Review of Total Recall (1990) by Russell F — 08 Nov 2011

Hilarious and hard edged as Arnold himself, but interesting and windy enough to keep audiences entertained. This is a great film. Buy it, rent it, either way you've got to experience this film before the remake clinically removes all the fun and charm from the original.

Verhoeven's wild sense of humor is back in full force. Random scenes, like the villains pointing out some graffiti on a wall, are hilarious. "Look at that shit!". Why is it funny? Well, maybe it isn't. But the Johnny Cab moments will have you in stitches even if you don't want to like this film. Strangely, Total Recall manages to lure my friends in when it's playing, and butts will be in seats regardless of which point the movie's at. It's a nerd's film while being a guy's film, so I guess it's dually captivating to my demographic. And my friends are the kinds of guys that will interrupt, pause, or just generally talk over a film while it's playing, but not Total Recall. I wonder why this is?

But Total Recall isn't just a man's film, or a Schwarzenegger vehicle, it's a good movie. The set design, the score, the action, and even the script are all well done and expertly handled. This is actually one of my favorite Arnold films, mostly because Schwarzenegger really breathes in this role. Sure, Terminator and Terminator 2 are a couple of my favorite films of all time, but yeah, even more so than the T-101, Arnold is perfectly cast as the main character of this film, Douglas Quaid. Also, Sharon Stone is gorgeous. Moving on.

Jerry Goldsmith deserves a credit here for his exceptional score. The title sequence for Total Recall is my absolute favorite, mostly because the main theme kicks so much ass. It's an enterprising and down to business theme that conveys high adventure and desperation, set to a simple red backdrop that drips down like a splash of blood over a neon sign. I love it. Just hearing the theme, which sounds quite a bit like Jerry's earlier work on Conan, really sets the film in motion, painting an aural picture of an epic adventure. That opening D note swelling on the bass is a bit like a hint that Arnold is about to kick ass.

The film's suitably graphic and unsubtle with its special effects, but that's a good thing. This film never plays it safe. The work done on Kuato, a facetious fetus (haha) growing out of a dude's chest, is genuinely creepy. This is great example of how well done practical effects will always be superior to CG, though I'm sure we'll get to plenty of that in this remake. Oh, but wait, Quaid doesn't even go to Mars! Arnie made it clear the first time that it incredibly important to GETCHA ASS TO MAWS!

So, in short, don't watch the remake when that comes out. Just watch this, and enjoy.