Total Recall details
| Formats: | 18 DVD, Blu-ray |
|---|---|
| Starring: | Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside, Ronny Cox, Robert Picardo |
| Director: | Paul Verhoeven |
| Genres: | Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Thriller |
| Studio: | ELEVATION |
| Name | Discs | |
|---|---|---|
Total Recall |
18 Feature | |
Total Recall - Bonus Features |
18 Bonus |
DVD Information
| Run time: | 1 hour 48 minutes |
|---|---|
| Rental release: | 30 Apr 2001 |
| Main languages: | English |
| Dubbed: | German, Spanish |
| Subtitles: | Dutch, English, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish |
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Most helpful review
Total Recall
By SAI81 (360 reviews) from Tonbridge , 26 Mar 2007[Highly rated reviewer]
Phillip K Dick (unfortunate name really) has been a favourite author for Hollywood adaptation since Blade Runner. This film, based on Dick's story We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, presents us with Doug Quaid (Arnie). Quaid is a construction worker who goes to Rekall to purchase the memory of a trip to Mars but when the procedure of installing the memory goes wrong he recovers his real memories of Mars, where he was a double agent working for eiether the dictatorial ruler (Cox) or the resistance (personified by Ticotin).
At least I think that's the plot. It is somewhat ambiguous whether Quaid or his alter ego are in fact the real person and thats one of the most interesting things about Total Recall.
The film is directed by mad dutchman Paul Verhoven. It's less satirical than his previous film; Robocop but matches, if not betters, it for action set pieces. Verhoven shoots action and special effects well and though the limitations of 1990 effects are shown up by the progress made in 15 years the work here is hugely impressive for the time.
The look of the film is interesting, every frame is packed with detail, particularly when Quaid reaches Mars it's inhabitants are beautifully and interestingly designed (only in a Paul Verhoven film will you find a hooker with three breasts). There is, however, one odd design gaffe. Look closely at the guards who try and stop Quaid as he arrives on Mars, the communicators on their wrists, hillariously, are Casio calculators.
The script, while in concept quite intelligent and literate, is merely functional. Dialogue serves eiether to advance the plot or provide Arnie a quip ('Consider dat a divorce', after shooting his wife in the head, is a highlight) but in it Verhoven finds fun details of life in 2084 (the cab Arnie tells to 'just drive' but which won't go anywhere without a specific destination).
Arnie is better here than he'd been before and while he's acceptable in the role a more cerebral leading man (with an aptitude for action) might have made for a more interesting hero. His acting is, as ever, pretty one note but the script has clearly been tailored to its star and so it works.
Rachel Ticotin makes for a bland, dull heroine but her boring presence is made up for by a young Sharon Stone as Quaid's wife. Stone has enormous fun here being a horrendous bitch and gets a great catfight with Ticotin.
Michael Ironside and a scenercy chewing Cox make for hissable villains and Cox gets some wonderful lines to establish just how eeevil he is.
Total Recall isn't a great film but, as undemanding Friday night beer and pizza movies go you'd be hard pushed to find one that's as much cheesy fun as this.- Was this review helpful to you?
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(67)A Classic
By Nibelethe (3 reviews) , 16 Mar 2013Alright, compared to more modern movies, the action's a bit dull, the effects are as expected and the acting can be a bit... well Arnie's one of the better actors in it which kind of says everything there. On the other hand it's a lot of fun. The entire story never loses it's ambiguous is this a dream or isn't it and the idea is brilliant (but then I'm a fan of the book's author). Whilst not serious sci-fi, there is some very neat world-building going on here and while the movie doesn't call for any major thinking, it's not mindless. All in all, a fun movie.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Dead, should be buried
By ChristopherRobin (5 reviews) , 08 Feb 2013How did I end up with this oldie, I wanted the remake which is still on my rental list!!!!! I am told I need one more word. Is this enough????- Was this review helpful to you?
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pretty good film
By cheesekake (1283 reviews) from uk , 21 Aug 2012this film was pretty good, had a unique storyline, and some original action.
Not one that I personally could watch over and over but others might be able to.
defo worth 1 watch- Was this review helpful to you?
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what is it about blu ray transfers of 80's movies?
By emperor10 (202 reviews) from newcastle upon tyne , 03 Aug 2012dont get me wrong, this transfer is good, better looking than normal dvd, or upgraded dvd, but still not perfect, has some grain. the same for my other 80's blu rays - rambo first blood, nightmare on elm street, friday 13th etc, yet movies from the 60's, such as goldfinger, north by north west, are flawless,and picture perfect? still,this is still worth getting.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Love Film? Love Recall!
By Julie-Pooly (19 reviews) , 21 May 2012[Highly rated reviewer]
This is one of the best Sci-fi films of all time, another classic for Arnie (Terminator,) and this is truly up there with those films and the Matrix as the very besy of their kind. The story is about construction worker Doug Wade who finds the lure of Mars too great. Rather than go there, he goes to a holiday agency - future stye - where he gets implanted with the memories of a secret agent working deep under-cover on Mars. Needless to say the implants are of him getting the girl and saving the planet - becoming the hero, or does he? A paranoid, conspiracy unfolds - is everything as it seems? Great action flick! Bue sky on Mars - that's a new one!- Was this review helpful to you?
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