A good science fiction film should make use of special effects
without overdoing them so that they become the focus of the film. Special effects are necessary
to give the illusion of the future because people expect that life in the distant
future will be different from life today. The effects are the means of portraying the
advanced technology that is needed to make the film futuristic.
The special effects in Bladerunner are not used prominently, but too many
effects would have detracted from the story line and taken the impact out of the movie's messages.
The most dramatic use of special effects in the film are the spinners, such as the one Deckard rides
in to the police station. The low, flat design and black body
give the vehicles a look of authority and speed as they fly through the air.
Other less spectacular uses of special effects include the makeup,
such as that used on Sebastian's Keiser Wilhelm. Special effects also includes
the elaborate set that creates the backdrop of the city, smaller effects such as Priss
sticking her arm in boiling water, and the array of machines that are presented throughout
the movie. All of these elements help make the movie
believable, which is the third criteria for a good science fiction movie.