Total Recall DVD > Reviews > 'Cohaagen, give them some air!'

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Good
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Outstanding
Soundtrack	Average

Advantages:	Groundbreaking FX, great direction and acting
Disadvantages:	Over the top violence

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

In 1990, Total Recall was released to the public, giving us a vision of the future with an exceptional plot and wonderful direction and performances all round. The sci-fi film is set in 2084, and is a masterpiece of a twisting tale, which will make you think and watch it over and over. It is an Academy Award winning film, and for good reasons.

The Plot

Rekall is a company selling false memories by way of an implant in the brain. Douglas Quaid, dreaming of spending time on Mars with a sexy brunette, buys an implant, and launches himself into a world of paranoia, where the government is out to get him and he is a secret agent, forcing him to actually travel to Mars for real. His only question is: what is real and what is not? Is he a regualr guy, or is he really a secret agent? Which came first, and how can he find out the truth?

The Cast and Performances

Arnie is excellent in this role. It required him to do a lot of acting alongside special effects work, and he has performed admirably in what many consider to be his finest role. Sharon Stone plays Lori, Quaid's wife, and this film relaunched her career. She subsequently landed the lead female role in Basic Instinct. Here in Total Recall, she gives a very devious and cunning performance as Lori - very good. Ronny Cox plays villain Cohaagen, and plays a megalomaniac crazy for control and power very well indeed.

Rachel Ticotin plays Melina, with whom Quaid is supposed to have had a relationship during one of his undercover missions as a secret agent. The actress combines very well with Arnie. There are further good performances from actors such as Michael Ironside and Marshall Bell, and the remainder of the cast support very well.

My Opinion

The thing I like best about this film is the twisting plot where you are never sure what happened first. Based on a short story by Philip K Dick, director Paul Verhoeven has done a marvellous job of turning this round into a futuristic masterpiece. Screenplay adaptation was shared between four writers, and they have all contributed massively to a great film. The director took Sharon Stone with him in making Basic Instinct a couple of years later, and it is his evident control of the proceedings here that is a marvel to see.

The special effects are considered ground-breaking, in particular a scene where Arnie emerges from the husk of a woman. To do this in 1990 was far more difficult than it is by today's standards, yet the special effects for this, and indeed for the rest of the film are just as good as the majority of what we see today, nearly 20 years on. One in particular which I know a particular member of dooyoo likes is the three-breasted mutant whore seen as Quaid finds out he is a secret agent. (Thanks F ;) )

The one criticism many had at the time of the film's release was the excessive violence incorporated by Verhoeven. There are naturally two opinions on this. I do agree that some of the violence seems unnnecessarily over the top, but it did in no way ruin my enjoyment of the film. I found it excellent.

In point of note, another Philip K Dick story was rumoured to be adapted again using the character of Quaid to produce as a vehicle for Arnie to repeat the character, entitled Total Recall 2. The title of the short story was The Minority Report, and plans were abandoned, to be taken up again in 2002 by Spielberg and made into a thriller starring Tom Cruise. I am glad the sequel with Arnie was not made - I feel this would have ruined what is a wonderful film that should not be reivisited for fear of ruining it.

Conclusion

Marvellously crafted, from all involved.

The DVD is available from amazon.co.uk for £4.98.

This review may also be posted on dooyoo.co.uk.

Thanks for reading.