Overview
Total Recall is loosely based on the 1990 Schwarzenegger film Total Recall, which in turn was loosely based on the 1966 short story We Can Remember It for You Wholesale by Philip K Dick. Generally when things become that loose, they tend to fall apart, and Total Recall could definitely have benefitted from some rigorous tightening.
Set in the not-too-distant future, Earth has become largely uninhabitable save for two key landmasses: 'The United Federation of Britain' and — in an amusing gibe — 'The Colony' (better known to Australians as 'Australia'). The two are linked by an ultra-fast transit system allowing the impoverished colonists to travel to the UFB for work and still be home by dinner.
Plagued by the monotony of this routine, factory worker Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell) decides to remedy his tedium via 'Rekall' — a shady service that allows a person to implant desirable memories directly into his or her own subconscious. Circumstances spiral out of control, however, and Quaid soon finds himself grappling with everyone and everything, be it his own wife (Kate Beckinsale), the dogged animatronic authorities called 'Synthetics' or simply his overall grasp on reality.
The film makes a major departure from its 1990 predecessor by dropping the Mars subplot entirely in favour of a local setting; however, fans of the original can rest easy knowing the other narrative tent poles and iconic components remain, including Quaid's elaborate false identity kit, his mysterious dream girl (Jessica Biel) and, yes, the three-breasted prostitute. There’s also the same ruthless villain, Vilos Cohaagen, given a disappointingly saccharine rendering this time round by Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston.
Despite its impressive special effects, high production values, and an extensive supporting cast that also boasts Bill Nighy and John Cho, the whole film feels like one long, drawn-out chase sequence devoid of almost any substance. The relationships are cold, the performances largely hammy, and with five writers credited, it's hardly surprising the script plays like an amalgam of other (and better) films' elements, like the amnesia-ridden hero of Bourne coupled with the ambiguous reality of Inception within the two futuristic cityscapes of I, Robot and Blade Runner — depending on which side of the planet you are.
For an idea grounded in genuinely fascinating ethical, philosophical, and technological questions, this Total Recall remake has opted for form over substance and feels regrettably thin as a result.