Blade Runner 2049 is out this week and, if early reviews are to be believed, it’s a must-see. But in the lead up to the release, now is a good time to play catch-up on Ridley Scott’s classic original.
But Blade Runner a minefield. First of all there’s the question: what version of the movie should you actually watch?
Then there’s the nightmare of trying to find the bloody thing.
Which Version Is Best?
You could argue for days about this.
There are essentially three versions of the movie. The original, which everyone complains about, the Director’s Cut, which is a dramatic improvement, and the Final Cut, which most people believe is the definitive version.
The Director’s Cut removes the controversial ‘happy ending’ and adds the crucial ‘unicorn scene’ but the Final Cut is Ridley Scott’s final version of Blade Runner — the one he recommends fans watch. Better resolution, better lighting, additional dialogue. Some complain about the removal of a swear word (replacing the word ‘fucker’ with ‘father’) but it doesn’t ruin the integrity of the movie.
TL;DR, watch the Final Cut if you can.
Where Can You Watch It Legally In Australia?
In the missed opportunity of the century, Blade Runner isn’t currently available on Netflix, Stan or any similar kind of service.
The easiest thing to do would be to buy the thing on Blu-Ray. JB Hi-Fi has a copy for under $10.
The movie is also available in 4k, so if you want to watch the best version of the movie in the best quality currently available that’s probably your best option. You’re gonna need a 4k TV obviously, and a 4k Blu-ray player.
In terms of digital, it’s a trickier issue. For example, you can rent the Director’s Cut on the PlayStation Store, but you can only buy the final cut. And that’ll set you back $17.99. No idea why you can’t rent the superior Final Cut version, but there you go.
You can also buy the movie on iTunes, but Apple doesn’t do a good job of telling you what version you’re getting. You can rent on Google Play as well, but again. Difficult to tell what version you’re getting here.
Our recommendation? If you can get into a store, buy the Blade Runner ‘Final Cut’ on Blu-ray for $10. Incredible movie, hard copy, best version.
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