"See you at the party, Richter!"

For those of you who haven't seen this film, I have only one thing to say; "Get your ass to Mars!"

95

Love as memory - a harrowing action spectacle of unwavering totality. Verhoeven is in complete control of every movement, hue, and excessive, explosive burst. Simply a jaw-dropping analog entity. Total Recall confronts the illusion of homely spaces, the physical trek to and from the workplace, and the prodded designation of our society - each separating a larger threat of capitalistic complacency, and it kicks ass while doing it.

I just love everything about this film: the practical effects; the over the top violence; Ronny Cox chewing the scenery like a man possessed, Michael Ironside’s sulky and snarling performance; Sharon Stone looking better than she ever has; Arnie’s super camp run after killing the gang lead by “Harry from verk”; the security guard who doesn’t even wait until he’s out of shot before giving up the chase after Doug Quaid smashes through the X-ray scanner, with a gun. There are a million other things but I’ll stop there as I could be at it all night otherwise.

Then at the centre of it all is the big man himself, playing an everyman as only a gigantic genetic freak like him can. Many people say it would be a better film without Arnold Schwarzenegger, but for me he’s the pumped up cherry atop a gloriously over filled cake.

Everyone should watch this film and relax, they’d live longer.

reality and fantasy are equally shitty except in one of them you are important.

They sure don't make 'em like they used to! Total Recall is Science Fiction at its absolute finest! Arnold Schwarzenegger truly was the king of the 80s and 90s. A brilliant film in every aspect. If you haven't seen this yet, then "get your ass to Mars"!

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

Somehow I never got around to watch 'Total Recall' before now. And it is definitely one of my favourite Philip K. Dick adaptions, after 'Blade Runner' (1982) of course.

Paul Verhoeven manages to top 'Robocop' with this mindbending science fiction adventure. I loved everything about this film: Arnie, the great visual effects (they even won an Academy Award for this), and the action-packed script, which never seems to be a bore.

I've got to watch more late 80s-early 90s Arnold movies!

The eternal question, whether Verhoeven is a genius or a lucky hack, which does this movie prove?? Although you can say for sure he's a dirty old man

Also, big panes of glass shattering were the pinnacle of action mayhem in this era

Verhoeven's films truly have aged like fine wine. High-concept satire made of awesome and muscle

"See you at the party Richter!"
"Sleazy, yet demure."
"Schizoid Embalism!"
"Consider that a divorce."
I had to watch it again for some pub quiz revision, but that doesn't mean it's not a massively enjoyable film.
Not Arnie's best. Not Verhoeven's best. Perhaps Michael Ironside's best big screen role though.
Definitely not the best Philip K. Dick adaptation; but perhaps the most fun one...

Click below for our podcast review/discussion of the movie:

Total Recall (1990)
Featured in: Week 29
Discussed by: Nick

Hardly the most profound sci-fi film, Total Recall instead entertains with delightfully over-the-top performances and action, making it at the very least a fun little romp.

In memory, Total Recall was a head above other Paul Verhoven works due to its more complex plot and flashier production value. But upon rewatch, it proved to be part and parcel with the cynical but ultimately empty hulks that have come before or since. Both expansive and lacking in its world-building, I feel sorry for the Shusett-O'Bannon juggernaut, having to get their kicks here rather than something even as near as interesting as LV-426. The amount of talent wasted on a passable romp like this is pretty much a disgrace overall. However, maybe it's Schwarzenegger's mere presence that gives it the slightest of bumps for yours truly, but there's something about the heady yet cheesy Total Recall that I sort of love in some way. Then again, most every other piece of window dressing fails kind of miserably here, so who cares that much? Fun, but not profound, or really even necessary for that matter.

Tends to be a bit uglier in comparison to his other masterpieces—too many grey, featureless, and vague sets—but this is still so good. Maybe my favorite Arnie role? I love seeing him play the everyday man while still being built like a tank and getting to kick ass. The red pill scene in this is so good.