Review: Total Recall

Directed by: Paul Verhoeven

Written by: Ronald Shusett, Dan O’Bannon, Gary Goldman

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside, Ronny Cox

Rating: [4/5]

Dystopian futures manage to pick away at fears we naturally have in life and those that develop through experiences. It falls under this underlying belief that things are out of our control, which Total Recall has no qualms about further exacerbating. It works within quite the frightening subject matter but then injects an action storyline mixed in with one of the greatest to ever do it in the genre to make for such a delightful medley. 

Unable to escape these dreams every time he sleeps, Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) believes his life sits behind this mirage along with his marriage to Lori (Sharon Stone). When that mirage begins to dissipate, he begins to put the pieces together of a larger conspiracy occurring and how he was put through this circumstance. 

Science fiction and Paul Verhoeven make for quite the delectable combination in the way he manages to always add some satire and genuine thrills to his stories. He certainly enjoys playing in this particular sandbox as evidenced in other features like Starship Troopers but with Total Recall he steps up to another level in the world he creates for us and how we join Quiad on this journey of breaking through the nonsense and finding the truth of the matter. 

The central device made Quaid lull himself into this reality really digs into ideas of how governmental agencies can control the lives of others. In this world, they implant memories into his brain to make him believe he’s living a life he did not in ways that should frighten anyone. It creates the illusion of something real that can be cherished but in reality, it’s all artificial. The surrealness to subject someone to this and act like it’s all okay must be quite the experience, but as we learn through the narrative, it all happens for a reason making for quite the journey for us to take along with the lead protagonist. 

Going into Mars and dealing with mutated individuals, this feature also takes the opportunity to dig into some societal issues of how these corporations neglect those negatively impacted by the things they do. This draws on obvious parallels of many stories of the accumulation of wealth at the expense of others appearing in a much more heinous manner. Quaid’s journey to Mars and the individuals inhabiting displays this exact issue further shedding light on how those get forgotten and how one’s complicity can further the damage already done. It certainly would not be a Verhoeven film if he did not manage to weave this into his story and he certainly does not disappoint. 

With everything being done on a contextual level, this feature inextricably has such a high entertainment factor to it in the way it captures this entire journey. It brings various levels of enjoyment to the table where anyone can watch this feature and enjoy the simple fun it wishes to have while also rewarding those who wish to dig deeper. With this, employing Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role helps sell the entire experience. Arnold has a limited acting range, but when firing in the right frequency, the man knows how to do what he does best and he plays Quaid perfectly. He has his one-liners and presents this heroic figure in a manner necessary for the story. The perfect casting decision for this era making it a no-brainer. 

For as much as Schwarzenegger dominates everything in this story with the natural charisma he evokes, he gets quite the robust team around him to fill out a roster. Sharon Stone, as she displayed throughout the 80s and 90s, had this magnetic screen presence she brought to everything she appeared in. She gives off this effortless sensuality in nearly everything she says in this feature demonstrating exactly why Quaid could be lulled into this artificial reality. With the simplest of looks throughout this feature, she does plenty. Additionally, we get strong performances given by Rachel Ticotin and Ronny Cox, who each contribute to the story in their own definable ways. They ensure everything has the proper texture. 

Quite the story with plenty to take in, Total Recall feels like the ultimate culmination of everything Paul Verhoeven does well in science fiction in combination with some incredible stars to bring the entire story to life. The visual effects coupled with some of the fun practical ones bring some entertaining sequences embodying everything that makes this feature quite the ride. From the trips to Mars and the concept of artificial memory, this feature works incredibly well and serves as quite the treat from one of the most intriguing filmmakers out there.