Total Recall (I) (2012) User Reviews

I expected a semi-decent film, and that's what I got

[Ben_times_10 · 7/10 · 2 August 2012]

When I heard the news that Total Recall was being remade, I was just as disappointed as most were out there. However, I never hate a film based on such a simple principle. Before the release, I was simply curious as to what direction they were going to take with this film.

I always rate a film on two scales: The technical aspects (an objective scale), and if I actually liked it (subjective scale). I'm pretty forgiving with science fiction films so I'll keep my review as objective as possible.

Pros: The futuristic world that has been imagined for this film was well designed. Visually, the film is stunning. If you're the type that reads into the quirky inventions you see on screen, this film is littered with them.

There were plenty of action sequences, and most of the time the film gave us eye candy that we haven't seen before. It seemed as though a general theme in the film (besides "questioning what's real") was constant play with gravity. This may have been influenced by inception, but the world turns upside down a few times, and it's visually interesting.

Cons: The plot. It was there, but not as deep as you would hope for a "Total Recall" remake. There were a few cool things thrown in there, but the plot was definitely not the strong point of the film.

The action sequences. There were a lot of positive aspects to all the action, but the movie seemed to rely too heavily on it. The movie came off as one giant chase scene, and it became slightly repetitive after a while. If you like a little meat on your plot's backbone, you may want to lower your expectations a little bit before seeing this one.

Conclusion: Try not to think of this film as a literal remake of the original. Think of it as analogous to a band doing a cover of someone else's song... in a very different style. It lifts the ideas from the original film, and written source material, but takes a different spin on it.

In all, I liked it. I had my quips, but it's a movie that I gave a lot of forgiveness. From what I recall, it wasn't a TOTAL mess.

A Nutshell Review: Total Recall

[DICK STEEL · 7/10 · 2 August 2012]

I guess the floodgates are now open. Adapting Philip K. Dick's stories are no longer enough, and now a trend may follow either to remake the films that have already been done, to give it another spin for a new generation, or how about remaking all of the films starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, starting from Conan, and now Total Recall. For sure, Colin Farrell can't step into the ex-Mr Universe's hulking frame in playing the construction worker turned double agent Douglas Quaid through what would seem like a fantasy walk in the park for the mind gone all wrong, but if you'd put away your memory of the past film, then his outing here would stand out against his recent slate of projects, bringing him back to action-hero mould even if Len Wiseman's vision here turned a little bit suspect.

Fans of the original film will see only slight similarities in this one, since it took on a different adventure altogether after the familiar introduction. Quaid experiencing a nightmare of a dream only to wake up beside the sexy wife in Lori (Kate Beckinsale, in a role played by Sharon Stone previously, in lingerie no less), and finding that there's probably more to life than just home and work. Enticed by the fantasy inducing company called Rekall where one can live out one's fantasy for a fee, Douglas soon discovers he got more than he bargained for. The contraption's design got brought over, and so did the cult favourite in the three breasted woman, which Singapore back then didn't get to see at all because our censors found it offensive and unreal. The identity mask also has another go, although with less fun, being solely functional and little else.

But what was sorely missed in this remake, is the quip after quip of Arnie-isms, those puns made each time Douglas Quaid did something smart alecky, dispatched an opponent, or just wanted to drawl on something in his Austrian accent. In the typical Arnie movie, there's always room for fun, jokes, and those legendary one liners. Here, all we get are dead serious moments, with the whole look and feel being laden with the need to feel all gritty. Colin Farrell wears a scowl throughout, being perplexed and confused about his true identity in Jason Bourne style complete with mysterious artifacts stored in a safe deposit box, and having doubts to the role he has to play in the entire battle between the Haves and Have Nots.

This Total Recall requires that you junk all memories of the Schwarzenegger film, in order to enjoy the new narrative involving a chemical fallout across all lands save for Britain and parts of Europe now being part of a Greater Britain, and Australia, known as The Colony (yes, some slight historical references here). There's no Mars this time round, as the story gets set strictly on Earth, involving a carnival styled train service that commutes between the two territories, having to pass adjacent to the Earth's core, for some nifty CG effects involving gravitational force reversal.

CG seemed to be what Director Len Wiseman ordered for the film, with green screen effects and CG laden landscapes peppering the entire movie, that makes you wonder about the tagline "What is real?" indeed. It's big on action sequences and slight on actual story, with pauses only to allow the film to breathe a little, before embarking on yet another stunt sequence that involves plenty of running for Douglas Quaid, and his new found love interest / revolutionary partner Melina (Jessica Biel), as they escape from rooftops to elevators, pass through deadly three dimensional elevator shafts and tunnels, fighting their way past synthetic troopers ala Star Wars. It does get pretty generic after a while, that these sequences all start to look very much the same, and probably a Star Wars: Clone Wars episode gone wrong.

Also for the tagline of "What is real?", this remake doesn't really keep you in suspense in a what is, and what is not thought, because for this new generation of audiences, Len Wiseman probably considered it best if everything was spoonfed. So there's no need to guess, and everything got explained verbatim, that you'd know whether it's real, otherwise, and just about every plot and character twist being laid out for all and sundry. Between the two female leads, Kate Beckinsale got more screen time for obvious reasons, though it's not everyday that we get to see her in a negative role. It's clearly expanded here, with her Melina being something of an amalgam of the roles played by Sharon Stone and Michael Ironside as the relentless pursuer of Douglas Quaid, adamant in hunting him down and finishing him off, against orders.

Ultimately, Total Recall 2012 is one big amusement park ride. This will probably be enjoyable for anyone in for an average CG action adventure extravaganza and have no knowledge of the fun blockbuster the first one was, but for the rest of us who have seen Paul Verhoeven's version, this one definitely pales in comparison, in story, action and just plain fun. And Arnold Schwarzenegger was in his prime then, with big shoes that didn't get filled this time round.

'Recall' is forgettable

[Fluke_Skywalker · 6/10 · 15 January 2014]

Though it boasts impressive special effects and decent--if increasingly repetitive--action sequences, the re-make of 'Total Recall' is ultimately undermined by a weak script and dull performances.

Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston are all solid actors, but their performances here lack energy and charisma. Even though the film was attempting to strike a more serious tone than the original, it's no excuse for the nearly comatose acting on display here. It doesn't help that the script fails to supply them with even a semblance of humor or wit. Most egregious of all, it fails to do anything fresh or original with the premise.

Ironically, 'Total Recall' ends up being utterly forgettable.

Remake shows all the pros and cons of modern film making trends

[xamtaro · 7/10 · 8 August 2012]

What makes up who we are? Are we the result of our past experiences and memories or does our identity stem from something much deeper? These are questions that the 2012 remake of the classic action film "Total Recall" could have delved into. What we have instead is a showcase of the best and worst of modern science fiction film making. It is Definitely a product of 2012 as much as the original was a product of the early 90s.

The aforementioned themes are only teased but never developed in this intense tale of on man's quest to uncover the truth of his identity and past. In a vastly overcrowded, class segregated future, everyman Douglas Quaid is haunted by dreams of being a secret agent on the run. Convinced that these are repressed fantasies brought on by his monotonous life assembling security automatons (which are like Cyber Stormtroopers) Quaid visits this place called "Rekall"; Rekall claims to implant fake but realistic fantasies into one's mind. So he gets a fantasy of being a double agent implanted. Suddenly, its discovered that he already has memories of being an agent: meaning he actually is an agent with his memory erased. A swat team busts in for some reason and he dispatches them to some beautiful camera camera pans. What follows is "Kurt Wimmer's 'Salt: dystopian future edition - minus Angelina Jolie" (surprise surprise, this movie is also written by Wimmer) with Quaid's wife turning out to be a psychopathic killer, his past a complete sham and his grip on that fine line between reality and fantasy slowly slipping. In the background lies a dastardly plot by a rich chancellor involving the poor dissidents of the overcrowded Colony and the leader of an underground resistance.

The most striking feature of Total Recall would be the stunning vision of this overcrowded future. Floating buildings to make up for scarce land, a country confused by its melting pot of cultures, cyborg police, hover cars, it is amazing. This is a future that seems very real judging from our current world: Strict class segregation taken to the extreme. The dichotomy in the design between the rich and elite United Federation of Britain and The ramshackle Colony is beautifully rendered thanks to the amazing production design headed by Patrick Tatopoulos (the guy who worked on Independence Day, Starship Troopers and Dark city).

A pity that the rest of the movie is fairly typical of modern day chase thrillers. Compared to the original Total Recall film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, this remake has Less twists, a less ambiguous ending and lacks the cynical dark humor that made the original so memorable. Instead of keeping it ambiguous as to whether the events unfolding are real or part of Quaid's implanted fantasy, this remake spoils its own mystery for the audience.

Director Len Wiseman brings in all that is good and bad in modern day film making into this movie. He shoots Total Recall with an over reliance on shaky cam and lens flare, almost like a "Paul Greengrass meets J.J Abrams". Think Bourne Supremacy with the visual style of the 2009 Star Trek film. The future is epilepsy inducing, we get it; and sometimes this really distracts from the tip top designs.

The cast is basically a reunion of mist actors that were in Len Wiseman's Underworld franchise. They do an excellent job with the acting and chemistry but the good actors like Bill Nighly felt under utilised. Only Kate Beckinsale was able to truly shine playing Quaid's wife-turned-assassin. Quaid himself is played by Colin Ferrel and is perhaps the only improvement this remake boasts over the original. Schwarzenegger's Quaid was the quintessential action hero but Ferrel's portrayal of the character had a greater sense of peril: he looks nothing like an action hero and this makes his transformation from everyman to savior of the downtrodden all the more powerful.

Whether one finds this a good movie or not depends on whether one can accept the modern trends of science fiction film making. It is the same plot as the original with all the "1990s" elements taken out and replaced with "2012" elements. Art Aficionados will be impressed by the overall look, style and camera-work showcased here. Those looking for a deep meaningful dive into the nature of human identity or even those looking for clever twists or smart dialogue will be let down. Take away the visuals and it's a rather generic, straight forward modern chase thriller.

Is EXACTLY what its mean to be - a THRILL RIDE

[DJayXIII · 8/10 · 10 August 2012]

Before seeing this movie, I read many reviews. Many of them were giving this film a poor rating, stating that it doesn't come close to the original, stating that it doesn't have this or that, etc. I decided to ignore the reviews and form my own opinion of the movie - which is what you should do as well...

First of all, in my opinion, this movie is not a remake - it seems more like a Reboot. Same concept, some of the same characters, story line has changed. Once you can accept this movie as a standalone and not compare it to the original - I believe you will be very pleased.

Special effects are wonderful, Story was fast paced and exciting, actors are some of the best in the industry, and to me - it was a Thrill Ride from beginning to end.

The only reason I give it an 8 instead of 10 is because I wish the movie had been just a little longer for character development and so that the movie didn't feel so rushed. Aside from that, I thought it was a great movie!

Watch it and form your own opinion!

Externally impressive, internally shallow

[BeneCumb · 6/10 · 12 January 2013]

It is seldom so that a remake is better than its original and then it is usually connected to film quality, low budget etc (e.g. I am not keen on watching black-and-white mono-films, with some exceptions like Chaplin or Lloyd). In this case, the use of state-of-the-art technology does not provide additional value to the storyline; well, Colin Farrell is definitely better than Arnold Schwarzennegger, but Kate Beckinsale vs Sharon Stone - I am not so sure... And casting Bill Nighy for being ca 5 minutes on screen was a total waste of a talented actor. As regards Bryan Cranston, whose character Chancellor Cohaagen is supposed to be harsh and ruthless - he is not convincing, looks like an average top politician. Sci-fi equipment and element fill more time than humans and the ending is also predictable.

In other words, cinemas-TV-Internet are full of similar and far better movies. I would prefer Totall Recall 1990 as well.

This remake of Total Recall is a fine thriller in its own right

[tavm · 8/10 · 7 August 2012]

Okay, a few years ago I rewatched the Arnold Schwarzenegger-Paul Verhoeven version of Total Recall and gave it 10 stars. So I just now watched the Colin Farrell-Kate Beckinsale-Jessica Biel version and while I still prefer the previous version, this one wasn't so bad either. I mean, there are hardly any one-liners that Arnold did like that "divorce" line he gave to Sharon Stone then but there is still that dangerous edge that the original had that made this a worthy remake to watch. And the ending also provided a different twist than that of the original so that was also a good thing for me. So to make comparisons, I still prefer the Arnold version but this Total Recall gets a recommendation from me as well.

Don't compare it to the 1990 movie of the same name.

[haikallp · 7/10 · 8 August 2012]

I managed to watch total recall a couple of days back, and have watched it a second time. The reviews I've read so far reveals how many are comparing this to the 1990 movie staring Arnie.

Well, there are many differences in these two movies and if you want to truly enjoy this remake, you have gotta forget bout the original one. Try not to compare Arnie with Farrel and Beckinsale with Sharon Stone.

Graphically, Total Recall is beautifully crafted with good CGI work. It makes you wonder how believable the place is. It paints a future of the world where only two 'countries' exist while the majority of the Earth have become inhabitable. The difference in these two countries is vast and both of them looks amazing.

Collin Farell acting here is good but not worthy of any awards though Kate Beckinsale was amazing. She was definitely the best actor in this movie, hands down. The guy who played Cohagen was average a best. The other actors seemed blend and no one really stood out.

I have watched the original Total Recall and i have to say that these remake is slighty better. It feels more epic, saving a country seems more intense than saving a bunch of people living on Mars. The notion 'What is real' works well in this movie, especially in one of the scene in the hotel lobby i believe. What this movie lacks as compared to the original was a lack of witty lines. Arnie had some witty one-sentence line whereas Collin was pretty much serious throughout.

Total Recall started out great but by the time it hits the 60-80mins mark it starts to become a mindess action movie and it was pretty much predictable after that.

All in all, Total Recall is a great movie for someone who has never watched the original. I would give a rating of probably 7-8 out of 10.

A remake that was actually worth the effort...

[paul_haakonsen · 7/10 · 31 October 2012]

I was fond of the 1990 "Total Recall" movie and it had some great ideas and concepts. And when this movie was announced, it was with a great level of skepticism from my side. I don't really get the Hollywood fetish with remaking old movies. But having seen this 2012 version, I must admit that it wasn't bad. It was actually rather enjoyable.

However, it just requires you to forget about having seen the 1990 version, because there are a great many similarities between the two, but at the same time they are two completely different movies. The 1990 version had some good sides and bad sides, just as this 2012 version do.

For starters, then this version is a visual treat. There are so many really cool effects and details. The design of the cities was really impressive to me. I enjoyed those multiple layer designs there was to almost everything in the cities. However, I didn't fully grasp the director's fetish about having everything be Asian-influenced. The robots in the movie were really interesting in design and appearance, I was really impressed with those.

The action in the movie, of which there is quite a lot, is nicely executed and visually nice to look at as well. There is a lot of gun fighting and brawling. Not to forget about all the physical acrobats where people are jumping around the multiple levels of the cities. It is all very impressive to look at.

Story-wise, well then the two movie are fairly much alike. There are some deviations, but in overall it is basically the same, except on takes place on Mars while the other takes place on Earth. So it might be a matter of personal preference of to which one is more lenient.

Something I was missing in this version was Benny (who was in the 1990 version), his character was great then and would have been a great addition to the 2012 version. Also it would have been rather impressive (and fun) if they had managed to gotten some from the original cast to appear as small cameo appearances; for example Schwarzenegger passing by Hauser somewhere and just do something as simple as nod approvingly to him and greet him by saying "Hauser". Something like that would have been the icing on the cake.

As for the people they had opted to go with for this 2012 version, well I must say that they were really right on the money. Normally I am not much of a fan of Colin Farrell's work, but he did quite a good job in this movie. As did Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, Bill Nighy and John Cho (actually great to see him out of the usual goofy comedy roles).

All in all, then "Total Recall" (2012) is a great action movie that actually doesn't add to insult to the original 1990 version, which tend to be the case with these Hollywood remakes. I enjoyed both version for what they were and represented. Definitely worth a watch if you enjoyed the Schwarzenegger version.

Different take

[blogurious · 6/10 · 9 August 2012]

Recalling is long overrated and in Quaid's position, incredibly dangerous. The remake of a sci-fi classic is turned upside down, literally.

"Total Recall" has at first sight a beautiful chaotic look that resembles a cross between "Blade Runner" and "I Robot" with an amazing amount of action for the audience's patience and delight. If one thing, it is definitely not boring. There is no time for questioning the direction of the story, even though it has a completely different take on the original.

I still love the 90's version by the great Paul Verhoeven, staring Schwarzenegger when he was still at the height of his stardom, but Colin Farrel is not so bad as a hero trying to save the world or at least what is left of it. Great entertainment.

After watching the Original

[shovon-1 · 1/10 · 5 February 2023]

This then only deserves a '1'. So the idea behind it is not to watch the original at all, not even know about it and then with a clean slate watch this one and then give it a review. I could not because I went physically to the movie hall to watch the original in 1990. But I have to counteract my own philosophy because the three-titted bimbo in the first fifteen to twenty minutes of the remake has been lifted as it is from the original! So The 'Original' stands out as a towering Monolith even for the remakers. Seriously, I could not even get through the first twenty minutes of this film and had to shut it just down. Even seeing the 'hero' I kept on asking, where is that middle-aged man in his late thirties, or early forties which is so clearly etched into my mind from the original? Let us keep it straight here, the original was so good, no remakes should be ever made of it ever....if done they will just pale away .. as this one did. A very miserable hand at Philip K. Dick's story.

I liked it. Not like the original, but that's why I liked it.

[changx02 · 9/10 · 31 October 2012]

Too many reviews comparing it to the 1990 film with Arnie. If the Arnie version was never put out, then everyone would be saying how great this adaptation really is in it's own merit. (And seriously can you really say that you would have given the Arnie version a 10 if you saw it today, come on now).

The action sequences were great. The fighting choreography was good. In all honesty I think Kate Beckinsale is one of the better female action stars out there, I mean she can really kick ass. Well the CG was awesome. The interpretation of the future was well though out. I especially liked that there were cars hovering and not "flying" using a magnetic levitation system (very realistic look into the future of transportation).

The plot was decent, and this is where it loses 1 star. I thought it did a great job adapting Philip K. Dick's science fiction story into it's own. However, I thought that it followed too similar in plot sequence of the 1990 film. It would have been a 10 for me otherwise.

I wished that they could have really gone another way making it a complete mind f*** that would just blow our minds away. They could really had more fun with the memory thing.

Overall, great action film and worth seeing. Just don't compare it to the 1990 film.

A Len Wiseman Special

[JoeStok13 · 7/10 · 28 February 2013]

I wasn't expecting much from this movie at the start. I had not watched the original movie (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) so I didn't really know what the story was. I was expecting an overdose of action and a confusing plot.

I was pleasantly surprised by Colin Farrel's acting. I feel he has really improved as an actor and I thought the chemistry between him and co-stars Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel was great. The action sequences were fun to watch and exciting. Fast paced action sequences kept me refreshed and the stunning Kate Beckinsale, who you may know from 'Underworld' and 'Van Helsing', nailed the antagonist role.

The director, Len Wiseman, who previously surprised by making 'Live Free or Die Hard' a fantastic action film, has once again done his job well. The storyline was clear and made sense, which was more than what I had expected. I admit that it could have been better, because the climax was kind of dull compared to the rest of the movie, but definitely worth the watch.

Total Rehash

[dvc5159 · 5/10 · 3 August 2012]

Fond memories of Paul Verhoeven's "Total Recall" kept coming back while watching this remake. Arnold Schwarzenegger's screen presence was also an added plus in the 1990 film, as well as the one-liners, Mars and of course heaps of bloody violence. If you've seen the original, then you know how it goes.

Len Wiseman's remake of the same name replaces Arnold with Colin Farrell, in his first lead action role in years, while eliminating Mars as the backdrop of the action and replacing it with an overpopulated Earth where transportation from one corner to another occurs, literally, straight through the center of the earth. The rugged subterranean mazes of the red planet is replaced with dizzying skyscrapers and lots of sleek, flying cars, not unlike Philip K. Dick's own "Blade Runner" and "Minority Report".

Farrell can act and is definitely a strong action lead and it shows here, as per the beautiful ladies Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel who both show off brawn over beauty here. Alas, everything is taken way too seriously in this version. I have fonder memories of the Verhoeven/Arnold version where one-liners come post-Arnie-kill. Gone. Certain characters are trimmed or even cut completely from the original. Bryan Cranston's Cohaagen makes me miss Ronny Cox even more, and Bill Nighy's resistance leader doesn't stand out compared to the 1990 film. The best thing the screenwriters did is to combine Sharon Stone's and Michael Ironside's characters from the 1990 film into one, and as portrayed by Kate Beckinsale, she kicks serious ass here.

The script is a near complete rehash of the original, save for the setting and the final act of the film. The scene where Bokeem Woodbine's character tries to convince Quaid (Farrell) where he's still in a dream is certainly a standout scene which was very well done. Alas, the majority of the movie is laced with action sequences and sensational special effects (seriously, this is CGI porn) that may get this film a nomination for Best Visual Effects this year. No kidding. While the editing is fast-paced and the cinematography sleek (with a little too much lens flare ala J. J. Abrams), the music score by Harry Gregson- Williams was kind of bland in my opinion. It was just there, does its job, and I didn't care. Where's Marco Beltrami; or even for that matter his legendary mentor, the late, great Jerry Goldsmith when you need them?

Director Wiseman has a knack for action sequences ("Underworld", "Die Hard 4") and it shows aplenty here. Sadly the script could've been a whole lot better, but then again, if they had set it on Mars it would've been a shot-for-shot remake with better characters, but still I would've loved to see action on the Red planet once again. The PG-13 rating is justified, and there are indeed little homages to the original, but overall this remake is nothing more than a fast-paced, popcorn munching good waste of time, with some really nice CGI to chew on.

However, I'd rather watch the old one again. Arnie has a much stronger screen presence than Farrell and it is much more ambitious and has more heart than this sleeker, newer one.

Overall rating: 53%

totally entertaining!

[mseligm · 8/10 · 11 August 2012]

What can i say, i really enjoyed this movie. There are similarities to the original but the new twist was very entertaining. It is definitely a special effects lovers dream come true.

I don't really understand why some people gave this movie a bad review when clearly this is much better than most of the c*ap out there. I presume that most of the haters are either somehow against the movie to begin with or just don't acknowledge a good movie when they see one.

Overall i give it an 8 out of 10 and would recommend this movie to everyone. It was just as entertaining as the original albeit with new theme.

I will never again pay money for a Les Wiseman production..

[drew_atreides · 6/10 · 3 August 2012]

...just got back from the new Total Recall.

I, as probably everyone seeing this movie, were big fans of the original Arnie/Verhoeven epic. It still stands as one of the finest examples of sci-fi/action that exists on celluloid.

That being said, I was leery of this remake for pretty much all the same reasons already mentioned by others, foremost being: WHY REMAKE IT?

THAT being said, i was curious enough about the cast to give it a shot.

First off the good: Kate Beckinsale is pretty good as the combination of Michael Ironside and Sharon Stone from the original. She plays crazy psycho wife really well, and her relentlessness was fun to watch.

The FX on screen are pretty spectacular. That city, and the whole elevator between the 2 continents was really really neat, in both concept and execution. The evil robots were kinda menacing and cool, too. And the art direction and set design were top notch.

John Cho actually has a pretty cool cameo, as well.

The bad:

Expecting Colin Farrell and Jessica Biel to be able to carry a movie. Seriously these 2 are about as exciting as milquetoast. I found myself falling asleep during pretty much most scenes that focused on these two. Really the movie's success hinges on these 2 actually being compelling to watch. They aren't.

Bryan Cranston and Bill Nighy do what they can with what amounts to 2 glorified cameos, but they really don't have much to work with. Cranston seems to be having fun, but they both deserve better.

The overriding sense that one comes away with from TOTAL RECALL 2012 is Mediocrity. This flick is the very definition of mediocre summer flick.

It's not terrible, but it's also highly forgettable.

Which is my issue with all of Wiseman's films. At this stage i have a large enough sample size, now.. I will never again pay money in the theatre for anything this guy does.

Shockingly Bad

[sunznc · 1/10 · 25 August 2012]

Should I say it? Total Recrap. I just had to say it. And poor Kate Beckinsale, she really needs a meal. Oh, but about the film.

Mind numbingly boring. Dull. Senseless action scenes with practically no storyline, no depth and poor acting. I mean, really lousy acting. Colin Farrell didn't seem comfortable with any of the women. With his side glances and body turned away from them.

They took a little Blade Runner, a little Bourne and a minute amount of Total Recall, mixed it together, added no plot, nothing meaningful at all, dull dialog, crappy sets and threw it in the can. And isn't everyone tired of people getting the crap beat out of them only to recover instantly and look remarkable and go on with the next scene? Please!

No more remakes for me. This finally put the nail in the coffin for me. Just terrible.

Enjoyable

[cm_fox · 7/10 · 27 August 2012]

If like me you're just looking for entertainment in this movie then you won't be disappointed. I was absorbed... the music, costumes, technology, etc. It was well done.

I forgot about everything else and became completely engrossed. For what I was looking for, i rate this movie highly.

I knew the story going in. I saw the original. Its a copy of someone else's idea so its not a movie to judge on story, although the story itself is well done and brings "it down to earth" a little better than the original.

Forget the critics trying to address these types of movies on some kind of artistic level. Irrelevant. You go to these to lose yourself in an imaginary world of the future, well made, with lots of good CGI.

They clearly spent some money on this and put it together well. This was an enjoyable film which is why I give it 7.0. If you're a fan of these types of movies go see it, you'll be entertained and will forget about everything else for 135 minutes.

Energetic Sci-Fi Flick that is Forgettable

[aaronjbong · 6/10 · 7 August 2012]

So what made them decide to remake the great 1990 sci-fi classic? No answer. This year's "Total Recall" remake is an entertaining sci-fi flick with lots of mindless action, extraordinary sets, but redundant. Its visual effects are energetic and watching them on the wide screen is a pleasure but that can't hide the fact that it has a convoluted plot and decent performances by the actors.

Colin Farrell replaces the Governator as the lead character here Douglas Quaid. World War III has caused most of Earth uninhabitable and only two territories exist, the United Federation of Britain (UFB) and the Colony (Australia); there is no Mars in this film although it was mentioned in one occasion. Quaid lives in the Colony and every day he uses this elevator service called "The Fall" to get to work in the UFB. One day, he decides to visit Rekall, a place where they implant memories into your mind. The police arrive and Quaid escapes. Later on, everything in his world turns upside down. He then gets involved in a series of action sequences filled with mind-blowing special effects to discover his true identity.

Let's start with the good things. The visual effects are just marvelous. The buildings, cities, and everything was just jaw-dropping. It's full of energy. Everything that is part of the set is just so energetic and bright. This is certainly a triumph over the remake. And the action sequences come along with the visual effects. You'll be satisfied with the action sequences as there are more than enough presented here. You have action all the time and you can only catch a short break before explosions run all over the screen again.

Like most Philip K. Dick's stories, it's science-fiction and set in the future. So, we expect some rad futuristic technology in this film. And it does not disappoint. A lift that takes you half around the world in just 20 minutes. Flying cars that use some magnetic force or something (I'm not good at science). Handphones that are integrated into your very hand (for video calling, all you have to do is put your hand on any solid like glass or mirrors). This is all great stuff. For those who love seeing futuristic items, this movie offers some great inventions.

However, the actors' performances aren't all that great. Colin Farrell is a great actor but he hasn't got the power yet to head an action film. He ain't Arnold Swarzchnegger. A lead in an action film may not be his strongest point but I'm sure he can improve that in a couple of years. Also, Kate Beckinsale gave a stunning performance. She portrayed Lori maliciously. However, Jessica Biel drove a mediocre performance as Melina, the good girl. Her dialogue delivery was typical and she gave a normal performance. The others did decent performances and didn't give anything special.

The plot is definitely NOT one of the biggest points for this film. It doesn't change much with the original plot. I like how they added some finishing touches and gave some extra bits to this one. But not all of the scenes work. In fact, sometimes I get confused on what is actually happening in the film. Some of the twists work but some of them just leave me confused. Who's the good guy? Who's the bad guy? Maybe that's part of the movie experience as the main character is in a desperate search for needs but for me, that just makes it confusing.

Oh yeah! If you're taking your kids to watch this film, watch out! There's one particular scene where it is inappropriate. Yep!

All in all, "Total Recall" is a fun and energetic sci-fi film that is easily forgettable. It's full of action sequences, mind-blowing visual effects, impressive fictional inventions, and fascinating sets. It's full of energy but is downed by some mediocre performances and unclear plot. Overall, it is good but easily forgettable.

Rating: 6/10

Final Verdict: This "Total Recall" remake is an energetic sci-fi effort filled with endless action, pleasing visual effects, and cool fictional inventions that is easily forgettable.

Better Than What I Expected

[avi-ronaldinho · 6/10 · 2 August 2012]

Got a chance to see this movie yesterday before release. I got the ticket free as it was a pre release company sponsored show. I never wanted to see this buying ticket on my own anyway as I thought it would not give me anything new and the trailers didn't interest me. And as I expected , it was not. It had full flavors of Bourne movies and Terminator Salvation and other spy movies. However having said that, I expected nothing form this movie and it actually surprised me. let me tell you why.

First of all, though the story is not original, once the movie gets its pace, its never stop. you can't literally take your attention off it. Full of thrills, Great visuals, robots, machines, class warfare, awesome cars and gadgets...and you know what ..however old the stories are, if the screenplay is good, you will enjoy the movie...All the Bourne movies had kinda same theme and we still enjoyed it..same with this one. You will like it if you like action and video games. I will give it 6 and a one time good watch. Not anymore as I said earlier, from a story and theme wise, it offers nothing new and rather a clumsy climax.

Total let down

[phd_travel · 2/10 · 6 August 2012]

This movie is one of those remakes which is not as good as the original 90s version. In other words it was pointless.

There is some continuing action that keeps one mildly engaged but the story is weak. The Arnie version had a clear and interesting plot with charm and wit remember "Sweetheart, be reasonable. After all, we're married!", "Consider this a divorce". Also the climax was grand and fascinating - the lack of oxygen bug eyed thing.

There are some vast multi level future cities that resemble an overcrowded Hong Kong or Shanghai. But the chase routines that race through them are repetitive after a while.

Kate Beckinsale's character kept popping back too many times and there is no reason why she is so relentless. Maybe just because her husband is the director. It was nice to see Jessica Biel in a big budget movie again. Colin Farrell plays a more regular guy than an action hero which is good but he doesn't have interesting lines to deliver.

Overall, see this if you want to but be warned it's not as good as the 90s version.

A good stand alone film

[pandazqueen · 7/10 · 13 August 2012]

I'm not going to compare the new remake of Total Recall to the old as I believe they have nothing to do with each other and so shouldn't be compared. Before this film I didn't have high expectations from Colin Farell and Jessica Beil but I was looking forward to Kate Beckinsale's performance and to Len Wiseman's directing being a fan of his work already. Acting - The acting wasn't the best but I've seen much worst, Kate Beckinsale did a fantastic job of playing the loving wife before instantly switching into a cold hearted b****, she played her role VERY WELL. Colin Farrel was also really good, he'd switch from being scared and useless into a killing machine and then back, this almost split personality showed that he can act very well but his character didn't connect very well with Melina especially as they were meant to be past lover. Overall the acting was good by Beckinsale and Farrel and the two played off each other very well but Beil was a bit of a third wheel and hung in the background a bit. Directing - The directing was fantastic, the shots and scenery were fantastic and the ideas behind everything were well thought out and displayed spectacularly. Plot - There was a plot but it seemed a bit rushed during the middle and ending of the film, the film was mainly about the characters rather than what they were involved in. Some of the plot was a bit predictive but I didn't think that mattered too much. Action - There was a lot of it, from multiple people fighting at once to giant explosion. It was fast paced in places and was clear and fun to watch, the fights weren't a mess of arms flying around the placed but well choreographed and violent. Overall - The film was presented really well from the futuristic cities to all the cool gadgets they used but some of the acting and the plot let it down a bit. The ending also was a bit poor, it went from a fast paced action scene to a smaller action scene that only lasted for a couple of seconds and it didn't really work and the ending just felt rushed. Beckinsale and Farrel obviously worked very hard and it shows in their performances but Beil's character didn't really feature much, the script was a little cliché in places but a couple of jokes made it funny and not too serious. I found this film very enjoyable and I have already recommended it to my friends.

Ever wish Total Recall had its humor, heart, and intelligence removed? Wish granted.

[IonicBreezeMachine · 5/10 · 3 July 2022]

At the end of the 21st century, the world was rendered uninhabitable as nations engaged in widespread chemical warfare. As a result only two livable areas are left with the British Isles now known as the United Federation of Britain (UFB) and Australia now known as The Colony where the only possible travel is through a massive super elevator called The Fall that goes through the core of the Earth. The UFB, led by Chancellor Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston) is experiencing political tensions due to a resistance group led by Mathias (Bill Nighy) seeking independence for The Colony. Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell) is a laborer, married to Lori (Kate Beckinsale), based out of the Colony who assembles synthetic droids in the UFB and has become disillusioned as his prospects are limited due to living in The Colony. After seeing an advertisement for Rekall which promises pleasant artificial memories Quaid visits the establishment in the hopes of alleviating his frustration. However when Quaid selects the "secret agent" memories the process goes wrong when it's revealed he actually is a UFB/Resistance double agent which puts him into a conspiracy that will determine the future of The Colony.

1990's Total Recall is a benchmark for the Sci-fi/action genre thanks to Arnold Schwarzenegger's trademark sense of humor and a script and direction that balance the excessive action and camp with some undeniably smart self-effacing satire. In 2009, it was announced that Kurt Wimmer of the cult film Equilibrium would co-write a remake alongside Mark Bomback. Needless to say many were not enthused by the prospect of a remake of Total Recall as not only is it a classic of the genre, but the fact the original still holds up made people question it's purpose. Many of the cast and crew tried to brush off such concerns with statements like "we're going back to the book" or "it's an adaptation of the original story, not the 1990 film" only to have those statements undermined by the fact characters like Melina, Harry, Cohaagen, and the resistance leader were inventions of the 1990 film and not the original story. Made for $125 million the movie performed poorly stateside making only $58 million, but like many action films was alleviated thanks to the international market which brought its total up to $198 million but was still considered a disappointment when factoring in marketing and distribution costs. Critical and audience reception tended to be pretty tepid with even the most positive reviews like Richard Roeper's B- still emphasizing the enduring nature of the original film, but regardless of how you slice it Total Recall 2012 is a soulless product that bares only a fraction of its predecessor's charm.

I'll say that Colin Farrell is okay as Quaid, he's not given all that much to work with because the script just wants to rush him from one CGI filled action/chase scene to the next, but the moments of him questioning his identity or making personal discoveries such as a scene where he realizes he can play the piano are decent. Aside from that one point however, everything else in Total Recall 2012 is either mediocre are below par. Unlike the 1990 film, Total Recall is an ugly movie to look at. Len Wiseman gives J. J. Abrams a run for his money with the awful "lens flare" effects filling the screen with visual noise and from the initial dream sequence that's filled with painful flashing lights you know parts of this movie will be challenging to look at for all the wrong reasons. The movie also plays itself much more seriously than the 1990 film as it plays the altered memory possibility in a manner similar to how the Jason Bourne films handled that character's amnesia, and the movie takes a very "post 9/11/Bush Administration" approach to its story with the core conflict of the government arranging attacks on itself in an attempt to give itself some semblance of cultural relevance and it's basically a xerox of a xerox at this point because the Prince of Persia movie did this same plotline two years before this movie and it wasn't particularly good there either.

I could probably give some leeway to the generic plot if the characters were the least bit interesting or memorable, but aside from a five minute appearance by John Cho as the Rekall rep who administers Quaid's memories most of the cast are non-entities. Jessica Biel feels lifeless as Melina, great actors like Bryan Cranston and Bill Nighy are given very stock roles with nothing for them to work with, but the real standout (for all the wrong reasons) is Kate Beckinsale as Lori who aside from a bunch of lifeless drones is the primary antagonist for Quaid to fight against and she is massively annoying. The character has basically been created as a merger of Richtor and Lori from the original film but not only is Beckinsale not threatening in the role, but with her constant childish taunting to Quaid and her motivation for trying to kill him being "Cohaagen never stopped talking about you" she comes off like a petulant child who's mad they're not getting enough attention. And despite this movie "not being a remake" the movie reminds you every few minutes of the original film by quoting dialogue from it, recreating visual references, and rather surprising for a PG-13 movie for this era they even bring back the three breasted topless woman.

Total Recall 2012 is expensive and pointless mediocrity. It's a dour emotionally muted film with action sequences that feel more akin to watching someone play a video game than watching a movie and instead of doing anything new or interesting with the material it does a generic bare minimum while reminding you of the original with visual and auditory references. Just watch the 1990 film.

It's actually really good!! Great special effect, action and acting

[anbei68 · 9/10 · 11 November 2012]

A lot of people watch this movie to see mutated human and mars, but to be honest, forget about the first film, it was great but this movie did a really good job using an old name but making a great action flick. The action and acting was great (even though as a martial art practitioner i didn't think some of the fight scene was realistic, but im not expecting it to be a fighting film anyway). The highlight is really the twists of the storyline, and the futuristic landscape and taste - as a die hard science fiction movie fan, I was incredibly impressed with that. All the acting was superb, Colin and Bryan did a fantastic job, as well as Kate and Jessica (they both are my favorite Hollywood actress).

Anyway, this film is a must watch for any Sci-fi fans, and remember try not to expect any old 1990 version before watching it - this film stand solid on its own as a great sci-fi + action film!

Better Than I Expected

[richcarter1962 · 7/10 · 9 February 2013]

If your looking for a flick that each character has a lot of levels and of dynamics between each character then DO NOT watch this, go get then go watch the descendants, or even a better movie, Silver Linings Playbook. Honestly I can't imagine why anyone would say they expected more out of this movie. It exactly what it promises.

The action is almost non-stop, the acting, well there actually actors in this remake, I still refuse to think of Governor Schwanegger as an actor. Collin Farrell definitely brings more the table. The special are of course light years ahead of the original. In my opinion the story line was quite different from the original, which I found to be a good thing.

If you're looking for an easy to watch movie that exciting and fun, (and let's be honest who doesn't like a girl on girl fight between Jennifer Beal and Kate Beckinsale), then watch this movie, it's fun. If your looking for Shakesspeare, not gonna get it.