Total Recall

Year: 1990
Running time: 113 minutes
Certificate: 18
Language: English
Screenplay: Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon, Gary Goldman
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside

Dave.

Mars:  Red, apparently.

Paul Verhoeven has made some truly awful films, such as Basic Instinct and Showgirls. He has however, also made some phenomenal ones, for example Robocop and Starship Troopers. Total Recall assuredly falls into the latter camp. Based on the short story We Can Remember It For You Wholesale by oft-filmed science fiction author Phillip K. Dick, we follow construction worker Douglas Quaid (Arnie) who decides to get an implanted memory of an adventure on Mars. The procedure uncovers a hidden identity buried in Quaid's subconscious ('Hauser'). Things get rather messy, plot-wise from then on, with Quaid taking on a mission to save the downtrodden mutants of Mars from radiation poisoning and evil corporate greed. Possibly.

At the time, Schwarzenegger was an unpopular choice for the cerebral sci-fi adaptation, and several changes were made to the original novel - for one, Quaid was originally an office drone not a construction worker, although, considering the big man's ridiculous physique, the reason for that change is obvious. On the surface, the fears of the anti-Arnie brigade appear fully justified, as at first glance this extreme-violence action romp lacks the intelligence of the average Dick adaptation (although other Dick themes, such as paranoia and the exploration of human identity are certainly present), and is filmed in a style that befits both Verhoeven and Schwarzenegger. Upon a closer look however, hidden depths can be found, and by the end we can't decide if it was all real or just a memory implant. The more I watch it, the more convinced I become that the whole thing happened in his head and was by design. The fact that it ends in a white light fade out suggests that it is all in his head, but it is never confirmed.

The film is full of little touches that stay with you, scenes such as Quaid pulling a huge red tracker out through his nose, the psychotic cab robot who commits hari-kari after not being paid, or the outstanding prosthetics. More memorable though is the big man's dry wit (a talent that is criminally ignored due to his distinct lack of acting skills) when delivering certain lines, particularly "Look who's talking" after being told by a disfigured mutant that he has a lot of nerve showing his face and "Consider that a divorce" after shooting his wife in the head.

With more depth than you may at first suspect, this is classic sci-fi done in Verhoeven's uniquely extreme style.

Score: 8/10

Rachel.

Quaid was reluctant to discuss marriage counselling.

A brilliant Saturday night film, this is classic Arnie at his best. As Dave has already mentioned, it has some great lines - my favourites being "See you at the party, Richter" and "Screw you!" as he drills into the double-crossing Benny (Mel Johnson Jr.). However, in my opinion, the film is most memorable for its distinctive special effects; explosive suffocation, Kuoto the mutant rebel leader and a prostitute with three breasts! I still think this kind of effects work, without the overuse of CGI (as is often the case in more recent films) adds a unique and, in some cases, more believable look.

Definitely worth a watch, although it's possible my high score is more a result of rose-tinted nostalgia than quality. And by the way Dave, I definitely think it was all real!

Score: 8/10

Vince at Qwipster agrees, but Janet at the New York Times would probably say I over-rate it a little.