No matter how visually and philosophically literate of a science-fiction film Blade Runner is, it never succeeds at being a compelling noir. Nearly every character exists in one dimension, and the dialogue/performances never exploit that emptiness in any interesting way. The film thematically deals with the decay of identity in a futuristic society, but forgets to find a way to emotionally, instead of simply speculatively, deliver that idea until the climax. This leaves the arc of the mystery itself to be rather predictable. The world created within Blade Runner will never fail to leave in me awe, however. Blade Runner is a fascinating and undeniably intelligent film, but it's also a film that seems to be in limbo about the basic genre components that it chooses to employ.