Total Recall

When a movie opens with a violent suffocation nightmare scene, you know you’re in for a good ride. Such is the gripping beginning of Paul Verhoeven’s early ‘90s cult classic, Total Recall. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s face gruesomely expanding and becoming horrifyingly prosthetic as he gasps for air on a desolate red planet is enough to glue your bum to your seat for a guaranteed hour and a half of science fiction awesomeness. 

Schwarzenegger is Doug Quaid, a married man living on earth in the year 2048 and being plagued by a recurring dream in which he is on Mars. Unable to shake his curiosity about this dream, he goes to the Recall Laboratory to get a false memory implanted, but a malfunction during the session results in his coming out of the lab believing that he’s a secret agent with an agenda on Mars. However, as a severe manhunt for him ensues and he discovers that his ‘wife’ may (or may not) really be his wife, it becomes apparent that not everything that Douglas remembers is true and he must sort out in his mind what is fact and what is fabrication. 

An adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s (who else?) novel We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, Total Recall is a must-see in the sci-fi movie canon. A slightly terrifying look into a consumerist future the movie explores many complex themes that Dick also deconstructs in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (better known as Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner); namely identity, memory, and perception. But whilst it tackles big, mind-meddling, postmodern questions like are we real or are we projected perceptions of real, and can we have original thoughts and memories when we are constantly exposed to influencing images, it balances this all out succinctly with great smatterings of comedy, double-takes, and a lot of action. 

Modern movie watchers will recognise the three-breasted alien joke from Paul, whilst action-buffs will get their fix of Arnie being totally badass. It’s more or less a one-man war in outer space as our protagonist doesn’t know who to trust or, indeed, if he can trust anyone even himself. The film is a delicious many-tiered genre cake made up of tantalising layers of action movie, sci-fi movie, spy thriller, and even war movie so there is something in it for everyone. 

And yes, it looks as good as it sounds. The achievements in makeup effects and art direction stand the test of time with bloodshot prosthetics, bulbous eyeballs, and teeth being engulfed by gums promising to haunt your dreams for weeks afterwards. Memorable action sequences go hand in hand with suspense and perfectly timed and shot exposition, making practically every scene in this movie worth watching. 

The brilliance of Total Recall lies within its balanced levels of horror, suspense, action, and comedy coupled with the story’s complex themes and insane ability for empathetic stimulation; ‘well yeah, in the same situation I would totally shoot her in the head’. 
But perhaps what is most fun about this movie is the types of conversations you can have after the credits have rolled and the weight of it all has sunk in. This is so much in here to think about and discuss and, of course, every perception and interpretation is going to be different and thus shape yours when you hear them out loud. Truly, I think the best compliment a movie can be paid is saying that it makes you think afterwards and Total Recall totally does that! 

Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone, Rachel Ticotin, Ronny Cox, Michael Ironside, Marshall Bell, Mel Johnson Jr., Michael Champion, Roy Brocksmith, Ray Baker, Rosemary Dunsmore, David Knell, Alexia Robinson, Dean Norris, and Mark Carlton. 
Rating: MA.