outlawed on Earth after some of them go rogue and kill humans on a space colony.
Harrison Ford plays Rick Deckard, a Blade Runner whose job is to track down and “retire” the replicants who are thought to be on Earth. He’s tasked with hunting down and exterminating the fugitive replicants before they can cause any damage. His investigation takes him to the Tyrell corporation, where he tests the latest replicant generation and discovers they believe they’re human because of implanted memories.
Meanwhile, the replicants are on a mission to live. They all have a four-year lifespan due to the corporation’s safeguards, and will do anything to extend it. They work their way up the genetic design chain until they reach the head of the Tyrell Corporation in their quest for answers.
Deckard’s investigation puts him on a collision course with the replicants who know he’s hunting them. It becomes a cat-and-mouse game as his investigation leads him closer to them while they fight back.
You won’t find massive explosions or epic action set pieces in this movie. Instead, it’s a slow-burn atmospheric tale of the meaning of life and the lengths creatures will go to in order to survive.
Blade Runner is one of those movies with different cuts over the years. The final cut is the latest version with digitally remastered picture and audio. It also represents Ridley Scott’s original artistic vision and includes scenes deemed too graphic for the theatrical cut, amongst other changes. You can catch the sequel, 2017’s Blade Runner 2049 on Paramount Plus if you like the original.
Blade Runner: The Final Cut is now available for free on YouTube
You can now stream this sci-fi classic for free with ads
You can now watch Ridley Scott’s underrated classic here on YouTube. If you’d rather watch the movie without ads, you can rent or buy them from VOD streaming services, like Apple TV, Fandango, and Amazon Prime Video.
This film is also available in different physical formats for collectors. You can find the 4K, Blu-Ray, and DVD on Amazon.
- notable shows
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Kitchen Nightmares, Merlin
- notable movies
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Clueless, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, How to Train Your Dragon, Mean Girls, Star Trek
- Premium Subscription
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Yes, $13.99 per month
- Originals
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No
- Live TV
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No
YouTube has many other sci-fi movies streaming this month
Watch these must-see classics for free
Minority Report is probably Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg’s best collaboration. It’s set in a future where law enforcement can predict crimes and arrest the perpetrators before they happen. He must evade the police and unravel a mystery when he is predicted to murder a man he’s never met.
Stargate is a sci-fi adventure movie with a lighter tone. A scientist is recruited by the military to unlock the secret of the Stargate, an ancient Egyptian gateway. He finds a way to open it and must join the first expedition to see where it leads. They are transported to another world run by hostile aliens and must find a way to get home safely.
- Release Date
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June 25, 1982
- Runtime
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118 minutes
- Director
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Ridley Scott
