Parents' Guide to

Blade Runner

By Common Sense Media, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

A dark, philosophical sci-fi drama for older teens.

Movie R 1982 117 minutes
Blade Runner Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 13+

Based on 28 parent reviews

Average_fairy
Average_fairy Adult
February 17, 2021
age 14+

Incredible movie, an important watch for culture.

Amazing movie. Only problems with it for younger audiences is occasional intense violence, people getting shot, a man's head getting squashed, fingers getting broken, eyeballs gouged out... One thing I know is really important to address in this movie, especially when a child/teen is watching, is a slightly violent intimate scene between Deckard and Rachael. He grabs her hard, shakes her, pushes her, and coerces her into intimacy. If you're gonna watch this with your kid, please talk to them about the scene afterwards just to make sure they fully understand that treating people that way (or being treated that way) is not okay. Given all of that, it's such a great film. Just comes with some baggage. :)
Vohaul
Vohaul Adult
August 14, 2021
age 18+

Great adaptation, but rated R for a reason

This is a great adaptation of the classic Phillip K Dick dystopian novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. However, it's rated R for a reason. There are a lot of graphic scenes, some of them very graphic. There is also a topless scene the movie could have easily done without. Wait until they are adults before letting them see this.
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What's the Story?

BLADE RUNNER is set in dystopian Los Angeles, circa 2019. Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former Blade Runner, is recalled from retirement to exterminate a gang of rogue replicants (a type of human android). Replicants were invented to perform slave labor on off-world colonies. Law forbids them to live on Earth. Despite their artificial intelligent makeup, a glitch has allowed them to develop human emotions and a lust for life. The longer they live, the more powerful their emotions. Unofficial replicant leader Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) leads a pack of them to Earth to find and convince their maker, Tyrell (Joe Turkel), to invent a way to extend their five-year lifespan. As they become more desperate to find Tyrell, they grow weaker. Grappling with an intense love for model replicant Rachael (Sean Young) but bound by his duty to uphold the law, Deckard must rethink his views on what it means to be human, as he hunts down and kills his android nemeses.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (28 ):
Kids say (59 ):

Based on the short story Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by legendary sci-fi author Philip K. Dick, this is a deeply philosophical yet violent picture. While it may come across as an action/adventure science fiction film, the movie is, in actuality, very slow-paced and visually dense. Constant tension, sad music, bloody visuals, and menacing sound effects add to the dystopian mood. When it premiered in 1982, Blade Runner bombed at the box office. Critics decried its unnecessary voice-over and inconsistent Hollywood ending. Audiences were alienated by its lengthy pace. As rumors circulated of studio interference, a cult following emerged seeking director Ridley Scott's original ending. The director's cut confirmed their suspicions in 1993 when the film was rereleased, this time without its original voice-over and cheesy finale. After well-deserved acclaim, Blade Runner is now considered one of the greatest science fiction films of all time.

Families considering viewing this film should avoid the first-released version like the plague; instead go with Ridley Scott's original vision. In 2007 Warner Bros. released a 25th anniversary digitally remastered by Scott "Final Cut" version that played in theaters and is available on DVD, HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. Children in their mid-teens with a strong interest in the science fiction genre are more likely to enjoy this film. However, it is not appropriate for teens under age 15.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the ethics of replicating humans. Replicants look and behave exactly like humans, but should they be treated as such?

  • How does Blade Runner's bleak urban vision of the future differ from that in other dystopian books and movies?

  • What do you think about the violence in Blade Runner? Is it effective? Artful? Over the top?

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