One of the most visually striking and emotionally impactful science fiction films of the 21st century has arrived on Netflix – and viewers are hailing it as nothing less than a masterpiece.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017), the critically lauded sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 cult classic, was helmed by Denis Villeneuve (Dune, Arrival) and is being praised for its audacious storytelling, stunning cinematography, and eerily immersive sound design.

“This film blew me away,” wrote one reviewer on film reviewing platform Rotten Tomatoes, where it boasts a fresh 88% score.

“The look, the sound, the cast, the soundtrack… I just tried to find and write some negatives but I was scraping the barrel. Perfect.”

Set 30 years after the events of the original Blade Runner, the film tracks LAPD Officer K (portrayed by Ryan Gosling), a new generation replicant charged with hunting down older rogue models.

When he unearths a long-hidden secret that could destabilise the fabric of society, K’s journey morphs into a deeply personal quest for identity, memory, and meaning.

Harrison Ford reprises his role as Rick Deckard, adding depth and emotional gravitas to a film already laden with philosophical undertones.

Cinematographer Roger Deakins, who finally clinched his long-awaited first Oscar for the film, crafted each frame with precision – and audiences have been swift to underscore just how visually sumptuous the film is: “From the beginning I found myself falling into a dimension like no other,” stated another reviewer.

“It’s a rarity these days to see any story, let alone a sequel, that stands on its own for uniqueness and originality.”

The film’s musical composition, crafted by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch, has likewise garnered extensive praise. Mirroring the original Vangelis soundscape while introducing a richer, more commanding quality, the soundtrack has been characterised by enthusiasts as an “integral part of the experience.”

Audiences are, naturally, also lauding the film’s cerebral aspirations: “The ambiguity of the story and characters is great at boosting the audience into a fully immersive dystopian film”.

While Blade Runner 2049 disappointed commercially at the box office upon its debut, its standing has progressively strengthened, with numerous critics now regarding it not merely as a worthy successor, but as a landmark accomplishment in science fiction cinema.

If you overlooked it in cinemas or haven’t returned to it since 2017, Blade Runner 2049 is currently available to stream on Netflix.