In the film’s first scenes the makers provide their answers to these questions, but before getting there a number of other possible answers are given and rejected.

At the start of the film we learn that four replicants have escaped from slavery on another world and returned to Earth. A specialist replicant-hunter Rick Deckard, the Blade Runner, is given the job of tracking down these escapees and killing them. This is not, however, a simple chase film. In the beginning we see a person given a test, the ‘Voigt Kampff’ test. It is a test of his emotional reactions to situations. We will learn as the film progresses that this test is used to distinguish ‘replicant�

For the replicants, particularly Roy Batty, there is an association between humanity and a long life. Their trip back to Earth was motivated by the desire for more life, to extend it until it matched that of a human being. Humans live much longer than replicants, so to be able to live longer means they will be more human. Yet, we will see that the replicants with four-year life spans at times exhibit a desire for life, love and dignity more than most of the real humans in the film. Their accession to human status is stopped by only the unwillingness and refusal of other human beings. They can fulfil all the criteria it takes to be human, but they cannot force an acknowledgment from those around them. We have one of the nicer people, J.F. Sebastian, who suffers from a premature aging disease, Methuselah syndrome. There is also the statement that the replicant Rachel “won’t live, but then again who does?” The length of one’s life is not what makes us human.

After this unexpected rescue of Deckard, Roy presents him with a description of his encounters in life “Quite an experience to live in fear, isn’t it? That’s what it is, to be a slave.” Leon also said, “Painful to live in fear isn’t it?” This makes it clear that replicants have experienced their own existence as one of living in fear, something they define as slavery. We know that replicants were specifically created to serve as substitutes for human beings in dangerous situations off-world. Slavery destroys an individual’s independence, therefore destroying ones humanity. The human race as a whole is charged for the crime of denying the humanity of its replicant servants.

Some topics in this essay:
Blade Runner, Rachel Deckard, Deckard Roy, Tyrell Memories, Roy Batty, Deckard Roy’s, JF Sebastian, Unfortunately Deckard, ‘voigt kampff’ test, makes human, live fear isn’t, human status, kampff’ test, live fear, fear isn’t, rachel deckard, lack empathetic, ‘voigt kampff’, watch death, scene roy,