When I was a kid, my Dad told me about this movie because he thought the one-liners were really funny. I’ve had it on my “to-watch” list ever since because I love fun, cheesy action films with Arnold Schwarzenegger. The original Predator movie is one of my personal favorite films ever made as well. Needless to say, my hopes were quite high.

The basic premise for Total Recall is actually quite intricate for an action film. In the future, a construction worker by the name of Douglas Quaid visits a virtual reality travel agency dubbed Recall. The company implants false memories of the ideal vacation for prospective clients to give them the best possible experience. However, the procedure reveals that Douglas’ entire life may have been nothing more than a false memory implanted by a corporation intent on monopolizing Mars.

Directed by Paul Verhoeven and produced by Carolco Pictures, the film was remade in 2012 starring Colin Farrell. At the time of its release, the project was one of the most ambitious films of the time with an estimated 65 million dollar budget according to IMDB.

It’s clear from the start the crew made full use of the budget they were given. There are some great sets and practical effects used throughout the film. I also want to give praise to the makeup team. When Quaid travels to Mars he encounters dozens of mutants with disgusting and creative disfigurements which are instantly ingrained into your mind. I think this is one of the reasons the film gained such positive reception far after it left the box office.

I enjoy the premise of this film a lot. It keeps you intrigued and allows a lot of fun tension as you watch Quaid try to sift through what is real. I also loved the cheesy one-liners, which are easily some of Arnold’s best. Each one adds to the somewhat self-aware comedic tone that pervades the film.

Unfortunately, this is about where the positives end. The action scenes for the most part are relatively dull with a majority of them involving people blasting each other with machine guns. They get more exciting towards the end though, with the final confrontation being the best. While I like that this film tries to touch on deeper themes, the ones it focuses on are rather overdone in science fiction. Both corporate domination and class division are central ideas that I feel have been explored better in other sci-fi action movies such as The Matrix.

Another thing I disliked is the boring, cliché romance. It doesn’t add much to the film and simply causes the story to feel even more homogeneous. The female lead is given virtually no development and the chemistry between her and Schwarzenegger felt off.

I can’t really criticize the acting too much, but it is not good by any means. Villains spout tons of hammy, over-the-top dialogue and there is a lot of Arnold grunting and yelling in his funny accent. It’s clear the objective here wasn’t to make a cinematic masterpiece so I gave it some leeway in this department.

However, it does cause some tonal dissonance. The complex nature of this story could have been more strongly conveyed with a more dramatic tone rather than a comedic edge. Arnold has never been a good dramatic actor. His best films employ his physicality as a central focus. Here, he feels underused and out of place. Perhaps this is why the film was remade with a more serious edge, as the 2012 reboot was certainly marketed as a hardcore action thriller.

Although Total Recall is certainly memorable, I don’t know if it sticks with me for the right reasons. I was entertained, but I wouldn’t expect to return to this film again. I would have enjoyed more in-depth character writing and a more thorough examination of the psychological effects that come from having your memory tampered with. After the initial awakening, Quaid rarely questions what he is doing and the main conflict is clearly outlined. In reality, class struggles are usually more layered. I would have liked to see actions from the heroes that painted them as morally grey rather than simply a force for good.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

Total Recall

5.5

Score

5.5/10

Pros

• Interesting premise
• Great costumes and practical effects

Cons

• Overdone themes
• Dull action scenes