15 October 2017. This movie came out in limited release in the United States on the same day that Blade Runner 2049 had its wide release. The parallels in the subject matter and plot are hard to ignore. While Blade Runner 2049 might be described as a futuristic film noir movie, 2307: Winter's Dream might be described as a futuristic western action movie, even to the extent of the use of a harmonica. While 2307 had ASH-393, a humanoid, the original Blade Runner (1982) had Roy Batty, a replicant. Both humanoids and replicants have supposedly limited survival prospects. Humanoids can't procreate. Replicants have a specific termination date. Both humanoid and replicant eerily resembled each other. In both Blade Runner movies, there was a single protagonist, a rather beaten down individual character tasked with the retirement of replicants. In 2307, this task is assigned to a military-like Western posse. It's interesting that the character-driven Blade Runner 2049 under-performed at the box office like its predecessor. As an action sci fi adventure movie, 2307 was scripted and directed as a popular but typical American mainstream movie.
The movie's plot incorporates the dystopian elements found in the classic George Lucas THX-1138 (1971) with a survival theme used in Alejandro Innarritu's award-winning The Revenant (2015) and Antonio Banderas's own individual survival struggle with rebellious robots in Automata (2014). What makes this movie distinctive within the action, sci fi movie genre are the serious attempts to maintain some integrity with the military, special ops discipline that is so quickly abandoned in most notably James Cameron's Aliens (1986). The storyline also takes time to demonstrate a military camaraderie and integrity, including a scene of respect about their own dead. There's also a sense of authenticity of humans versus physically superior humanoids in combat and resulting in consequential damage and survival in most of the scenes. The presentation of bio-genetic engineering technology is competently achieved. What appears to be a pulse rifle is an apt futuristic weapon, unlike many low budget movies that rely mostly on contemporary weapons, but that is not to say that futuristic weapons are necessarily the weapon of choice in this movie. There are several narrow bridge scenes which are used for an atypical carefully-crafted atmospheric backdrop. The movie also incorporates some refreshingly literally cool beautiful landscapes and decrepit photographic townscapes. The amazing icy frozen features are artistically on display as well as the Auris Borealis.
The movie, however, is not without its weaknesses. There's a supposedly scary sequence with the use of light sticks, except that one, the natural lighting seems too bright for their use and, second, it seems someone forgot about the ready availability of night vision googles. In another possible slip, there's a lapse in discipline when one op members going blindly into attacking a humanoid as a pretty dumb, idiotic and suicidal act; though there was another scene in which something similar occurred in the hard-hitting, realistic Vietnam War presentation of We Were Soldiers (2002). The "futuristic" military truck used in the movie doesn't really seem suited to the icy, winter conditions. The use of the futuristic 3-D projections for both for communications and dairy/journal entries are typically inhibited in their seemingly inferior quality presentations, like in George Lucas's Star Wars (1977). But by now, the technologically savvy audience is likely to be used to the belief that 3-D imaging will likely be quite crisp and clear in most instances. Finally, the screenwriter apparently didn't give any thought to tying one's supplies and equipment onto one's self so that they can be kept on one's person? And what's with the distracting resemblance of Paul Sidhu, the lead character, to adult Wil Wheaton from Star Trek: The Next Generation fame? While Blade Runner 2049 might be considered artistically superior along with a well-crafted performance and character study, 2307 remains a worthy counter-point. In contrast to the dour bleak ambiance of Blade Runner 2049, this movie offers a motivating action-focused script more prevalent in American cinema. Considering today's social turmoil over immigration and racial purity, 2307 captures a pertinent theme in the female combatant obsession over Hitler's Mein Kampf. This movie contains a decent and valuable twist worth experiencing. Perhaps predictable to some and maybe even too typically theatrical for others, but it still urgently resonates in today's social milieu, especially considering the significantly higher ratings from female audience members.
The movie's plot incorporates the dystopian elements found in the classic George Lucas THX-1138 (1971) with a survival theme used in Alejandro Innarritu's award-winning The Revenant (2015) and Antonio Banderas's own individual survival struggle with rebellious robots in Automata (2014). What makes this movie distinctive within the action, sci fi movie genre are the serious attempts to maintain some integrity with the military, special ops discipline that is so quickly abandoned in most notably James Cameron's Aliens (1986). The storyline also takes time to demonstrate a military camaraderie and integrity, including a scene of respect about their own dead. There's also a sense of authenticity of humans versus physically superior humanoids in combat and resulting in consequential damage and survival in most of the scenes. The presentation of bio-genetic engineering technology is competently achieved. What appears to be a pulse rifle is an apt futuristic weapon, unlike many low budget movies that rely mostly on contemporary weapons, but that is not to say that futuristic weapons are necessarily the weapon of choice in this movie. There are several narrow bridge scenes which are used for an atypical carefully-crafted atmospheric backdrop. The movie also incorporates some refreshingly literally cool beautiful landscapes and decrepit photographic townscapes. The amazing icy frozen features are artistically on display as well as the Auris Borealis.
The movie, however, is not without its weaknesses. There's a supposedly scary sequence with the use of light sticks, except that one, the natural lighting seems too bright for their use and, second, it seems someone forgot about the ready availability of night vision googles. In another possible slip, there's a lapse in discipline when one op members going blindly into attacking a humanoid as a pretty dumb, idiotic and suicidal act; though there was another scene in which something similar occurred in the hard-hitting, realistic Vietnam War presentation of We Were Soldiers (2002). The "futuristic" military truck used in the movie doesn't really seem suited to the icy, winter conditions. The use of the futuristic 3-D projections for both for communications and dairy/journal entries are typically inhibited in their seemingly inferior quality presentations, like in George Lucas's Star Wars (1977). But by now, the technologically savvy audience is likely to be used to the belief that 3-D imaging will likely be quite crisp and clear in most instances. Finally, the screenwriter apparently didn't give any thought to tying one's supplies and equipment onto one's self so that they can be kept on one's person? And what's with the distracting resemblance of Paul Sidhu, the lead character, to adult Wil Wheaton from Star Trek: The Next Generation fame? While Blade Runner 2049 might be considered artistically superior along with a well-crafted performance and character study, 2307 remains a worthy counter-point. In contrast to the dour bleak ambiance of Blade Runner 2049, this movie offers a motivating action-focused script more prevalent in American cinema. Considering today's social turmoil over immigration and racial purity, 2307 captures a pertinent theme in the female combatant obsession over Hitler's Mein Kampf. This movie contains a decent and valuable twist worth experiencing. Perhaps predictable to some and maybe even too typically theatrical for others, but it still urgently resonates in today's social milieu, especially considering the significantly higher ratings from female audience members.