gridoon2024 Review of Total Recall

Total Recall (1990)

Schwarznegger's most intellectual movie; also a crowd-pleaser

[7/10 · 21 September 2017]

This is probably my second-favorite Arnold movie, after the first "Terminator". It has non-stop (and well-staged) action, splattery violence, pitch-black humor, classic one-liners, impressive special and makeup effects....but also a well-constructed, puzzle-like story that plays with concepts of memory, identity and reality, a pointed political allegory, and a perfect pace with virtually no lulls. Whenever I watch this movie I always feel like this IS Mars (and not Mexico!); I also think Sharon Stone was sexier here than in "Basic Instinct". A crowd-pleaser which also gets you thinking - you don't get that very often. *** out of 4.