Nick Brayton Movie Review: Total Recall Features Memorable Execution

By Nicholas Brayton
Staff Writer

The concept of Total Recall 1990 has been done multiple times before -- Man vs. Evil Corporation -- but the way it is executed is what makes this movie memorable.

The basic plot is that in the year 2084, a construction worker named Doug Quaid, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, has a recurring dream of a terrible experience on Mars in which he dies due to being exposed to Mars' atmosphere.

After obsessing over this dream, he concludes that he should live on Mars or at least go on a vacation to Mars. He hears of a business called Rekall, which allows a person to simulate what it feels like to be on a planet for two weeks. They also have certain programs to make the simulation more exciting, like an option where you are a secret agent, which Doug chooses.

After finally entering the machine, something goes wrong and he wakes up believing that he is a secret agent known as Hauser. He keeps claiming that the Rekall technicians blew his cover.

Eventually, they sedate Quaid and as he enters his dream, he continues to stay as Quaid and is no longer Hauser. So begins the story of Doug Quaid as he saves the Mars Colony from its cruel dictator.

What gains most people's attention immediately upon viewing the film is the surrealistic setting. The director exploits the idea of living on Mars to its fullest. For example, people who were exposed to radiation due to poor shielding from the sun were mutated, and in some cases, became psychic. Also, Mars has an enclosed area, which, if punctured, can suck people out of the atmosphere. This happened multiple times throughout the film.

The CGI and set pieces also help create a unique atmosphere for this movie. I could go as far as to say that some of the CGI is actually greater than much of the CGI we see today.

The twist on the concept of Man vs. Corporation is actually quite intriguing, because the setting allows the director to create different plot devices. For example, when arriving at Rekall, Quaid is told that he will be subjected to a simulation through a machine that implants the memories of him visiting Mars.

Since scientists are able to implant memories, they are also able to manipulate what kind of memories you want, as mentioned before. The greatest part about the plot is that you are never entirely sure if Doug Quaid is living in the implanted memory or a false reality.

As per most films staring Schwarzenegger, there are multiple action scenes and shootouts. Most of these scenes are top notch, with no over-the-top violence or Arnold blindly shooting everywhere.

Overall, Total Recall is a simply miraculous movie thanks to the director's exploitation of the plot setting and spectacular special effects implemented into the film.