Total Recall

 Year:  1990

Director:  Paul Verhoeven

Screenplay:  Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon and Gary Goldman, from a story by Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon and John Povill, based on the short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" by Philip K. Dick

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

Running Time:  114 minutes

Genre:  Science-fiction, action

In a future where humans have colonised other planets of the Solar System, construction worker Douglas Quaid (Schwarzenegger) who lives on earth with his wife, Lori (Stone), is plagued by recurring dreams of a mysterious woman (Ticotin) on Mars, which is under the dominion of industrialist dictator Cohaagen (Cox).  Quaid visits an agency called Rekall, Inc. which implants realistic fake memories.  Quaid chooses an "Ego Trip" package where he can have a memory of visiting Mars under the guise of being a secret agent. However, during the implant procedure Quaid suddenly starts lashing out, revealing that he has already had his memory suppressed by a shadowy organisation.  Soon Quaid finds himself on the run, pursued by gunmen, lead by Richter (Ironside), Cohaagen's chief henchman, as he learns that his entire life as Douglas Quaid was an illusion, and Lori and his friends are all spies sent to watch him.  Searching for his true identity, Quaid travels to Mars, and makes contact with the underground resistance against Cohaagen's tyranny.  However, as Quaid's investigation progresses, dreams and reality become harder to distinguish.

Total Recall began as a short story called "We Can remember It for You Wholesale" by prolific science-fiction author Philip K. Dick.  The project spent a long time in development, at one time acclaimed horror director David Cronenberg was attached to direct, his vision of the film stuck close to the short story, in which Quaid, called Quail in the original, was a timid, weedy, little clerk.  Cronenberg wrote twelve drafts of the script, but the producers were unhappy with his cerebral take on the material, because they wanted, in producer/writer Ronald Shusett's terms "Raiders of the Lost Ark go to Mars".  Eventually Dutch director Paul Verhoeven, who had had a hit with RoboCop (1987), was given the director's job, and Arnold Schwarzenegger was chosen to star.  Obviously, Schwarzenegger is no-one's idea of a timid, weedy little clerk, as the film moved further away from the Philip K. Dick short story.  At the time, Total Recall was one of the most expensive films ever made, and it remains one of the iconic science-fiction and action films of that era.  Verhoeven was good at lacing fast paced, lurid action and carnage with  often quite subversive satire (here Cohaagen is the ultimate evil capitalist who has even privatised the air supply).  The special effects are showing their age, but mostly still stand up, particularly the vast alien complex where the film's climax takes place, and the Martians, who are mutated due to the use of cheap, inadequate protective domes, are memorable.  The film moves along at a good pace, it's funny, there is plenty of action, and very graphic violence, although the pulpy plotting often becomes very silly.  Although, one of the most interesting aspects of the film is the possibility that the whole thing is  Quaid's fantasy, which makes the daftness and weirdness make more sense.  The film leaves the question open, and there are hints in the film either way.  The performances are pretty good, including Sharon Stone in her first major role, but everything takes second place to Arnie and the action.  Arnold Schwarzenegger is basically Arnold Schwarzenegger, doing what he does best, he handles the action well and delivers the odd quip. Quaid himself comes across more as a gleefully violent anti-hero in his quite callous attitude, probably a lot of civilians get caught up in the crossfire in this film  (in the film's most controversial scene he points a gun at Lori who says: "You won't shoot me, will you?  After all, we're married."  Quaid shoots her point blank in the head and quips: "Consider that a divorce.").  One of the movies incidental pleasures is the future world, including self-driving taxis, with irritating robot taxi drivers, called "Johnny Cabs", although some of the future world looks charmingly dated now.  This is the kind of film that as it goes on, you get caught up in it, and it is a fun action packed ride.  Later you start picking holes in it.  It is flawed, but I enjoyed it.

Arnold Schwarzenegger in Total Recall