Symbolism in Blade Runner 2049 | Finding the Pattern of Reality
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- Опубликовано: 31 янв 2018
- The Symbolism of Blade Runner 2049 is an attempt to show the basic pattern of reality as the joining of the Masculine and Feminine in the miraculous production of a child.
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Considering the current social climate it's amazing that the message is about bringing back alienated fathers
Also, I really liked the soundtrack
Especially in light of the fact that the family law system in the west is systematically destroying men and downplaying the importance of a father in a childs life. And the fact that despite what feminists claim, women have more rights and privledges than men in western society, today.
It's also about a man who finds himself and then reunites the masculine and the feminine.
I feel that to call Joi as simply an illusion, or artifice, is to mischaracterize the complexity of her symbolism. In the beginning of the film, K was very reluctant to go on the journey to find his identity, but it was Joi who pushed him, and gave him the moral support he needed. While she is merely a figment, a mere "idea" of a relationship and what love could feel like, it is the figment that gave him the motivation to find himself, and find freedom. What makes this interesting is that Joi, in a sense, was created to "sedate" K, to give him a false impression of love so that he could be satisfied with his life, and wouldn't otherwise act out against the world that hates him so much (remember all cops and the people outside his apartment who were harassing him). However, Joi ends up driving him to find himself, and act in defiance against the system; Irony, in the truest sense of the word! And she does this all the way to her demise, when Luv, an oppressive, feminine character who sees K as a tool to serve the means of her master ("Bad boy!"), destroys her with sadistic glee, stomping on the transmitter with a smile on her face; the destructive element of the feminine (chaos and the oppression it brings) crushes the image of nurturing element of the feminine (love and affection), and whatever motivation it brings. While K finds his own motivation after, it is not without Joi that he could've embarked on his journey to find himself.
After the romance scene between K, Joi, and the prostitute, the prostitute derides Joi, saying something like, "Trust me, there's nothing inside you." But remember that, while the prostitute saves K in the future, she does it only to see he serves as a pawn for the revolutionaries, like she does. While Joi acted to set K free from the shackles of "non-identity"(?) out of a (perhaps programmed) love, the prostitute acted to enslave him under another cause, out of ideological motivation. To generalize that statement, Joi, the idea, acts in consideration for an individual, and person who cares about her (K bought a tool that allowed her to be with him wherever he was), whereas the prostitute acts in consideration for a cause, which uses its members as pawns to fulfill its own goal. When you consider that, who (or what) is it that's truly hollow?
While I may not have expounded on it well, there is much more meaningful symbolism in Joi than just artifice (even though she does represent that, albeit maybe in a different way). I hope to see it better explored in the future.
You (as far as my opinion goes) truly nailed it. I had faint thoughts along these lines upon my first watching of the film. I am going to rewatch this again tomorrow in light of all the new information I have been soaking in, but what you said comparing the nature of K's Joi to the prostitute really resonated with the emotional response I had while watching the film. Although a product and service of Wallace Corp, she led him to break the mould of what he thought humanly (replicantly?) possible, and reach a new plane of existence in that of the Father and Child reality that seemed beyond his boundary of belief.
The prostitute on the other hand was acting merely as a conduit of Joi's wishes to mesh with her owner/lover, and as a conduit of the replicant rebellion cause. Of course there is much I have left out and/or not touched on, but I do need to sleep. Through your intricately written comment, I have had my eyes opened further than the original video intended, and thank you for it. Tomorrow's watching cannot come soon enough.
Interesting addition about Joi - though her pushing him to find his identity is still an illusion since we’re told that she can only tell him “everything he wants to hear”
This is a great post and discussion. To me, the matter of whether Joi (K's copy of Joi, at least) was just a hollow illusion reflecting K's desires back on him, or an actual conscious being that was developing a relationship with K, is one of those ambiguous questions that make the Blade Runner franchise such powerful thought-provoking science fiction. It ranks up there with the old Deckard/replicant debate for me, and in the same way it's best left for the fans to argue about and should never be explicitly answered by the film makers (yes, Ridley, I'm talking about you). The ambiguity is a good thing.
Joi's act with the prostitute happens right after K realizes he might be the child. K realizes he might in fact be real, and as such Joi tries to be real for him too.
Excellent insights! this one seems to nail whether Joi's love was real or not.
I've watched over and over again contemplating...thinking to myself, "I need a sequel, I need one"...but after this. The film was all that I ever needed.
I also thought it was like a Pinocchio story, except that he doesn’t turn into a real boy but takes the father to his real child. Even the puppet master guy in Pinocchio had a missing eye and a beard. Lots of shared symbolism.
So the synopsis could be: an establishment puppet breaks free of left and right manipulation to help alcoholic father sober up and take long lost daughter out of her safe space. COOL.
i like this comment
AND THAT is the real power of the pussy!!!
sounds like Jordan Peterson, "rescue your father from the underworld"
@@johnjones4426 and also "rescue your father from the belly of the whale" - K literally rescues his father almost drowning from a ship "whale"
Like Pinoccio
They really got this part of the story right:
-Longing for meaning
-Moving toward danger/chaos in pursuit of something real (masculine)
-Realizing we are flawed and have been living a lie
-Being presented with the enticement of resentment/revolution/destruction and having to reject it
-Yielding to and sacrificing for life/something bigger than ourselves (feminine)
Sounds about right
Really interesting you say that. I feel like that perfectly sums up the last two years in my life, going from being an Atheist, who just thought "Things don't feel right about our culture" to going through exactly that path to the point where I wrestled and rejected the resentment a few months ago and now live life with a new love for all of the creations on the planet and everything that comes with it.
I should say that I now believe in God. I'm not necessarily sure I believe in the Christian God, but I believe in something above us that created and controls the universe and lives through us.
Sacrificing for life /something bigger that ourselves would be rescuing the feminine? I would just want to understand your point. In a sense foreshadows sacrificing human life for the fact of life being preserved through the feminine?
@@virginiusmaximus7006 How are you doing now? The following verses could be interesting to you:
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me." John 6:44-45
Best of luck to finding your way, wherever that may lead :)
Feri
My favorite movie of the last 10 years. Now I know why!
It is discussions like this that guarantee bladerunner2049 will go down in history as a great film. A movie that can bring out such meaning on so many levels and so many angles should be celebrated. Thank you for this thought-provoking analysis. It adds to what I see every time I rewatch the film. I only hope that my own writing can be as powerful as what I see done by David Fancher. Who in my opinion ought to get an Oscar for this screenplay.
This video will not be lost like teardrops in the rain. Thanks for making this!
You've missed that K died from the stab wound which Luv made on his side while he was rescuing the Father, just like Christ. Also, K like Christ, is between a tyranny(Jared Leto-Roman empire) and rebellion (Replicants-Jews). On a side note, could you please analyze anime, Made in abyss? Give it a watch, I think you'll like it.
This movie has always freaked me out because it reminds me of events which gave me PTSD. I was never able to see anything positive about this film until I saw your video. It has given me a small amount of peace.
Would you mind explaining what gave you ptsd? I'm quite curious how it relates to this film
Thank you Jonathan. I found this movie a bit dense but explanation has really helped. I was struck by what you said at the end of the video that the civilisation to emerge comes not from replicant terrorists but the reconciliation of father and daughter. It comes from a human act rather than a militant one. It made me think about the demise of the Roman Empire came not from revolution but from Christianity growing and expanding from within. It was this vision of the human at his or her best that conquered the Roman cruelty.
This was masterful. Two additional things come to mind: (1) "K" could be interpreted as homophonic with Cain, brother slayer. (2) four factions vie to overthrow the tyrannical Wallace just as four factions vied to bring Christ into their campaign against Roman occupation - zealot, esthene, pharisee, sadducee.
I was waiting for this. Thanks for your great work, Jonathan
WOW... Your symbollic analysis is great. Thanks for this piece of insightful knowledge about Blade Runner.
Very well done Sir. I own this movie on DVD (I have got to get it on Blu-Ray), and I have watched it at least 10 times, so far. I discover something new with each viewing. I love how you point out the symbolisms of Feminine and Masculine, and how a blind genius may have a vision of the future, but still lacks hindsight, even with all of his technology. This movie is a masterpiece.
We think alike but your thoughts are so much clearer. It is like hearing a better developed version of myself explaning. I subscribed for that reason.
Jonathon, your content is amazing. I love you brother :).
You've amazed me with this one Jonathan... Love your stuff man
Been waiting for this!
Great content, as always. This got my wheels turning.
Everything unfolds rather seamlessly if you understand the cosmic situation. The original, organic world (the Edenic world, let's say) has been usurped by a techno-tyrant who is the embodiment of humanity detached from the transcendent. He is possessed by the spirit of self-creation and self-gratification. This plunges the world into Plato's proverbial cave. That's why the sun is always covered in cloud. The entire civilization exists within the confines of the tyrant's imagination, which has been cut off from the source, the sun, God, etc. The tree of life is dead.
Interestingly, the tyrant keeps his civilization in bondage by offering extravagant material pleasures, if you will only bow to him. K's projected girlfriend is the ultimate form of pornography, which produces an equal and opposite desire for soul-less flesh (i.e. a prostitute). Both the imaginary girlfriend and the soul-less prostitute are illusions meant to keep the world sterile and dependent upon the tyrant. Outside the walls, in the chaos (or underworld, or hell), the tyrant keeps his true power hidden: the ability to inflict unimaginable pain if you refuse to accept his synthetic pleasures.
But the Edenic seed, the miracle, is not the child per se (it is also interesting that the tyrant seeks the firstborn of the new creation, like Pharaoh, Herod, etc.). Rather, the miracle is the organic, divinely originated familial bond. It is the Edenic world attempting to push its way up through the muck of tyranny, out through the cave and into the light. The miracle is transcendent love, which is willing to undergo all the agonies of hell in order to maintain its connection to the divine and to the real. When the father does not bow to the tyrant, he refuses to live in the tyrant's imaginary shadow world. Thus the tyrant promises all the tortures of his full rage. K does really rescue the father from the underworld.
K is a messianic figure because he is the instrument through whom the seed of transcendent love is planted back into the desolate world. He receives no literal "bride," but sacrifices himself for love itself. And so he is no longer "impotent." He is responsible for planting the seed of the tree of life, for bringing the spirit of the father back into the dead world. He is the word of God, the breaking through of the light.
Brilliant, well said! Bravo!
Wow. You have a way with words. Do you have anything else of yours that I could read?
Wow what a fantastic analysis. Well done
DUDE YOU NAILED THIS "REVIEW"
I became a patreon supporter for content like this! Thanks!
This was very insightful. Thank-you.
Thanks for analysing this film Jonathan. Gold!
Another amazing video!
Really enjoyed this movie you just made it that much better! Thank you, Jonathan!
wow holy crap, this one was really really good Jonathan
Thank you for this analysis. The movie was done very well and this made the symbolism more clear. Despite the typical Hollywood themes I still find the story enjoyable. K becomes something more at the end. A man with a purpose and perhaps even a soul.
i think that "this" Joi, while starting as a base copy of the standard Joi template, used the moderate amount of internal learning and thinking available to her for 2 things. first she realized he waned to grow and be more, and inspired him in that direction. Second, I think she decided she wanted to become a real little girl, too. Knowing very well that moving in this direction could cause her annihilation, she did it anyway. She decided it was worth the risk. Somewhat like how the replicant leader told K that to die for a greater good was the most human thing he could do. So, for my money, this Joi got as human as she could get. He got her the remote carrier, they took their adventure together as far as they could,
Great analysis! I also have a nice parallel to fit that juxtaposition - real rain falling on Joi’s holographic Hand and holographic snow falling on Stelline’s real hand. When I saw the film for the first time, this detail stuck with me instantly and I concluded that this was a symbol of the Real’s triumph over Illusion, because while Joi, whose program tried to imitate raindrops on her skin, dies, An(n)a, with snow seeming to fall right through her flesh, survives, and her encountering her father is the cause that K chooses to sacrifice everything for.
I found this analysis very helpful in understanding the film.
Yo such a good vid. Adore your editing
Well done Jonathan! Amazing how this symbolism just keeps playing itself out over the millennium. Great job...keep it up please! I live in the world of pattern and proportion.
Leaving aside all the existential and symbolic problems that the movie portraits...Is no one surprised by the fact that the child Wallace is searching it's just one of his employees? lol
It is so hilarious that it ruined the serious and dense gnosticism and politics in the movie for me lmfao, anyway I still like it
@@thelaughingman8877 Not sure if the film aged well.
I'm glad to see that you seized on some of the same symbolism that I did when watching this film, namely K's disillusionment with the falseness of his world, quest for his own identity, and realization of greater purpose--his sacrifice reminded me of Christ's in a way, but strikes me as especially Buddhistic in that he was able to move beyond his attachment to his own identity and central importance (hence, he's willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of Father and Daughter).
Thanks again for an excellent video; been really looking forward to this one and you definitely delivered! The Rachel bit went right over my head and it was so obvious, too! I definitely need to start reading more of the Bible.
Wow, that was much better than I expected.
Great video as usual. I always look forward to watching your videos. I would love to see you do a symbolic interpretation of The Cronicals of Narnia. The first one is probably my favorite movie. Thanks again for all you do.
That was awesome! Truly!
Sometimes it takes a Pageau to explain a Villeneuve.
Beautiful.
Great analysis.
Well done.
Almost 10k baby!
Great video. Thank you
Your work is prescient. Keep at it.
Did anyone notice that one way Leto portrayed Wallace in voice was as an Evangelical preacher from the 80's or 90's?
I thought the film really redeemed itself in those last 10 minutes. Ks actions sort of remind of Albert Camus absurdist hero. I also thought it was interesting how at the beginning K was a soulless robot just obeying orders but once he believed he was special and chosen he was able to go against his orders and programming. Then its revealed that hes just an ordinary replicate and it looks like hes going to go back to being a soulless machine. He realized however through belief he was able to go against orders and programming and do something meaningful. For most of the film i was unimpressed but I found the ending kind of moving.
Blade Runner 2049 is a science fiction film that explores themes of identity, memory, and the nature of humanity. The film contains a number of symbols and motifs that help to reinforce these themes and add depth to the story.
One of the main symbols in the film is the image of the unicorn, which represents the elusive and mysterious nature of identity. The unicorn appears several times throughout the film, most notably in the form of a holographic projection that the protagonist, K, sees in the memories of his predecessor, Rick Deckard. This symbol suggests that identity is something that is highly personal and subjective, and that it is something that can be difficult to define or understand.
Another important symbol in the film is the concept of "skin jobs," which refers to replicants, or artificial beings that are created to look and behave like humans. The use of this term is meant to emphasize the blurred lines between humans and replicants, and to suggest that the distinction between the two may not be as clear-cut as it seems.
The film also makes use of visual symbols to convey its themes. For example, the use of neon lights and holograms in the film's cityscape serves to emphasize the artificial and manufactured nature of the world in which the characters live. Similarly, the use of rain and water imagery throughout the film suggests a sense of cleansing and renewal, and serves to underscore the theme of memory and the way in which it shapes our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
Overall, the symbolism in Blade Runner 2049 serves to add depth and complexity to the film's themes and characters, and helps to create a rich and immersive experience for the viewer.
Blade Runner 2049 is a science fiction film that explores themes of identity, memory, and the concept of what it means to be human. The film is set in a dystopian future where replicants, artificial humans created for slave labor, have risen up against their human creators and are hunted by a special police force known as Blade Runners.
One significant symbol in the film is the origami unicorn, which is a reference to the first Blade Runner film. In the original film, the character Deckard is given an origami unicorn by a fellow Blade Runner as a symbol of their shared experience as hunters of replicants. In Blade Runner 2049, the origami unicorn appears several times and serves as a symbol of the shared experiences and connection between Deckard and the film's protagonist, K.
Another symbol in the film is the eye, which is used to represent both the power of vision and the idea of being watched. The film's central theme of memory and identity is reflected in the use of eyes as a symbol, as the eyes are often associated with the soul and the self.
Finally, the film's use of technology and artificial intelligence is also significant. The replicants are a symbol of the dangers of unchecked technological advancement, as they are created and used for the benefit of humanity but ultimately rise up against their creators. At the same time, the film also explores the idea of artificial intelligence as a potential source of compassion and understanding, as K's relationship with his artificial companion Joi suggests.
Open AI - 2022
An excellent and articulate video that describes in a very objective way and comprehensively the symbolism of life that is represented within the Blade Runner series. Without being a fan of the film, this video illuminates very crucial truths of life and the central point's that to define who we are as human beings within our past present and future. An excellent synopsis and I recommend it to anyone who is intrested in these philosophical dilemmas.
I fucking loved this episode. Learned a lot. Thanks man
What a beautiful description of the movie.
Well done sir!
I'm a bit late to comment on this, but Blade Runner 2049 is one of my favorite movies and I find myself thinking about it fairly often. I hadn't thought about this from the masculine feminine search for rebirth, but more from the standpoint of a hero trying to find themself. Trying to find meaning and purpose in, perhaps, the meaningless existence of a slave nature. What I found most compelling about the film is the flip flopping of K's role. Is he the hero or the pawn? He has hopes that he might be the "chosen one", only to find out that he is not in fact the hero of this story. I see K as representing the "everyman" the common "Joe" as it were. We all hope that we are something special, that we are chosen, but more often than not feel as though we have no part to play. In the end K finds himself with a cause to die for and it gives me hope that every person can play their part in the eternal drama that unfolds around us.
Well done !
Damn... that explains why i felt so sad in the movie, especially for K... what a miserable existence... but what a great movie!
This was... _captivating_
Truly captivating.
Superb!
WOOOOOAH...makes me wonder who we replaced. Your analysis of BR 2049 makes me want to really watch the movie.
👏 👏 👏 👏. That Sir, was well done.
Awesome video as always! I would love to see an analysis of Alfonso Cuarón's 'Children of Men'!
Very good
A Jew once came to my door. (Note: I have nothing against Jews, but in this context, it matters.) He pretended that our families were somehow related, except we're not Jewish... Since he knew my mother, I let him stay over when he visited my country.
That's when he started babbling about how the future is _female,_ and that all males will die off-and how that's a _good_ thing! This was years before the SJW debackle, but I noted the Canadian university he had studied at, and wondered how crazy those institutions had become. I've studied the Humanities myself, including Postmodernism, so I wasn't too optimistic.
A friend of mine who's an engineer even got into quite a heated argument with him over the things he was claiming, since it's obvious bullshit. I mean, sure, it can work as _symbolism,_ but this guy was speaking about it as if it was _real._ It was _not_ an attempt at gaining a deeper understanding of our current zeitgeist, but the ambitions of a madman.
Well, I'll tell you when it's real: _In your worst nightmares._
At the time, I didn't think much of it, except that the guy was obviously a lunatic. But years later, when the SJW's emerged from their safe spaces and demanded that you refer to them by their preferred pronouns or suffer the consequences, I knew it was something I had to fight until my last breath. These guys are depraved lunatics who want to end the world as we know it.
Well done... simply brilliant, thank you for making this. Would you do the 1982 Bladerunner next? would love to see what you'd find if that had anything to do with the Raegen era?
This was really great, thank you so much! Could you give this treatment to the Dark Knight trilogy, meaning Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises? There's a lot of deep symbolism in those movies that I've thought through, and I would love to hear your take on it.
Please, keep these coming!
Hi Jonathan, your channel is great. Would you be able to make a video on the symbolic aspects of the original Blade Runner film? That would be great.
This is the most nuanced, allegorical, and thoughtful analysis I've seen yet
Beautiful explanation.Just like Roy Batty K's last act makes him human.
You should do an analysis of Interstellar, I am not a big Nolan fan, buts its the only recent movie which depicts the positive masculine perfectly, the protag is basically Odysseus and Christ combined.
Joi is to K as K is to a human. She the next level of existential techno-being that blurs the line between artificial and “real” existence. I posit she too has a “soul” of her own in her own way and K realizes that she too is “real” to her own extend the way he is real to his. I love this multilayer existential aspect of the film the most. The world-making visuals are also unbelievable in IMAX this movie lost a lot in regular format having seen it both ways. It really demanded IMAX
Haha, Denis Villeneuve would probably love to see this. Excellent analysis. A lot of people miss the repetition in this movie. I think even people in the comments don’t really get it. They think Joi is suppose to be real, playing into Denis saying a modern , dead world fantasizes and cannot contain higher and lower in unity. It is constantly repeating and showing the joy is only there as a disjunction. A love which is leading him away. Only by turning away from her can he self-sacrifice. The most human thing we can do, because it brings us in union with Christ. Love the analysis Jonathan. You have become such a master of symbolism. Most people think this movie is political trash, but in light of the ending, it’s one of my favorite films.
Great analysis! I love the depth of symbolism in this film.
One example.. Deckard and Jo drink spirits together. both literally and metaphorically. They are 'raising spirits' bringing up 'past demons'. Alcohol is a great liberator. Something K is attempting to do to Deckard. The metaphor even extends to the Dog (symbol of ORDER / PROTECTION). Deckard gives the dog spirits too, although he just spreads it chaotically on the floor in an undignified symbol of the way he treats himself. But also dignified in the sense he doesnt want it (or himself) to die. Theyre both old, tired and in need of some 'good spirits' / 'inspiration'. Which he eventually finds in his daughter. Pure inspiration. a benevolent spirit. hope. a reason to live.
also.. I like the simple big picture stuff.. like at the beginning he lives in EXTREME ORDER (MASCULINE) masked by the FEMININE (Joi)... he narrowly avoids swinging into EXTREME CHAOS (TEMPTATION of FEMININE) masked by the MASCULINE (revolution army) and then returns to the CENTER UNMASKED (INTIMATE UNION of MASCULINE + FEMININE / ORDER MEETS CHAOS in a symbol of PEACE / raised hand)
I really liked this perspective
You sir, are a badass...Best one yet!!! I have a burning question. How did you manage to align your belief system with your life in practicality? How to get started? Working for a Charity? But I work in Technology.
Very interesting. Saw your analysis of frogs w/ Jordan Peterson the other day which brought me to you channel. It'd be captivating to see such an analysis of Jodorowsky "The Holy Mountain" (old movie, I know) or "The Dance Of Reality".
I notice some mythological themes in the comedy “The Intern” starring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway. Robert De Niro plays the role of the Wise King/Benevolent Father as far as I can tell. I was wondering if you’d be interested in doing a short video on it. Love the content!
Rescuing the Father from the belly of the beast. Joi is arguably the ultimate manifestation of human narcissism; think of how, on your smart phone, every Google or RUclips search uses that data to populate ads and recommended videos, it's not only what you want, but what you want to need (imagine the feeling of withdrawal if you give that device up). In essence, K loved not Joi, but himself; Luv (the audio pun is fitting) freed him from this masturbatory relationship, allowing him to feel the vicissitudes of human emotion rather than only dopaminergic high of straightforward happiness (e.g. Joi, again with the audio puns). Reuniting the masculine (the father that is good across time) with the feminine (the daughter of the present and the mother of the future). I would say that K was a manifest individual by the film's end; earning his soul through bearing not only his own existential crisis, but that of a barren world.
What's the symbolic significance of Peter's theme from "Peter and the Wolf" in the ringtone?
Remember that deicide was a theme of the first film.
I need more.
awesome
Thank you so much for this analysis!
I spent a lot of time thinking about this movie, but the only themes I was really able to draw out was the rejection of the artificial (rejecting his illusions of Joi) and, of course, the importance of self sacrifice. The main thing I left with was a searing social commentary, exposing our obsession with artificial substitutes (Pornography, prostitution, fake relationships) and the objectification that happens in such a world (most bluntly shown in the practically open-air brothel and the countless nude advertisements.)
I knew there was more there, but I couldn't really formulate it. I hope that eventually I will be able to see the symbolic structures like this, its such a rich way to view the world.
EDIT: As a thought: is there any sense in which by reuniting Deckard with his daughter, K is uniting the feminine and masculine, symbolically becoming human (or maybe gaining a soul) by that process?
I think that your comment about pornography and prostitution is right on, one can see them as two extremes, a fantasy partner without body, and a fantasy body without any relationship, both extremes which make fertility, the productive relationship of a father, mother and child, impossible.
I would have understood things better if Anna had rode off into the sunset with a real man to become a new Adam and Eve. I don't understand the father/daughter connection. I can't remember why Deckard is a threat that must be killed. I must watch the film again.
The "threat" he posed was that he would be tortured to reveal the location of the hiding replicants.
I believe his "threat" was that he could be tortured into revealing the location of his daughter, who is the product of a replicant and a human - this is Wallace's goal, after all: to stop manufacturing replicants and have them reproduce themselves.
Perhaps this movie is more about Essentialism rather than Existentialism as per this YT posts musings? “Essentialists believe that life has an intrinsic meaning and purpose, but it is up to the individual to find that purpose. Existentialism is the complete opposite. Existentialists claim life is intrinsically meaningless and the individual must work to bring meaning or purpose into their lives.” I see the characters having a deep pole star of what is right that guides them on their paths - the search for their truths and what truths intertwine each other of them to one another.
I only just watched this film on Blu-Ray & was thinking about the massage in film about humanity theology & technology I had a epiphany the tree with the number is representing Nicolas Poussin’s Shepherds of Arcadia which is the key & a masterpiece .
Love your analysis - just putting this out there though:
K's slumber in the opening introduction is not, imho, representative of his numbness - he feels deeply; it's his ignorance (specifically his ignorance to the fact that he has a soul and a choice to do what's right)
You will not replace us!
Can you please do lord of the rings?
You might like the Amon Sul podcast which is reflections on Tolkien from an Orthodox Christian perspective
Notice the woman missing her right eye...
Zechariah 11:17
Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.
Odin sacrificed his eye for him to gain wisdom and read the runes.
what the heck did i watch? i liked the movie and your video did it justice.
This is certainly my favorite film of the year. Your analysis of it is amazing. Much of it, the lighting, shapes, and sounds can be interpeted symbolically. By far my two favorite scenes, which spoke to me on a deep level were
1. K loosing his illusory fantasy with Joi, and realizing a new exististential purpose in fighting for a real connection between Deckard and his daughter.
2.The other being K as he drowns Luv. Interestingly I could identify with Luv in that scene, especially as she snarls up at him while drowning. For me this is how I feel in my relationship with "Being" at times..I simply hate adversity and chaos so much that I want to defeat it at any cost.
I tend to really identify with the Gosling hero, you should do an analysis of "Drive".
Thank you, keep it up.
Really interesting analysis Jonathan, clearly a lot of meaning in the movie's visuals, but have to say that it was a chore to watch! Wondered what your thoughts are on the relationship between symbolic meaning in a movie versus its raw excitement and visceral entertainment factor? How do they connect, and what happens when they are separated? Is there a symbolic/mythological narrative regarding this split? Might be best displayed by comparing different kinds of heroes, Ben Hur, heroic through visceral feats of action, versus Christ, a hero of words and meaningful ideas. Just a thought, but another great video, thanks
Great analysis. The one thing I'd add is that while I guess it's possible to read Wallace's tyranny as political messaging, I don't think that's the intent at all. Wallace is portrayed as playing god, but his oppressive masculinity is counterbalanced and ultimately defeated by K's honorable actions as well as by Deckard, who created life through the natural means of a union of love and then sacrificed everything to protect his child. Their masculinity is the opposite of oppressive.
It is about the disjunction between spirit and nature. Indeed, Scott is not a propagandist, he is a prophet. He foresees the coming matriarchal society. The relation between Jesus, the masculine Messiah, and his mother Mary is mirrored here in the relation between Ana, the feminine Messiah, and her father Deckard. The father of Jesus was a ghost. And so is the mother of Ana.
I'd love to learn about the symbolism of bears if you ever get a chance. I dream of them often for about half a decade now and I'm also curious about the comic Owen Benjamin's and his fans' relationship with bear symbolism too as they're a part of this movement of countering the upside downness of our world.
Thanks for your videos! Your channel is a treasure.
aswell
I liked this explication of themes a lot, but I believe you are missing one very important character, which might just break the rational male/female-sky/earth-artifice/nature-asymmetry/symmetry thing you have going here: Luv.
Luv doesn't really fit into your male/female dichotomy, does she? She is every inch the perfect killer, as un-nurturing as they get. She is having her nails done while ordering missile strikes on nameless strangers in the wastelands. She kills even when there is nothing to be gained at all by doing so, namely by killing the Lieutenant: an angel of death, if you will. Nevertheless, she sheds a single tear for the female replicant experiment gutted by Wallace (or is she just excited?). So what's Luv's arc?
In my understanding, Luv is a failed experiment herself. She was designed to be as human as possible (a manufactured companion for Wallace, as also indicated by her name?), and she certainly embodies some of humanity's most striking qualities. However, since she was designed by Wallace, who doesn't "get" the full range of being human (he feels more inhuman than any given replicant in the movie), she is only equipped with those human qualities that Wallace cherishes: a razor-like capability to function in this unforgiving world, and ultimately, to deal death.
I think Luv is striving to exceed her 'natural' boundaries in her own way (the artificial 'lifeforms' in this movie are mostly or all doing that, while most humans seem to opt for preserving the status quo instead). Luv is a death-dealer, and she is fascinated by death (it being, again, a paramount human quality to be able to die). In dealing out death, she seeks that which completes those who die. But when her own death comes for her at K/Joe's hands, she is reduced to a snarling, feral beast in the struggle. Only in the very final moment does she seem to find insight, and she drowns with eyes wide open.
Luv managed to be, in a terrifying way, almost as human as K/Joe. Like Roy Batty, she transcended her state as a 'mere' replicant by her death, but unlike him, she never learned about empathy. A much-needed counterpoint to the movie's much more thoroughly explored theme of love IMO. Especially since her arc seems to just fall short in comparison to K/Joe's.
Good stuff. I'd like to hear more explicitly about how the symbolism relates to the psychology of the modern world.
Keith Johnston
You saying how hard it is on the modern person's psyche?
The modern world vacillates between too much spirit (ideology, fantasy) and too much earth (chaos and nihilism), neither of these are productive of an proper incarnation.
Thanks Jonathan, keep up the good work!
Keith Johnston / I saw bladerunner 2049 as a clear expression of all that has gone awry in contemporary society in mega metropolis .. it is not an analysis, it is in fact a declaration of the dying soul of the newest generations that are growing up to work & function like the biogenetic robots we built. What’s the difference really, when people no longer feel anything ? And by the way, everybody in the film was a mutant as far as I could see. Was anybody human in the story ? Except Deckhart ? ~ I felt sick watching this film. It was relentless to look at people who have no capacity for emotions. That’s why the world is dead. It’s the lack of emotion that killed everything, not the technology 🤔
@@BarbaraMerryGengI get news(old actually) for u, Deckard is a replicant...
"Let it be known, there is a fountain, that was not made by the hands of man."
Lots of St. Christopher parallels in K, the 'good dog'.
I love your videos, but I would disagree on this one. Villeneuve's Blade Runner is not about "the joining the masculine and the feminine in the miraculous production of a child". This story is not Deckard's or Ana 's nor any other minor characters like Joshi or Wallace. It makes more sense when viewed from officer K's perspective - as a classic Hero's Journey.
Yes, I agree that is part of the movie, but I think that I had already taken that angle on my interpretation of Logan. I wanted to show another aspect here in the more basic structure of the story. But as a hero's journey, it is similar to Logan and shares some of its disturbing political implications. This new "hero" is the one who accepts to give his place as the "real boy" to the feminine, to move aside and let the daughter take his place. This happens also in Logan, and so I wanted to emphasize this trend a bit more.
I kind of agree. Why didn't they join at the end to go make a life (literally and figuratively) as man and wife? Together?
Didn't see Logan and your review yet, but I understand your concerns. The trend is real and horrifying (especially that propaganda disguised as a SW movie). However, Blade Runner 2049 is not part of that just because K sacrifices himself like a classic tragic hero. K's purpose was to prove to himself that he is unique. On his journey he learned to distinct illusion from truth, his true purpose from his false intentions. Locations, colors and nature give hints, whether K is isolated, disillusioned or not far away from truth. The most "ironic" aspect of this movie is that K experienced real joy and pain, saw real flowers and bees, felt real snow on his face, while his "twin sister" lived in a glass cube, creating fake nature and fake insects. By the end of his evolution K doesn't need Joy as a constant validation of his ego, Deckard as a father figure or the rebels to prove to himself that he is a "real boy". It's his deliberate choice that sets him free and the awareness of that he finds so fulfilling. The reunion of Ana and Deckard is that miracle. It would never happen if a stranger didn't make deliberate choices that led to this chain of events. It makes more sense than focusing only on the feminine/masculine aspect, since father and daughter won't reproduce either.
Great video and analysis. I took a very similar interpretation after watching it myself. I think you make a great point here about the new "hero" moving aside to give way to the daughter/the feminine, and that it is certainly an idea that is fed by what I think you could call a political agenda with potentially, as you put it, "disturbing" ramification.
Though, I do feel that this film is unique in its interpretation of this hero moving out of the way for the daughter, because of its portrayal of the feminine. To me, Ana felt much more true to what femininity is in a traditionally mythical/cosmic sense than what I've seen in a lot of other blockbuster flicks of late. I think that things are "disturbed" because the majority of our pop-culture is attempting to articulate a problem that it can't quite put it's finger on, and it is manifesting itself in what I would call the "negative feminine" which I think encapsulates the very anti-patriarchy mindset. The problem that is being poorly articulated, is something along the lines of -- masculinity has become weak and immature and a part of that is because of a fear of the unknown which I think equates to a fear of the true feminine. I think Wallace is a major representation of this.
It seems that the film is trying to articulate how it is that masculinity can be made strong again in order to free the true feminine, and the answer seems to be something like the boy/son (Kay) must willingly die by saving the father from the forgotten depths, and only by doing that, can he then save the true and genuine feminine, because while the remnant of the father/masculine lived on (Decard), albeit mostly forgotten, the mother/the feminine (Rachel) has died. The masculine must be updated via the father, and only then can the true feminine live again.
I see this correlating to the princess and frog myth and I think that the video you posted a few weeks back in regards to the shutting out of the true feminine is very much in line with what this movie is trying to get at.
I hope that makes sense, and I would love to hear your thoughts.
Jonathan Pageau "This new "hero" is the one who accepts to give his place as the "real boy" to the feminine, to move aside and let the daughter take his place."
I thought differently about this.. I think the daughter represented both masculine and feminine. She was enlightened / represented the whole. This is evidenced in the fact that she has both 'work' (masculine) and 'play' (feminine) elements in her actions. She was both ordered (politely kept working when visitors arrived) and chaotic (creative / flexible / inspired (wind blowing out candles)) . She also demonstrated the ability to transcend both light and dark elements. Candles scene in dark + light scene in forest. And if you look at the shot where the forest hologram disappears and she speaks with Jo the first time... on one side of the room is chaos (a messy bed) and the other order (some shelves and a machine).
The 'one eyed' woman (feminist/feminine) said to Jo "When the time comes, I will show her to the world + she will lead our army". She wants to punish her masculine oppressors rather than create peace... by Jo sacrificing himself so that Deckard can be reunited with his daughter... Jo has essentially put his FAITH in Deckards ability to PROTECT his daughter from the feminine (disguised as masculine) uprising that tried to lure him in (in an emotionally manipulative scene earlier). He holds an unrealistic / yet hopeful belief that it all starts with one man and it can build from there. Its basically a call to men who have been made powerless by the current world order to stand up against a feminine army... by preserving your daughters from being swept up into the militant feminist regimes on the rise. The girl with the pink hair is a warning that your daughter may end up like her... innocent, yet caught up in another persons resentment + hate for their oppressors. Deckard and daughter is a sign of hope for all men and their hard working, yet brilliantly creative daughters (being exploited by the corporations + ideological extremists)
Could you do a video on Fritz Lang's Metropolis? It is a very old movie but it has some very interesting symbolism.