Total Recall (1990) Review

 

        We’re in the 90s now, and Total Recall might be the best sci-fi film I’ve seen in that decade. This would be the second Paul Verhoeven film that I’ve watched for this initiative. I’ve talked about Robocop last summer. So, it would only make sense to talk about another great Verhoeven film. 

1. Doug Quaid

        This film is considered Schwarzenegger’s best, considering that his forte is action movies. Regardless, we see Quaid wanting to go to Mars. He’s been having recurring visions of being there with a mysterious woman. Quaid ultimately decides to have memories implanted from the company called Rekall. And what happens next is just a roller coaster.

        The best thing about the film is that it’s more than just a sci-fi movie. It’s a psychological thriller that happens to take place in Earth and in Mars. It fits with what’s going on with Quaid and his journey. At first he’s just a regular guy who wants to venture out from Earth. He has a pretty wife and a stable job, but wants more. Soon, the whole film pivots him to be the mistaken protagonist. Meaning that, he’s mistaken as a spy even though Quaid’s not aware. His whole life may have been a lie. 

        Other than the main theme of the film that I’ll be talking about, this is Arnold’s best film. For one thing he’s charming. It’s his personality that makes his character likeable that we honestly want to root for him. The best example is when he reaches Mars and into a seedy section underneath the surface. After he’s been confronted by various mutants, he gives money to a little girl who is one.

        Lastly, the action in this movie is intense. The movie has moments of levity to have everybody breath from the many gunfights. It’s very grounded since there isn’t blasters, just upgraded guns with bullets. And of course, Quaid having to outmaneuver the enemy. It's the best moments in the film since, he has to think of his heels. And he he has various tech that he’s gifted when he becomes the hero. One of them being a hologram display, it’s used perfectly that he uses it twice and the foot soldiers still get fooled. 

2. What’s Real?

        Now I can talk about the real secret as to why the film still holds up 30 years later. It’s the theme of uncertainty for Doug since he’s roped into a situation where he and by extension us question if the actions that are being presented is really happening. Like, one could interepret the film by being a fantasy and upending the usual action movie. Beat for beat, the hero fights the bad guy and gets the girl. 

        This film has those elements, but it’s never explicitly clear if this is real. Compounding it is that Quaid is also referred to as Carl Hauser. The whole movie could be interpreted as any other way where it doesn’t feel off. And that’s what makes it great is that this film can fit into any type of sci-fi sub-genres. 

        Now, and this is my interpretation, but I think the film is just a product of Rekall. They specialize in having people living out a fantasy, so it makes sense that everything that happens to Quaid is by design. He decides to be a spy, and that’s the whole direction the film goes. It never feels like a tonal shift in the least bit, but it plays it straight since Quaid is embroiled with a Martian conspiracy. 

3. Mars

        It makes sense that the whole film takes place underneath Mars. Nobody can breath in the surface, and one of the faintest memories I had with the movie was just looking at the memorable death scene where the main bad guy’s eyes were bulging out. Aside from childhood visual trauma, there’s more to having the film taking place in Mars. 

        As you see in the movie, Earth looks clean. Well, as one would think how it’ll look in the distant future, without flying cars. It looks affluent, right down to the taxi drivers being robotic. When Quaid goes to the fourth planet, it’s a hell hole. Since there’s constant firefights among the resistance and the authority figures on Mars. 

        What makes it work is that it’s literally a comment on class. With Earth looking nice, and Mars being well you know. And I think it’s compounded with it’s use of mutants. They’re second class to the new inhabitants just by how they look and with their mutant abilities. It all ties in with Quaid’s new role as a hero. While I believe that his new role is tied to the implanted dream, I think it also works to help the mutants gain what they want what Earth has. Which is to be able to breath air. 

4. Overall

        Total Recall is one of the best sci-fi films to kick off the 90s. This is Schwarzenegger’s best film of all time.