Police Officer KD6-3.7 (Ryan Gosling) is a Blade Runner tasked with ‘retiring’ rogue replicants – artificial humans tasked with menial or dangerous jobs. His latest case leads him on a path to a secret that might change the face of the Earth.

Set 30 years after the events of the original film, this manages to be many things and frankly I could not have left the cinema happier. The film succeeds in being a stand alone film and a sequel that deepens the world. It also succeeds in being outstanding science fiction, discussing the same themes of the original and adding more. What does it mean to be human? How will our relationships with AI develop? If an AI can think for itself does it have a soul?

The most impressive aspect of Blade Runner 2049 for me is that it feels as though it has been made for those people in love with the original, which I absolutely am one of. It is slow and methodical. The camera lingers and there are silent pauses to drink in the atmosphere. This is not the action movie the trailers sell to you. At 2 hours 43 minutes long the action is spaced out and short and sharp. The films focus is Gosling’s K, and he does a terrific job of playing low key, his performance very reminiscent of that in Drive.

In fact it is hard to find fault, it looks spectacular, the music alludes to Vangelis whilst adding its own take, acting and casting are all round superb with Harrison Ford proving again that revisiting an old character can draw out one of his best performances and Ana de Armas providing a career launching turn as Joi.

Original director Ridley Scott is now on Executive Producer duties only, handing the reigns to Denis Villeneuve, a man who is currently on a hot streak with his English language features including Arrival, Sicario and Prisoners. Writing roles do have one constant with Hampton Fancher returning to co write with Logan scribe Michael Green. The combination of a returning writer with an affinity for the subject and a director who just finished one of the best science fiction films in recent times appears to have hit gold. And with famed cinematographer Roger Deakins on board, it is perhaps the most beautiful gold you will see on the big screen this year, or at all.

For me, best film of the year candidate and one I will be watching again very soon.