On T List of Movie Reviews
(For optimum viewing, adjust the zoom level of your browser to 125%.)
Total Recall (1990)
Rate:
9
Viewed:
12/04, 8/11, 2/24
8/11:
I used to think Total Recall was one of the greatest sci-fi pictures made.
But now, it's a stupid movie that's overtly violent for no reason. Plus, the chase to apprehend Douglas Quaid is what slowed
the pace down. Eventually, it becomes a boring tripe with no payoff at the end.
What I like about it the best is the creativity here and there. The mystery is intriguing as I kept trying to guess the
identity and whether it's real or fantasy. Take them away, and Total Recall doesn't have much going.
However, Arnold Schwarzenegger is fine. Sharon Stone isn't bad, either. The supporting cast is adequate. The primary
reason to see the film besides Arnold is the outstanding cinematography.
All in all, Total Recall has the potential to be a great sci-fi flick, but the violence is too much.
2/24:
Raising my rating from '5' to '9', I'm clear with what Total Recall is.
It's a dream movie, nothing more. Douglas Quaid had a Rekall experience he paid two weeks for. He'll wake up at the
end and be back to his life and wife, that is, Sharon Stone.
Everybody's acting is only a small part of it. This sci-fi masterpiece couldn't have been made possible without the vision
that harkens back to Blade Runner and therefore to Philip K. Dick. Drug abuse isn't out of
the question, either, as he dealt with alternate realities. It's why Total Recall felt like a mind trip.
All in all, Total Recall can be a difficult movie to judge, but I must conclude it's been well-made.