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msgeek

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Post Sun Dec 09, 2007 6:30 pm

To Deepysea: replicant empathy

deepysea wrote:Deckard's empathy in that scene is awe inspiring--how can people think he's a replicant?

;)


Who's to say that the replicants aren't evolving empathy? Think of Batty towards the end of his life...he has developed a rudimentary sense of empathy, particularly by the time he saves Deckard.

And then there's the very genuine look of anguish on Leon's face as he watches Zhora get killed. There's not just empathy there...he loved her, and it's torment to watch her get iced. When he goes after Deckard, it's personal.

It's not farfetched to imagine Deckard, a new generation Replicant with a back-story, displaying empathy.
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Post Sun Dec 09, 2007 6:47 pm

See, I didn't really see empathy from Deck in that scene. I just saw two old Blade Runners talkin' shit n'business. Someone says, hey pres that button! You generally do.

And again, the whole Nexus 7 thing comes up. How ironic it would be if Holden were telling a replicant that replicants were no different than they were!
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dmohrUSC

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Post Sun Dec 09, 2007 9:58 pm

You know, there's another possibility that no one's discussed much: we're all pretty up to speed on the idea of Deckard's being a patsy for the Tyrell Co., and possibly even being a replicant himself (Nexus 7 or what have you).

In that case, who's to say Holden isn't a replicant as well? Yet another Blade Runner who has no idea of his real essence, doing more dirty work for the Tyrell Co.

Therefore you 1. start the movie off with a possible replicant (Holden) interviewing another replicant (Leon), and 2. you get to this new scene of a possible replicant (Deckard) visiting another possible replicant (Holden) in the hospital.

Like Gaff says in the new deleted scenes, "it's hard to tell who's who around here..."

UPDATE: Okay, I take back the "no one's discussed" bit - just check out the "Holden: Muddying the Waters' thread in this section.
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photek

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Post Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:47 am

MsGeek you point out something i completely agree with, and it is quite possibly for me, the most important moment of the film. Batty is soulless, he can slab anyone, and apparently he has done some questionable things...

now we know he is a Replicant ... but in the end and despite his short lifespan - he has learned that life is precious. not just his (he suffers for the losses of Pris and Zhora) but in the end, he feels that life is whats important. ALL LIFE. thus, he spares Deckard, but only after a good beating - pain lets you know you are still alive (hence, the nail in the hand) and wants him to appreciate whatever life he (Deckard) has left. IMHO, its arguably the most touching moment in any film.
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deepysea

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Post Mon Dec 10, 2007 10:53 am

First off, I meant my original comment sarcatically--sorry it didn't come through. Deckard is almost comically insensitive, even by his typical standards.

But indeed, empathy and its relation to our humanity is extremely key to the film, and I love the way BR brings this out by intentionally blurring the lines between "hero" and "villain"--they're all cold-blodded killers, they're all capable of love and moments of grace; in short, they are all human...naturally born or not. Some are more human than others, but not because they were grown in a vat.

The film is actually quite subversive to its own genre premise, and I think this is one major reason the public and critical establishment didn't accept it at first--they actually expected/wanted a fast-paced, Sci-fi action movie with a clearcut drama; BR's great ambiguity took them by surprise and required multiple viewings to finally sink in.

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