Blade Runner is notable for being a visually striking film, by those who have actually taken the time to see it. The movie has an uncommon visual approach which is achieved through the usage of light, varying camera shots and large, intricately detailed sets.
Most of the really remarkable shots of this movie are those that feature large, lingering views of the futuristic surroundings of 2019's metropolises. An example of this is the first scene shown in the film, following a short backstory. This scene features an extreme establishing long shot of 2019's Los Angeles. The shot slowly zooms in, lingering on that same scene for what seems like several minutes as a lack of dialogue and the presence of an ambient film score allow the viewer to be pulled into this dark world of endless cities and flaming smokestacks.
Shots such as these bring a rich flavor to the film, as features such as the flaming smokestacks, for instance, cause the viewer to consider the pollution of the environment or the dark, crowded city streets, which may bring to mind the consequences of overpopulation.
Lighting is also vital to establishing the film's visual appeal. Most of the film takes place at night time, as the film is somewhat of a "future-noir" movie. Most scenes are, therefore, very dark, but dramatic light placement helps color scenes in a specific way. At times the colors drown the scenes in a surreal atmosphere, such as when the main character, Roy Deckard, visits the building of the engineer of the movie's "replicants", Dr. Tyrell. The sets in this scene alone convey how rich this character is, featuring a huge, spacious room with an vast window that offers viewers a view of the day's sunset. The sun in this scene provides the scene with its only light, and the intensity of its glow seems unreal in a way. It's a beautiful effect that helps differentiate the film from others with incredibly striking visuals.
