Ridley Scott’s 1982 film Blade Runner presents a unique take on science fiction. It alternates between fast action and slow, rich, thoughtful, and visually stunning exposition and plot development. The movie, based on Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, is set in 2019 Los Angeles, in an alternate future where flying cars, rain, and animated advertisements dominate the skyline. In this universe, robots indistinguishable from humans (replicants) have been created to do jobs that humans view as undesirable, including manual labor. When these robots run rogue, it is the job of blade runners like Rick Deckard to track them and retire them (they are not considered human, and therefore, the act of killing them is referred to as retirement). The stunning visuals are paired with haunting music by Rick Vangelis, as well as a deep examination of human nature that is unnaturally serious for action-based science fiction. As the movie progresses the emotions and actions of humans and replicants alike paint a chilling picture of the nature of human emotion, and themes of identity and empathy are prevalent throughout many scenes. The movie culminates with a monologue delivered by one of the replicants, which has become known as one of the most impactful scenes in cinema history. Without spoiling the ending, it can be said that this ending itself is worth viewing the full film. Some complain that the movie is too slow for a sci-fi film, but the pacing serves to emphasize the many arguments that the movie makes about humanity and relationships, and though it can seem to drag, it is well worth sitting through for what is delivers. For fans of such an atmospheric, thought-provoking style, this movie ranks very high on the list of top films ever made. A final note: viewers should be prepared for an intentionally ambiguous ending which leaves its meaning up to each individual who watches it.