@Invidia said:

So when Leon is tested, why do they need this needlessly convoluted procedure when a simple photo would be enough to ID the guy?

According to this plot summary the guy who gave LEON the VK test was already DEAD when the story begins, and what we see is a VIDEO that they show DECKARD (which shows LEON shooting the guy who gave him the test).

Great, but you managed to not answer my question. It doesn't matter WHEN in the story this is happening, the simple question is - if they are probing for replicants AND they have ALL THE DATA on them in their database (it would be ridiculous if they wouldn't, considering they are Tyrell Corp's creations) then why don't they cross-reference their names and photos first? If a replicant is smart and gives a different name or has plastic surgery to change their face, then (but only then) I could maybe accept the V-K as a next step (still I would do fingerprints next, or retinal scan as I mentioned, but whatever). They way it is presented in the movie is still beyond ridiculous to me.

It's important for them to verify that they aren't inadvertantly killing humans... so, a test is necessary rather than relying on the integrity of a database...

Also, don't let these details bothrr you too much... just go with the flow and you'll enjoy the film more and get more out of it emotionally, aesthetically and philosophically...

@Invidia said:

@sati_84 said:

@Invidia said:

So when Leon is tested, why do they need this needlessly convoluted procedure when a simple photo would be enough to ID the guy?

According to this plot summary the guy who gave LEON the VK test was already DEAD when the story begins, and what we see is a VIDEO that they show DECKARD (which shows LEON shooting the guy who gave him the test).

Great, but you managed to not answer my question. It doesn't matter WHEN in the story this is happening,

Yes it does matter.

Because what you're basically saying is they should already KNOW that a CRIME (LEON escaping and then KILLING the guy testing him) has happened before it happened.

Before you can look for someone, one first needs to know the reason WHY they need to do a search for them.

Well... I still don't agree with you.

See, even if this was their first crime and even if there was no way for anyone to report that Roy and co. went missing / rogue, the point of the scene is still that a test is happening. Leon is tested. And he looks the same as he did when they manufactured him. So no matter WHEN the test is being performed, whether it was triggered by a routine checkup on the employees or a serious crime, the test procedure should be (or at the very least START WITH) cross referencing their name and face with the database of ALL replicants manufactured, ever. If for some reason (plastic surgery, name change, eyeball change, etc.) they are in the clear, only THEN they would need to do something like the V-K.

So why isn't a name and photo check the first step when they are probing for replicants?

@Invidia said:

You definitely have a good point. Apparently since the LAW also forbids REPLICANTS to be on Earth ( this is explained in the LINK with the OPENING SCEEN of the film), they've probably become too over confident and complacent to do what they should be doing.

Otherwise one would also think the guy giving the test would also have the person that he's testing walk through a SCANNER that checks someone to make sure that they don't have a GUN on them that they can use on him.

Good points!

@Invidia said:

You definitely have a good point. Apparently since the LAW also forbids REPLICANTS to be on Earth ( this is explained in the LINK with the OPENING SCEEN of the film), they've probably become too over confident and complacent to do what they should be doing.

Otherwise one would also think the guy giving the test would also have the person that he's testing walk through a SCANNER that checks someone to make sure that they don't have a GUN on them that they can use on him.

Then why bother doing the Voight-Kampff Test at all ? If they've become so confident that Replicants doesn't move around Earth.

I think during the1980s personal database management, retina scan, DNA test etc. wasn't that common like how its now, so the film-maker never figured.

The OP is right. If Tyrell themselves are the producers of Replicants, then they should've the data of each and every replicants & model. The same could have been used for the Replicant check.

they can't rely on a database as they can't risk killing a human by mistake just because he or she looks like a photo of one of the replicants... the Tyrell corporation is not a god or above the law...

as for a dna test, etc... how long would that take vs a Voight-Kempff test? you need to send it to a lab and such...

if you guys aren't just looking for nits to pick, perhaps sci-fi isn't for you as it requires a minimal amount of suspension of disbelief...