I want to get others' opinions on this so I'll try to make my observations as short as I can. You can just read my two main points below if you're very familiar with the story.
Fallacies:
**1. The rebellious 'army' of replicants wanted to protect Ana (Deckard's daughter) from Wallace's experiments, which would've ironically helped their uprising.
Breakdown:
The Nexus-8 replicants made by the Tyrell corp want to keep their future leader Ana alive long enough until their numbers and resources are sufficient to either talk politics with humans or in the worst case go to war and risk dying for the right cause, which is to be free from suppression and have equal rights to the humans. Wallace has a god complex and wants to be known as the man who populated the entire universe with humans and replicants. He says that he needs Ana to unlock the mystery of how to get them to breed amongst themselves, but he will need to therefore 'experiment' on her, which the army assumes would effectively be torturing and killing this supposed miracle. Aside from the replicant's human instinct to refuse giving her up to Wallace, wouldn't that not be the easiest way for them to get equality? Think about it. Once Wallace discovers how to make them breed then there'll be a chain reaction of these new replicants being born and in no time there'd be more of them than humans. (More about replicant classes in fallacy #2.) With so many of them and with their fundamental argument that "if a baby can come from one of us, we are our own masters", how could humans and particularly the LAPD not give into the pressure of their demands? If the army thinks it can stop being labeled slaves with 1 example of a born replicant, then how can they not see the advantage of having millions of examples? Wallace would be their key to unlocking what they've wanted. It's horribly ironic, but all it costs is giving Ana to Wallace. A human would do that.
The second fallacy is that whether the Nexus-8 army used Ana as their symbolic leader or chose to hand her to Wallace for there to be a million born replicants, the truth is that humans wouldn't equate the Nexus-8s as being equal to the new fertile models (let's call them Nexus-7.1s) because of their incapability to reproduce. In fact, the simple existence of the reproductive Nexus-7.1s, or even Ana who's a hybrid consisting of a Nexus-7 (Rachael) and human/replicant <7 (Deckard), should make the army of Nexus-8s completely obsolete. Humans would think even less of the leftover Nexus-8s. There argument that "if a baby can come from one of us, we are our own masters" is deeply flawed because they mistake Ana for their own. For some reason they don't understand or acknowledge that there are different classes and Ana is a symbol of hope for Rachael's lost kind and not theirs. Notable examples of how social class is important in the BR universe would be: humans constantly talking down to all replicants, K coldly telling Morton (Nexus-8) that his kind "runs" unlike his own, and Mariette (Nexus-8) telling Joi that she's empty. Heck even Luv thought she was better than K and they are both Nexus-9s! No way are the Nexus-8s going to be listened to when they're further down the social hierarchy now that the newer models exist. So there's no way that they'd be able to win their 'war' for freedom without solely relying on violence. Ana is also unaware that she is part, or completely, replicant. How can they be so sure that she won't snap or simply use her class and miracle label to distance herself from the Nexus-8s? So why even use Ana or future Nexus-7.1s as a symbol for freedom? And if they want to keep replicants in general alive then Wallace is their sole hope because the gene pool from Ana's offspring (assuming she can reproduce in the first place) would be severely lacking and her kind would die out from genetic diseases along with the Nexus-8s over time as they have natural lifespans.
In the end these two fallacies ruin the film's story. I know that the themes and questions the film poses are the more important aspect of the BR series rather than the plot. It's just that you could've had the same complexity without needing to jumble the characters' motivations.
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Reply by northcoast
on September 2, 2019 at 1:34 AM
Russ007--
I basically agree with your two main points, but I don't think they necessarily undermine the film.
My view is that Ana does not know she is meant to be part of some grand uprising; rather, the rebellious replicants are simply pinning their hopes on her, hoping that once they somehow "free" her from her isolation, she will automatically join their revolution to overthrow or at least gain full equality with humans. However, since she is half-human (and I realize one has to be in the "Deckard is human" camp to subscribe to this theory), I'm not at all sure she'd be on board with a violent revolution, resulting in the "deaths" of not only replicants, but thousands or more humans before a truce satisfactory to the replicants is reached.
In any case, given the director Denis Villeneuve's professed respect for the Blade Runner story-- which is backed up by his refusal to answer conclusively just exactly what Deckard is in Blade Runner 2049 --if he does direct a third Blade Runner film, audiences should not expect any clear-cut answers (this only further illustrates that your two main points do not necessarily undermine the Blade Runner universe).
As you have alluded to, the point of the BR movies is not really to answer these questions, but to make us think about the nature of reality itself, and about what it means to be human. This is what makes the Blade Runner films such excellent examples of good cinematic storytelling-- the interpretation is largely left up to the audience, without the director trying to spoon-feed answers to anyone. I suspect that Mr. Villeneuve will continue this tradition, if he does indeed make a third Blade Runner film (which I think is unnecessary, as I thought Blade Runner 2049 was unnecessary-- even though I greatly enjoyed it and gave it a 9 out of 10, the same rating I gave the original Blade Runner, though I do think the original is a hair better).
Reply by Russ007
on September 2, 2019 at 4:21 AM
It's not so much that Ana wouldn't help the rebellion as it is more about the fact that the rebellion wouldn't be able to use her as their (symbolic) leader against humans. This is because of what I mentioned earlier about the social classes – humans wouldn't 'accept' her as the same as the Nexus-8s. They might let Ana do what she wants without being monitored or hunted, but they wouldn't give that same freedom to the others. So even though I agree with what you said about her deciding against the rebellion (I also lean towards Deckard being a human), it's besides the point. Humans would make the decision for her, essentially.
I'm curious what you think about the first observation. The Nexus-8s only had to sacrifice her to Wallace in order to achieve their end goal.
Reply by northcoast
on September 2, 2019 at 8:56 AM
"The Nexus-8s only had to sacrifice her to Wallace in order to achieve their end goal."
I just don't see it that way, Russ. In the end, Wallace wants to be in control; to him, what he learns or doesn't learn from Ana is irrelevant; and I believe it will be this way for most humans-- they will not see replicants as deserving of full equality, and though they might have more sympathy for "half-humans" such as Ana, and might even treat them better, with more freedom, than full replicants, they will still see anything that is less than full-human as undeserving of full equity. Reproductive capability will mean nothing if it is done by anything that is less than fully human. I'm not even sure all replicants would join in a revolution; more likely, you'd have most humans, with a sizable group of replicants, against the remainder of the replicants, along with a few human sympathizers. I think the rebellious replicants in BR 2049 are naive to assume that all replicants would automatically side with them.
In any case, anyone expecting to see a full-on war in the next BR film (if one is made), I think will be sorely disappointed. That is just not how the Blade Runner "franchise" works; these films are more noir slow-burners than fast action films with easy answers.
These are just my opinions; others are free to have their own.
Reply by Russ007
on September 3, 2019 at 6:37 PM
@Invidia
I think the film made it clear that Rachael only gave birth to the one girl on the day and there is no reason to believe otherwise. Freysa tells K that she was present during the birth, as she was a medic just like Morton was. Even Deckard only acknowledges a single child. It's actually one of the bigger themes that K wasn't the lead of his own story. He was a simple replicant who found his humanity, despite his perspective being a lie (that he was the miracle).
Also, Ana is the child of Deckard (human/replicant) and Rachael (Nexus-7) so it doesn't make sense that their child is a hologram. And if she died at an early age, why create a hologram in her image when nobody else suspected her to be special? You pointed out that the snow went through her hand at the ending, which insinuates that she's a hologram. I think you forgot that everything she creates inside the bubble is a hologram. Remember the forest or birthday cake that disappeared at the click of a button? So it was holographic snow passing through her and not the other way around. It's really as simple as that. The only reason she's in the bubble is because of the disease she has - or at least she thinks she has. We don't know if it was faked or not to ensure that she was safe/hidden from people.
Reply by Tsavo
on November 13, 2020 at 7:00 PM
This is a general response to all of the rambling you have been doing, but generally, no. Blade Runner 2049 is not that deep, or mysterious. In fact, it's greatest fault is that it is far simpler, and less ambiguous than the first film. In many respects, 2049 is an amazing movie, but a very poor Blade Runner sequel. Additionally:
"But the kind of GENETIC CONDITION the one TWIN had may also have been like TURNER'S SYNDROME (where a female is born with MALE DNA)."
This is complete nonsense. Turner's syndrome would not magically result in identical twins of opposing genders. You're drastically over-reaching in an attempt to give this film greater depth and meaning than it really has.
Finally, as an English teacher, seriously, please pick either lower case or upper case, and stick with it. Your bizarre mashing of typing styles IN an ATTEMPT at EMPHASIS is enough to induce convulsions.
Reply by Tsavo
on November 14, 2020 at 5:44 PM
Wow... you're actually trying to accuse me of an ad hominem. First of all, my criticism of your typing style had absolutely nothing to do with the argument you were making. It was entirely a separate criticism of your horrible sense of grammar and typing. Second, it doesn't matter if you read an article or not. If you have a story where you want to claim that two characters are a set of identical twins, but one of them has turner syndrome, guess what? THEY AREN'T IDENTICAL. One of them has a genetic disorder that is absent in the other. Therefore they are not genetically identical, therefore they would not be identical twins. Not the least of which is the fact that men and women are genetically different, something that can be tested for, and K would easily have been able to analyze the genetic code present and actually determine the sex based on that. Again, a clear example of sloppy writing and a fundamental inability on the part of the writers to understand basic biology.
The only fallacies at play here are the ones being used by yourself. You, like another member of this forum I will not name, need to learn to check your biases, and actually learn the line between subjective and objective.
Reply by Tsavo
on November 15, 2020 at 11:46 AM
I read the article. The argument you are referring to still involves a genetic mutation, and therefore there would be minor genetic differences that would still be traceable. You're wrong. You never bothered to properly research the argument, you just cherry picked it because it fit your particular biases. In order for one "identical" twin to be male, and the other female, they would have to have different chromosomes. That would show up in genetic records. You're wrong. It's that simple.
Second, you really need to learn what ad hominem really means. Me criticising your posting style is an entirely separate argument. It is possible to have two conversations at the same time. I never once used my criticism of your grammar to refute the arguments you were making. This entire conversation bas been me critising your ideas on their merits and critising your grammar separately. Learn the difference before you play psuedo-intellectual victim. It will only hurt you in further conversation/argument.
Additionally, it's spelled "Sloppy". I'm pretty sure you are intentionally misspelling it in an attempt to mock or irritate me, but it again just reflects badly on you.
Reply by Tsavo
on November 15, 2020 at 1:51 PM
Hahaha! Well you've just proven my point now. First of all, no, I haven't cherry picked anything. I specifically refuted one of your arguments based on biology, immediately disqualifying any intended or interpreted alternative meanings, which you have NOT cited or sourced any relevant sources for. If this film was intended as a metaphor only, then you might have had a point. But it wasn't meant as metaphorical. It was a more serious, cerebral science fiction. I chose my argument, and I refuted it on its own merits. You however, keep insisting that it is the case, despite the key detail that is the basis for the entire argument having been refuted. I haven't ignored anything. If the core of your argument is fatally flawed, the rest of your argument falls apart, no matter how much you dress it up to look and sound pretty. You need to learn that just because you like something, it doesn't make it a masterpiece. I actually like 2049. I'm just not going to pretend it's as smart as you want it to be. It rings hollow when compared to the original film, I suspect due to only one of the original writers having been involved. It doesn't have the polish that the other script did. Either way, none of it makes you any less wrong.
No, it isn't. I posted a clear critique of your argument regarding the film itself, and a complete separate criticism of your grammar. They are two different critiques, about two different things. The fact that you respond to both only proves that point. If you cannot tell the difference between the two, that is your problem, not mine.
I understand ambiguity just fine, and none of what you have written in this section has any relevance at all. None of my discussion with you has been in any way related to whether Deckard is a replicant. I honestly just think you like seeing yourself type.
I haven't seen you properly source any of your arguments, but whether or not they originated with you, you are using them consistently to prove your points, which means that you have accepted them as ideas, and you are using them as your own in support of your chosen argument. But fine, if it makes you happy, let me rephrase that as "me criticising your arguments".
My students are doing just fine, thank you very much. But hey, now who's resorting to ad hominems?
Well now I am quite confident that you are a liar. Show me your credentials, because I highly doubt you have any relevant experience in literature or English. Not with a posting style and use of language like that. If you had actually graduated with honors, you would be able to discern the difference between two separate arguments in a conversation. Of course, I knew you would play the victim, but let me point out this simple fact: criticising your use of grammar once is not bullying. It's a criticism, albeit a bit mean-spirited one perhaps. You however have now twice in the same post attempted to completely refute and discredit my entire argument by attacking my character and ability personally. Who is bullying who?
Edit By the way, in fairness, here is my own citation regarding your arguments for Turner Syndrome: https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/types-of-twins#unique-fraternal-twins
Reply by Russ007
on November 17, 2020 at 4:45 AM
Can we not all just get along here? Let's keep our discussion solely focused on the film instead of each other.
(Also, my two fallacies still stand today.)
Reply by Tsavo
on November 20, 2020 at 6:53 PM
Whether or not the idea originated with you, you are using it as an argument, therefore making it your argument. Additionally, you have not linked or cited a single article that I have seen, only another thread.
Beyond the primary story, the other mysteries are mostly just hinted at. There are no clear answers, not even a clear presentation of the questions the film asks, beyond interesting questions. We are never given anything to indicate that Deckard is in fact a replicant from the dialogue, beyond one question. "Did you ever take that test yourself?". The film leads you to the questions, but never really pushes beyond that. Its focus is on the primary storyline, which is rather simple and straight forward. Everything else is only question and implications about the nature of humanity, and the ambiguity between what makes us human. Granted, the early cuts were a bit rough, but a lot of that can be chalked up to studio interference. That is what makes the original film deep, and well crafted. It never tries to beat you over the head with its complexity, only presents you with a simple story about a jaded cop hunting down replicants.
2049 on the other hand is all able obscure plots, rising insurrection, and "This breaks the world", without any real exploration of how or why. There is nothing simple about the story, and all of the mysteries are rather heavy handed and forced, in addition to being poorly thought out.
I also accept ambiguity just fine, when it's well crafted. There is very little ambiguity in 2049, just people overthinking the story and trying to force ambiguity into places that it doesn't exist. Deckard possibly being a replicant has no relevance in this specific argument anyways. Therefore, it is irrelevant.
I said show me, not type random credentials that may or may not be true.
I am quite aware of Emily Dickinson. Your posting style is neither poetic nor creative. You emphasize random words that are completely irrelevant to your points, and even then not even with consistency. You use bold and italics without any apparent rhyme or reason, and what's more, you're writing posts that are at least intended to be intellectual, not creative. You have absolutely nothing in common with her, and your argument is nonsensical here.
First of all, I already explained it in my own words in the last several posts. It's very clear you're reaching for criticism here. Second of all, it's called citation, and yes, it is accepted in term papers. In fact, in any serious academic paper the absence of citation would likely result in an F grade. Again, you're only proving that you clearly have no understanding of the academic world.
This statement makes absolutely no sense. First, both examples of twins you just cited are again not identical twins, and therefore would not have the same DNA, so your statement is completely irrelevant. Second, Galatians Syndrome has nothing to do with the possibility of twins, but might be the result of at least one of the parents being a replicant. This was an example of good ambiguity in the film.
Yes, I know the definition of ambiguity, thank you very much. I have been using it in the correct context this entire argument. Additionally, I have never really pushed any of my own thoughts regarding the story of 2049 before this very post. The rest of the time I have focused only on refuting the argument you keep putting forward regarding the concept of twins, which in no way shape or form, or even with some "make believe" syndrome would explain. There is no way that you would see a set of twins with identical DNA, but different sexes. You can argue all you want, but you're wrong. It's sloppy writing, that's it.
I enjoy Star Trek, but I am not a fan, and have very little interest in STD. I much prefer "The Expanse".
Anyways, this will be my last response to you in regards to this argument. I have already made my point, and you have so far presented nothing to refute my points. Additionally, I have little interesting in continuing any debate with someone who first falsely accuses their opponent of an ad hominem, before then proceeding to aggressively use ad hominem attacks against me. It's hypocritical and incredibly intellectually dishonest. Anyways, I doubt there will be much of anything constructive in the following replies.
Reply by Tsavo
on November 20, 2020 at 6:56 PM
Well, that was the goal, I had hoped that the conversation would be more constructive and civil, but of course it went differently. By the way, I'm not sure I would call your arguments fallacies, but they are pretty good points.
Reply by Tsavo
on November 21, 2020 at 6:52 PM
Honestly, I didn't mind Gosling in the role. I thought he did well with the material he was given. That said, I would be curious to see how it would have turned out with another actor. You're right though, he's certainly no Harrison Ford.
As far as Denis, it's an interesting take. Personally I think he actually does really well with sci-fi, I just hope he refrains from trying any more "Blade Runner" sequels. I have not seen "Enemy" yet, but considering one of the areas where I thought 2049 failed miserably was in its complete absence of anything even remotely resembling noir, aside from some pretty good lighting moments, it would be nice to see him do a good neo-noir. I'll have to check it out. Either way, given it's lack of sequel status, and lack of hard sci-fi, I am cautiously optimistic about Denis' take on "Dune".