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Total Recall
Total Recall is an Arnold classic. While most of his movies are fun to watch, this probably has the most impressive story out of them.
It's a good ol' remnant of the past kind of tale! Quaid has a charming and sex hungry wife, but a very routine job. He has a weird recurring dream about Mars and also keeps seeing ads on TV about Mars, so he gets tempted to go there. Of course, it's not the ”real” Mars, but a very realistic reconstruction. Lori tells him not to go, but he ignores her and decides to go anyway. He also gets the opportunity to change his identity for fun, and he picks a secret agent on a deadly mission (Why on earth anyone would want to choose this on their vacation is beyond me), but something goes wrong. He starts speaking in prophetic terms, and the people behind the program erase his memories so he won't remember Rekall.
Now here's where it gets a bit tricky: After people start acting fishy towards him, including one of his co-workers, it turns out his wife is not his real wife, but intended as a permanent distraction so he would forget about who he used to be and what he did on Mars.
And that's where I'll stop summing up. This movie is full of imagination and beautiful exemplary visuals of a strange futuristic society where some people look like freaks due to suffering from a lack of oxygen. Which is thanks not only to the iconic sci-fi writer Philip Dick, but also Paul Verhoeven, who perfectly balances the scary and the absurd. And in some ways, the world is still the same as it always was: a big power holding a monopoly on all its citizens to the result of everyone else having it worse off, but the capital itself kicking back with no considerable worries and caring for nothing but themselves. Verhoeven portrays society as bleakly militarized, with unflinching realistic violence and red-lit but broken surroundings.
Even looking aside the politics, it's still a remarkably wellmade and entertaining film. Michael Ironside turns in another iconic performance as the no-nonsense villain Richter, whose crazy glare and commanding attitude is as effective as it always was. Arnold is ramped up to 100 percent, showcasing some of the most expressive faces he has done in his career. Sharon Stone
In terms of acting, there is not a single dull spot. Rachel Nicotin gives a memorable portrayal as Melina, the real wife of George Quaid. Mel Johnson Jr. was very over-the-top in his role, but in a way that still works.
I think I'll stop at here. Movies regarded as high-quality by a lot of people is usually not my forte, as I feel like I'm repeating what a lot of others already have said. But if you haven't been convinced yet, go see it! Do it for Mars. Do it for Arnold.
P.S. If that image of Arnold gives you nightmares, I apologize. But it's too damn great not to share.
Total Recall is an Arnold classic. While most of his movies are fun to watch, this probably has the most impressive story out of them.
It's a good ol' remnant of the past kind of tale! Quaid has a charming and sex hungry wife, but a very routine job. He has a weird recurring dream about Mars and also keeps seeing ads on TV about Mars, so he gets tempted to go there. Of course, it's not the ”real” Mars, but a very realistic reconstruction. Lori tells him not to go, but he ignores her and decides to go anyway. He also gets the opportunity to change his identity for fun, and he picks a secret agent on a deadly mission (Why on earth anyone would want to choose this on their vacation is beyond me), but something goes wrong. He starts speaking in prophetic terms, and the people behind the program erase his memories so he won't remember Rekall.
Now here's where it gets a bit tricky: After people start acting fishy towards him, including one of his co-workers, it turns out his wife is not his real wife, but intended as a permanent distraction so he would forget about who he used to be and what he did on Mars.
And that's where I'll stop summing up. This movie is full of imagination and beautiful exemplary visuals of a strange futuristic society where some people look like freaks due to suffering from a lack of oxygen. Which is thanks not only to the iconic sci-fi writer Philip Dick, but also Paul Verhoeven, who perfectly balances the scary and the absurd. And in some ways, the world is still the same as it always was: a big power holding a monopoly on all its citizens to the result of everyone else having it worse off, but the capital itself kicking back with no considerable worries and caring for nothing but themselves. Verhoeven portrays society as bleakly militarized, with unflinching realistic violence and red-lit but broken surroundings.
Even looking aside the politics, it's still a remarkably wellmade and entertaining film. Michael Ironside turns in another iconic performance as the no-nonsense villain Richter, whose crazy glare and commanding attitude is as effective as it always was. Arnold is ramped up to 100 percent, showcasing some of the most expressive faces he has done in his career. Sharon Stone
WARNING: spoilers below
first gives the vibes of a little-too-familiar kindhearted wife, only to later turn completely ice-cold once we found out she's not who we thought she were. The scene where Quaid starts to fight an unknown foe and it shows to be her I could predict due to the shadow shape, but nevertheless the revelation is expertly done. It's from here that Stone really starts to shine, and comes off as possibly the deadliest villain in the movie.
I think I'll stop at here. Movies regarded as high-quality by a lot of people is usually not my forte, as I feel like I'm repeating what a lot of others already have said. But if you haven't been convinced yet, go see it! Do it for Mars. Do it for Arnold.
P.S. If that image of Arnold gives you nightmares, I apologize. But it's too damn great not to share.