Total Recall extends beyond these superficial Action elements. Starting on earth then taking place in Mars. Both great unique futuristic sets for their time & now.
Its populated with fantastic themes open for philosophical and ethical discussions, "Total Recall" asks what is the meaning of someone's identity in a world where memories and experiences are commodities that can be erased or fabricated in a whim? These embraced by the public, alterations result in our hero doubting his own reality leaving the audience to pick up the pieces of this convoluted (in a good sense) storyline of double crosses and ambiguous proceedings wondering whether Quaid does things based on his own free will or not. Verhoeven's film explores and visually represents such concepts touching upon anti-corporation and fascism ideas. This politically, morally and visually unattractive future serves as an analog for manipulating reality for the common people through news and the media at the behest of those in power. The Martian resistance is branded as terrorists and their indiscriminate slaughter is described as a minimal force use order restoration. These not as distant as you might think topics remain highly pertinent in the time of social media, where the line between a person's average life and more curated online life becomes fogged.
The large scale production design reflects these notions too. Production designer Jan Roefls employed a Harsh, distant and concrete based architecture to resemble a society being torn apart from a socioeconomic gap between those with power and those without. This world is indifferent towards the suffering of the Martian colonists as long as the supply and demand chain of Mars is steady. It is for this reason precisely why the man made environments in the red planet are under blood like hues associating this new "dystopia" with hell; its residents resembling more demons than humans due to cheap dome protection and poor air circulation.
Arnold plays an everyday man at the beginning, but once the action starts rolling, you know you are in competent hands. Verhoeven maximises the large budget to infuse the several face offs between Quaid and Richter's men with gore, a trail of bodies and no subtlety (e.g., "human" shield moment) adding a perhaps the first fight between women in Hollywood with actual choreography. The stunning Sharon Stone is a standout in her 90s aerobics costume kicking ass when the occasion calls for it catapulting her in superstardom and Rachel Ticotin brings a tough and believable vulnerability as the tough Melina.
A big credit to the incredible work of Rob Botin's on special make up effects which blew minds away during its release and established the film's creative approach to grotesque mutants, asphyxiations and "traveler's masks", all bearing such craftmanship that unfortunately is not being experienced today under the barrage of faceless CGI "monstrosities" and graphic filters.
"Total Recall" has an edgy script which thirty years (and more) afterwards remains thoroughly relevant. Its relatable hero, an excellent supporting cast and Verhoeven's frenetic direction of the on-screen absurdities (and multiple fatalities) make this not only one of the best Schwarzenegger films but one of the best science films of all time.
Also I'm unsure why some people Question was this real or All part the Recall holiday. I always thought It made it pretty obvious it was real. Just by the Action of the Recall Centre alone??
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