With the release of Blade Runner 2049 coming up, I thought I’d take a look at the man at the helm, whose impressive feature filmography should settle some of the nerves of the diehard fans. Denis Villeneuve has emerged as one of the most consistently excellent filmmakers working today, and in the past few years has broken into the English-language market in a huge way, making waves with his films both critically (he has multiple Oscar nominations and Genie wins), and financially.
I’m going to specifically discuss his fully English-language films, but with reference to some of his previous films (in a various mix of languages) as I am less familiar with them, and have not seen some.
Although his films have spanned many genres, there are overarching themes and commonalities between them that can be attributed to the director. In terms of visuals, Villeneuve often uses distinct colour palettes in his films which are almost always dark. This contributes to the general brooding atmosphere that characterises his films; they often deal with weighty subject matter, so aren’t generally very light. The visuals in his films are also often very striking; he works with brilliant cinematographers to create images that become etched in your brain (which bodes well for Blade Runner).
His films are also often characterized by mystery. They are almost always some variation on a thriller, but Villeneuve often withholds information from his audiences and characters, forcing a compelling and engaging narrative that maintains a sense of unpredictability. This has allowed him to pull of some awe-inspiring plot twists, especially in his last film, Arrival, whose twist makes a second viewing of the film an entirely different experience. His thrillers are also often more character-driven than done through explosive action (although he has done some masterful action set pieces). As a result, tension often builds so much it is brought to a boil, before moments of release.
Villeneuve’s films also share a haunting nature. His films are those that will stay with you and replay over and over again in your mind for the few days after watching them. Reasons for this can be attributed to a number of factors, but perhaps it is primarily due to the fact that his films are decidedly human at their heart. They often delve deep into their characters’ psyches, attempting to uncover our capabilities (both good and bad) and limitations as human beings. Through this he also doesn’t tend to separate characters as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, but presents much more complex, and real, figures, which force a moral questioning of the audience.
Finally, Villeneuve often has strong female protagonists (sadly, this is still something of note in the modern film industry), presenting a wide array of women who are not relegated to secondary or accessory roles, instead having their own agency and often driving the narrative. He famously embraced the female protagonist of Sicario, after screenwriter Taylor Sheridan faced calls from producers to change her gender (*extreme eyeroll and sigh of exasperation*).
Let’s take a look Villeneuve’s past four works.
Prisoners (2013)
Villeneuve’s first film fully in the English language is this thriller detailing the fallout and investigation of the abduction of two girls in Pennsylvania. Starring Hugh Jackman as one of the girls’ father and Jake Gyllenhaal as the investigating detective, this was Villeneuve’s first ‘Hollywood’ endeavor. It is a disturbing exploration of the extent of the parental instinct and desire to protect and avenge a child. It features horrifying close violence from the protagonist, showing the moral ambiguity that comes into play in multiple Villeneuve films. It is incredibly layered and asks ethical questions of the audience in a way that makes for a hugely powerful piece of filmmaking. It is incredibly haunting and will certainly stay with you and replay over in your mind over the next few days after watching it.
Enemy (2014)
A much smaller, less noticed film, also starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Enemy is a deep delve into the subconscious in a dark thriller full of twists and intriguing symbols. It is perhaps the director’s least literal piece of work (that is absolutely not to say that his films aren’t layered). Gyllenhaal stars in two roles – first as a college professor, and then as the lookalike actor who’s existence he discovers, and whose life he delves into. It plays on the classic dilemma of two characters looking the same – you are never sure to trust what you are seeing, or who you are seeing. It builds to an explosive and mind-reeling climax that was ensure you spend the next hour on Google reading various theories.
Another film in which morality is a main theme, Sicario charts the exploits of a US government task force for the war on drugs, viewing it from the perspective of FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt). It takes place in both the US and Mexico, and uses the character’s lack of information (and thus the audience’s) to maintain an unpredictability and an uncertainty as to the nature of the characters’ actions – are they really doing the right thing? Are they all on the same side? The film depicts Kate in moments that are often omitted from films with similar premises – it shows her vulnerable, and the impact her job has on her, prying further into her mind than perhaps other writers and directors do.
Finally, Villeneuve’s last film is one that uses the withholding of information to such absolutely stunning effect, it pulls off one of the best twists in recent years, and packs an overwhelming emotional punch. Did I mention it is also a film about aliens? Centering on linguistics professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams), the film takes place in the modern day, but one where 12 huge spaceships have touched down across the globe. It is up to Banks and her team to attempt to figure out a way to communicate with the beings and determine whether they are a threat. It is a kind of grown-up sci-fi which is not about explosions but implores its characters and audience to consider more intimate and thoughtful questions about the nature of communication and the presumptions of threat. Despite focusing on aliens, it is really about humanity and the state we are in, with Villeneuve expanding his meditation on our attitudes and psyche to a species-wide scale. Even if you don’t think you are a ‘sci-fi person’, this is certainly worth giving a try; it will probably surprise you.
Suggested Viewing Order
Due to the difference in the genres of these films, you should likely simply watch them in the order that you fancy, as one may lead you to the other. There are none to avoid here as well. Perhaps, unless you know you like more abstract pieces of work that may not have definitive answers, Enemy would be the one not to begin with as it is the most different to the rest of his work, so not enjoying that would really have no bearing on whether you’d enjoy the rest, although it may make you less inclined to try. Also, if you are the type of person who has some bizarre aversion to foreign language films (first of all, why?) then perhaps start with the English ones, and you may find yourself drawn into the others as a result.
If you have seen any of Villeneuve’s work, but particularly Arrival (another sci-fi with big themes), then you will know he is likely the safest pair of hands Blade Runner 2049 could be in – he has proved himself in expertly crafting action sequences, maintaining mystery, producing films that will make you think, and meditating on what it means to be human – if anyone can pull off a Blade Runner sequel, he’s the guy.
Update: Blade Runner 2049 Review
