A factory worker, Douglas Quaid, begins to suspect that he is a spy after visiting Rekall - a company that provides its clients with implanted fake memories of a life they would like to have led - goes wrong and he finds himself on the run.
Originally adapted by director Paul Verhoeven in 1990, author Philip K. Dick's classic Sci-Fi short story We Can Remember It for You Wholesale returns to the big screen in this remake starring Colin Farrell, Bryan Cranston, and Kate Beckinsale, and directed by Underworld's Len Wiseman. The planet has been decimated by nuclear war in the late 21st century, leaving only two nations -- the United Federation of Britain and the Colony. Douglas Quaid (Farrell) is a factory worker with a stable job and a loving wife (Beckinsale), but upon learning that a company named Rekall could grant him the memory of the ultimate espionage adventure, he decides that a virtual vacation is better than no vacation at all. But in the midst of having the new memories implanted, something goes haywire. Still strapped to the chair as the system breaks down, he's branded a spy as the authorities close in, and quickly flees for his life. Later, Quaid discovers that he has a secret identity, and he joins forces ...
The folding pocket knife Quaid uses when he breaks into his old residence is a production model from CRKT called the "K.I.S.S." See more »
Goofs
When Melina and Douglas hit the ground in the flying car she is injured, but between the different scenes her head is in different positions. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Melina:
Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.
See more »
Alternate Versions
There is also a 130-minute extended cut, which has the following changes that makes the original story more complex and clarifies certain plot lines:
The first major change is that due to Ethan Hawke's appearance as the original Hauser, it has been clarified that Hauser becomes Quaid via memory wipe and a facial transplant. Also, rather than being converted by the resistance, it was revealed that Quaid was implanted into the resistance, with past memories to be re-implanted after completion by Cohaagen (evident by a line from him to Lori: "Neutralize only, do you understand me? No lethal force. I want him alive for re-implantation"). Subsequent scenes that appear throughout in the theatrical version have been replaced with material matching the plot point, mostly significant in his London apartment and after the raid at the resistance hideout.
The second major change is the relationship of Matthias and Melina, which is revealed and clarified as father and daughter in the new cut. Subsequent scenes that appear throughout in the theatrical version have been replaced with material matching the plot point, mostly significant after the raid at the resistance hideout.
A slight longer prologue while Quaid removes the locks on the grid as Melina covers him. He admits that he loves her and they kiss for a moment before she fires again at the pursuers after once the locks have been removed.
On the way to work, Quaid passes an ID-check and a electronic scanner. Harry complaints that he couldn't adjust to the new shift but the extra allowance makes up for it.
Harry argues that he had instructed the last new guy who, in subsequence, was fired by the supervisor. The supervisor orders Doug to do so and leaves.
In this cut, the conversation is now at the government official's room instead of the shift supervisor's room. The government official tells him that he's doing a loyalty check on workers to ensure they are not involved in any coup d'etat activities. Quaid behaves quite hostile here, but begrudgingly signs the loyalty form when told that he risks losing his job for not signing it.
After work, in The Fall, he now sleeps and has a recurring dream rather than staying awake.
The bar scene with Quaid and Harry is slightly longer: Harry asks why Quaid isn't happy with his life then asks who is the girl in the dream he had, which Doug says there's no girl; Harry also completes the line: "And go home to your wife."
On the way to the Rekall center, there's a longer moment between Quaid and the three-breast hooker with sparse shots of robot women hookers on the way.
Hammond (Quaid's partner in the enforcement) tells his cover name is Henry, before Quaid goes to the bank. At the bank, Quaid had some problem with the routine signature match procedure before he goes to the vault.
The confrontation between Harry, Quaid and Melina was longer in separate bits: Harry is trying to convince Quaid that the whole situation now was a result of a trauma from a chemical fantasy; he reveals that he was worried about him in the bar and had followed him to the Rekall facility; when asking about why Harry wears a bulletproof vest, he says he was trying to help him out of the hallucination, while Melina insists that the whole situation is real. Quaid gets confused doesn't know who to believe; Melina loses patience and utters angrily that Harry should tell Quaid the truth or she would kill him; Harry symbolizes Melina as Quaid's frustration and unhappiness.
In the Fall, Quaid sneaks pass two policemen. A computer voice warns that the Colony (rigged with a bomb) is due in 17 minutes. Later Melina enters there through a shaft below the upper platform.
Just before the end, Quaid removes the bandage over the spot where the Rekall injection tattoo was burnt into. It's no longer there. He's confused and Melina asks him whether he's alright.
I managed to watch total recall a couple of days back, and have watched it a second time. The reviews I've read so far reveals how many are comparing this to the 1990 movie staring Arnie.
Well, there are many differences in these two movies and if you want to truly enjoy this remake, you have gotta forget bout the original one. Try not to compare Arnie with Farrel and Beckinsale with Sharon Stone.
Graphically, Total Recall is beautifully crafted with good CGI work. It makes you wonder how believable the place is. It paints a future of the world where only two 'countries' exist while the majority of the Earth have become inhabitable. The difference in these two countries is vast and both of them looks amazing.
Collin Farell acting here is good but not worthy of any awards though Kate Beckinsale was amazing. She was definitely the best actor in this movie, hands down. The guy who played Cohagen was average a best. The other actors seemed blend and no one really stood out.
I have watched the original Total Recall and i have to say that these remake is slighty better. It feels more epic, saving a country seems more intense than saving a bunch of people living on Mars. The notion 'What is real' works well in this movie, especially in one of the scene in the hotel lobby i believe. What this movie lacks as compared to the original was a lack of witty lines. Arnie had some witty one-sentence line whereas Collin was pretty much serious throughout.
Total Recall started out great but by the time it hits the 60-80mins mark it starts to become a mindess action movie and it was pretty much predictable after that.
All in all, Total Recall is a great movie for someone who has never watched the original. I would give a rating of probably 7-8 out of 10.
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I managed to watch total recall a couple of days back, and have watched it a second time. The reviews I've read so far reveals how many are comparing this to the 1990 movie staring Arnie.
Well, there are many differences in these two movies and if you want to truly enjoy this remake, you have gotta forget bout the original one. Try not to compare Arnie with Farrel and Beckinsale with Sharon Stone.
Graphically, Total Recall is beautifully crafted with good CGI work. It makes you wonder how believable the place is. It paints a future of the world where only two 'countries' exist while the majority of the Earth have become inhabitable. The difference in these two countries is vast and both of them looks amazing.
Collin Farell acting here is good but not worthy of any awards though Kate Beckinsale was amazing. She was definitely the best actor in this movie, hands down. The guy who played Cohagen was average a best. The other actors seemed blend and no one really stood out.
I have watched the original Total Recall and i have to say that these remake is slighty better. It feels more epic, saving a country seems more intense than saving a bunch of people living on Mars. The notion 'What is real' works well in this movie, especially in one of the scene in the hotel lobby i believe. What this movie lacks as compared to the original was a lack of witty lines. Arnie had some witty one-sentence line whereas Collin was pretty much serious throughout.
Total Recall started out great but by the time it hits the 60-80mins mark it starts to become a mindess action movie and it was pretty much predictable after that.
All in all, Total Recall is a great movie for someone who has never watched the original. I would give a rating of probably 7-8 out of 10.