Directed by:
Paul VerhoevenCinematography:
Jost VacanoComposer:
Jerry GoldsmithCast:
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox, Michael Ironside, Marshall Bell, Mel Johnson Jr., Ray Baker, Michael Champion (more)VOD (5)
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When a man goes for virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real, or does he? (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (10)
I just read the sci-fi novel, “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" (Blade Runner) and all of a sudden I got the urge to brush up on some of the film adaptations of Dick’s books. However, I saw Minority Report quite recently and Paycheck not long ago too. Blade Runner is almost impossible to find these days (well, perhaps not impossible, but certainly difficult :) and Verhoeven's Total Recall seemed the only suitable candidate. I have to say, I did well because I hadn't seen it in a few years, so I was very happy. Seeing Arnold’s shooting and wisecracking again("Sue me, dickhead!" and “Consider that a divorce!" are the best) is now a balm for my soul. Then there's Sharon as the perfect (almost perfect) wife any man would want. From a story point of view, there is almost nothing to criticize, because probably no other science fiction with this kind of surfing between dream and reality has even been created. Jerry Goldsmith's music is amazingly magical, perfectly matches the overall atmosphere, and, in the end, it (might just) take a share in expressing the movie’s message.
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Today I felt like watching something from the work of my long-time favorite director, and when I realized that I hadn't yet written a review for the movie that, along with RoboCop and James Cameron's Terminator series, completely captivated me at the beginning of the nineties. I was obsessed with action movies back then, and this quartet repeatedly brought me joy. I admit that this classic has noticeably aged (but compared to me, it still looks great), so the action sequences and special effects fell short of today's standards, to the point of being hilarious at times. Still, it didn't spoil the experience for me in any way. Paul Verhoeven's style of filmmaking resonates with me, so his cerebral excursion combined with an interplanetary trip still entertained me after thirty years. If I changed my original rating, I would be a hypocrite because I still really liked it today, I had fun, and I could reminisce about some exciting (and wild) times. When I compare it, for example, to a movie like Tenet... / Lesson learned: More of a reflection this time: Is it possible that the Recall company actually exists? There has been a strange increase in cases of women who remember what happened five, ten, or twenty years ago. It makes you wonder.
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Paul Verhoeven keeps playing the same song and it’s not out of tune even for the umpteenth time, though the basic melody is starting to become a bit tired and boring. Total Recall is a fine wild ride with lots of blood, a brilliantly clumsy main protagonist (his facial expressions in some close-up shots are adorable) and a two-digit number when it comes to the body count. But the similarly styled music and distinctive visual signature (which doesn't always mean high quality) didn't really touch my heart in any special way. The Martian setting is overly exhibitionistic, just like the rebel leader, the woman with three breasts, the mutants, the face explosions, and similar things. The director is too over-the-top sometimes, and it's not always my cup of tea. Nevertheless, the well-executed action scenes are cool.
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The 1990s brought a lot of good things (like me :-D), but this sci-fi is not one of them, at least for me. Terrible sets (even sci-fi from previous years had a much better idea of the future), a story that really scrapes, music that likely didn't even make it to my ears. The only plus is Arnold's accent... Unfortunately, this cult didn't enchant me and left me cold. But definitely check it out – if there’s at least two of you – it will bring a little education. :-)
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Originally, I had four stars in mind when I reminisced about the film's premiere in movie theaters years ago. Now I watched it again and I have moved on somewhat, and the overt B-movie popcorn simplicity bothers me now. The film reminds me of cheap mainstream adventure comics with sci-fi themes, which still lie in my library and shaped my taste at a certain time, but nowadays I read and watch different things. The classic sci-fi theme of Philip K. Dick's version has little in common with Paul Verhoeven's version, but it is appropriately action-packed, filled with chases, shooting, and bloody fights, so for a viewer who is not compelled to think, it is a joyride. Verhoeven traditionally does not shy away from brutal scenes, so fans can enjoy severed hands and blasted human bodies and protruding entrails. Nevertheless, it is one of the few better films where Arnold Schwarzenegger appears in the lead role. Though his performance here is not outstanding, he also does not descend into silliness. Overall impression: 55%. The film's strong point is the set design, which even years later does not feel outdated and was top-notch at the time of the film's release. A colorful sci-fi spectacle for teenagers.
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Gallery (207)
Photo © TriStar Pictures
![Total Recall - Photos](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/157/877/157877012_e17e4e.jpg)
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