Today’s quick review: Total Recall. Plagued by dreams of Mars and a woman he has never met, Doug Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a construction worker living a mundane life, goes to Rekall, Inc. to have false memories of a Mars vacation implanted in his brain. But when the procedure uncovers memories that were buried, Doug learns that he is actually a rogue secret agent with ties to a rebel group on Mars.
Total Recall is a science fiction thriller based on a short story by Philip K. Dick. Total Recall’s bread and butter is action in the 80s mold, complete with a muscular hero, one-liners, and plenty of gore. But Total Recall also has a solid plot built around an interesting science fiction premise. The result is an unusually well-rounded movie that works as both a straightforward action film and a clever sci-fi adventure.
Total Recall deals with questions of memory and identity. The movie posits a future where memory alteration exists and has been commercialized, making it difficult to separate fact from fabrication. Total Recall uses this central issue to kick off an action-oriented thriller plot that tours a futuristic world of space travel, mutants, and interplanetary intrigue. The story’s steady progression and significant plot twists give the movie an excellent backbone.
Total Recall delivers plenty of spectacle as well. The action kicks in after Doug’s trip to Rekall, Inc., and it doesn’t let up for more than ten or fifteen minutes at a time for the rest of the film. The movie also takes advantage of its science fiction setting to show off the advanced technology and bizarre sights of the future. Like other action movies of its era, Total Recall mixes a hardcore attitude with a touch of absurdity.
Total Recall is a well-executed movie that should please action fans and science fiction fans alike. The strange setting and high levels of violence may turn off some viewers, but anyone familiar with either the action or sci-fi genres from the 80s or 90s should feel right at home. For a somewhat sillier movie in a similar vein, check out Demolition Man. For a slick sci-fi thriller also based on a story by Philip K. Dick, check out Minority Report.
7.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for good action, a tight plot, and solid execution.