Total Recall (2012)
Columbia Pictures | Release Date: August 3, 2012
5.7
USER SCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 458 Ratings
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Positive:
180
Mixed:
188
Negative:
90
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2
Steven1981Mar 18, 2020
Total Recall stars Colin Farrell and is a remake of the 1990 original Total Recall film that stars Arnold Schwarzenegger.. The original was rubbish but this remake is even worse. It's not even violent and the action scenes are more like X-MenTotal Recall stars Colin Farrell and is a remake of the 1990 original Total Recall film that stars Arnold Schwarzenegger.. The original was rubbish but this remake is even worse. It's not even violent and the action scenes are more like X-Men leftovers. Terrible film, terrible acting, boring, unconvincing and bland… Expand
0 of 2 users found this helpful02
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7
truerockDec 11, 2021
Total Recall (2012) is loosely based on the 1966 Philip K. Dick short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale". In this adaptation, Mars is not part of the plot. A movie with the same title (starring Arnold Schwarzenegger) and looselyTotal Recall (2012) is loosely based on the 1966 Philip K. Dick short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale". In this adaptation, Mars is not part of the plot. A movie with the same title (starring Arnold Schwarzenegger) and loosely based on the same short story was released in 1990.
This film is a science fiction, action film with some steam-punk vibe. Most people would probably suggest it is pointed to a young-male (perhaps teenage) audience.
If you enjoy science-fiction-action films I would think you would want to watch this.
But, even if you don't enjoy science-fiction, you might want to watch this film. It has some really good acting (Bryan Cranston as Chancellor Cohaagen was excellent as you would assume), editing, directing, special effects, etc.
I found the casting to be excellent.

A concept of memories being the basis of personality is an interesting concept of the plot - but the idea is not deeply analyzed.

When deciding a rating for a film like this I try to imagine myself as a teenager who has not watched thousands of films and read hundreds of novels. I think a rating needs to reflect the context of what the developers were aiming for.… Expand
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5
dharmaAug 10, 2012
Total Recall is a mixed bag. It recalls (pardon the pun) other, and better sci-fi movies that includes Blade Runner and Minority Report. Despite its high production values, the original is still a much better film. This version doesn'tTotal Recall is a mixed bag. It recalls (pardon the pun) other, and better sci-fi movies that includes Blade Runner and Minority Report. Despite its high production values, the original is still a much better film. This version doesn't bring anything new on the table.… Expand
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6
imthenoobJul 27, 2021
I think it does a lot of things better than the original. The cast is better, I think it is more coherently written with a lot more focus on the "is this a dream" aspect rather than throwing it out of the window like the original. It's notI think it does a lot of things better than the original. The cast is better, I think it is more coherently written with a lot more focus on the "is this a dream" aspect rather than throwing it out of the window like the original. It's not perfect but I think they do a good enough job to make it their own and do it better than the first film.… Expand
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5
CinetykSep 10, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm not going to compare this to the original, but analyse it on its own. This movie is basically an action packed thriller in a sci-fi setting that's visually very good but done with little intelligence, if any at all. If you enjoy the "science" part of "science fiction" this is not for you, as the movie is riddled with problems in that department - the sci-fi is mainly just eye-candy. Additionaly, the main plot has good premises but disappoints because everything is explored in a such a shallow manner and things never take off from that superficial "all-action" approach.
Lets start with the sci-fi stuff. So, in the future, there was a biochemical war apocalypse that left everything but we know today as England and Australia inhabitable. Despite of this, in both areas there isn't any visual indication that something is wrong. How come only both these areas are habitable is never addressed, is there a crystal bubble around those areas? "England" is a sprawling technological metropolis spanning multiple levels high, with all the gadgets and visual candy you could dream. The "poor" "Australia" is reminiscent of "Bladerunner" with a hint of Hong Kong, but here, everything is glossy, sparkly and you can't see misery, filth, pollution, poverty, etc anywhere, not to mention technology is amazing and available everywhere too. "England" dominates economically and politically, alledgely enslaving "Australia", and there's an underground movement of rebels that want independence for "Australia". The real crazy part is that there is a tunnel through the Earth's core between both countries and common people travel in massive building-elevators in it... And gravity goes from normal to zero to reverse during the trip in a few minutes time... If you have a minimum knowledge of science you know this isn't possible (check links below if you're interested), you need only to remember the Earth's core is filled with molten metal at extremely high temperatures and pressures. There's lot of mistakes here and there, like for instance the elevator goes fast enough to make the trip in 17 mins, but not fast enough so that you can't blow out a window and ride outside while being chase by guards. I mean, one thing is to have a little Deus Ex Machina in sci-fi to keep things cool and/or futuristic, but they usually have a rooting in science, they're not just an excuse for spectacularity. They would have been better off if they had teleporters instead of this. Additionaly, despite the security being ultra heavy on the elevator stations, inside the elevador, the single most important device in that world, there's hardly any guard in the corridors and the main character infiltrates it with ease... Moving along to the plot, the main character (Colin Ferrel) is not content with his life despite having a nice home and a beautiful wife (Kate eckinsale). He wishes he was doing something more important than his job at a robot construction factory and has this recurring dream seemingly out of a spy movie (he's reading an Ian Fleming btw) where he and another beautiful woman (Jessica Biel) are trying to escape some sort of secure facility. The implications of what this dream might mean about his marriage are only just very lightly addressed. He eventually succumbs to his longing for more, and goes to Rekall, a company that promises to make your fantasies come true via chemically induced dreams indistuingishable from reality. However, the Rekall company is portrayed with very little mystique and despite there being some dangers to the mind in the process, these are only lightly hinted. He goes in for a session and ends up picking the "spy" package. Apparently before the program is initiated something goes wrong because the process doesn't work if the user has had previous experiences similar to those he's trying to "dream" about. Suddenly, apparentely he was a most-wanted spy, unbeknowst to him, and police and special forces storm the place after him, forcing him to kill a lot of them and run. Supposedly, the idea is that the audience (and the character) can't know if this is the "dream" or the reality, which would be a fantastic concept to explore throughout the movie, but it never is. Later on we realise why, and (without spoiling too much) it makes some sense, but it leaves a pungent feeling of a missed oportunity to explore those themes of what is a dream and what is reality. Instead, the movie goes in a rampage of action and action and it hardly ever stops to take a breath, never setting the tone that things may not be what they seem. That being said, it's true that the action is mostly good, and the visual effects very good. Some stuff is clearly exagerated, like Kate Beckinsale being as strong as a man and Colin Ferrel stronger than a robot...
http://blog.wolframalpha.com/2012/08/13/the-science-of-total-recall/
http://youtu.be/jN-FfJKgis8… Expand
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6
AndoreGhostAug 15, 2017
Not worth watching.
The movie has quality, but it is surprisingly unoriginal in terms of creators imagination. And the reason for that is not that this is a remake of the famous film with Arnold Schwarzenegger. With the development of theNot worth watching.
The movie has quality, but it is surprisingly unoriginal in terms of creators imagination. And the reason for that is not that this is a remake of the famous film with Arnold Schwarzenegger. With the development of the plot, you will re-live many of the notable creations of recent years. Creators of scenery found inspiration in Deus EX: Human Revolution, the hero's path to remembering lies through Bourne Identity, the guide to avoiding the pursuit was studied by Minority Report, the persecutors were recruited in I Robot, etc. But the biggest disappointment for me was in the intrigue, the thing that everything is spinning around (honestly the idea with Mars seems more solid). In conclusion. Better watch Total Recoll with Arnold Schwarzenegger again or better yet, read We Can Remember It For You Wholesale by Philip K. Dick. It will be much more interesting and worth your time.… Expand
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5
ImOnFireSep 2, 2012
I like how it looked. It was graphically/artistically inspired. It started very well too, both story-wise and action-wise. The issue I have with it is that after the good start, everything else felt bland and not really very exciting. I don'tI like how it looked. It was graphically/artistically inspired. It started very well too, both story-wise and action-wise. The issue I have with it is that after the good start, everything else felt bland and not really very exciting. I don't know how to explain, I simply lost interest in the movie and got bored...… Expand
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6
SwatiFeb 9, 2013
The CGI was impeccable. Kate Beckinsale pulls off a brilliant character. But ultimately, it wasn't a very memorable movie. The plot was unimaginative, and the supporting characters were all archetype.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
DuvidgadolDec 24, 2012
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Fun, but they got the physics of "The Fall" completely wrong. If the capsule had no external acceleration, the trip would take about 45 minutes, not the 17 minutes indicated in the movie, and the inside of the capsule would have zero gravity for the duration of the trip.… Expand
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4
FermentationDec 30, 2012
Don't expect a remake of the original. They succeed only in producing a completely forgettable movie. The references to the original Total Recall, were very anti-climatic and only reminded viewers where the bar was and how short thisDon't expect a remake of the original. They succeed only in producing a completely forgettable movie. The references to the original Total Recall, were very anti-climatic and only reminded viewers where the bar was and how short this movie came to meet it.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
DutchHJan 14, 2013
The first hour is great. Unfortunately it falls away from there to become just another Sci Fi shoot em up. Sadly it doesn't have the feel and suspense of the original where we were led through feeling the desperation and anxiety of the mainThe first hour is great. Unfortunately it falls away from there to become just another Sci Fi shoot em up. Sadly it doesn't have the feel and suspense of the original where we were led through feeling the desperation and anxiety of the main character. In this reboot all those moments feel rushed. Had potential but unfortunately dropped the ball. In saying this it is not a horrible film and will entertain most people for 2 hours on a rainy day. Check it out if you have nothing else to do.… Expand
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5
BrianMcCriticMar 12, 2013
Like most remakes the original is way better, but if you wanna watch a decent action movie this one's not bad. I think if you've seen the original you'll know all the surprises.
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5
DiskMagazineJun 18, 2013
Before we begin i’m just going to start off by saying that I will not be comparing this film to the original. Doing so only diminishes the film as a separate piece and instead, leaves it as something to nit pick constantly. However they doBefore we begin i’m just going to start off by saying that I will not be comparing this film to the original. Doing so only diminishes the film as a separate piece and instead, leaves it as something to nit pick constantly. However they do reference to the original at some points and I found it pretty humorous. The only thing I will say about the older movie compared to this one is that they follow the same basic format with little change to the story minus the exclusion from the big red planet.

Now that we have that out of the way, lets review the movie,

How was it you ask? well hold on let me just finish typing and you’ll see.

First off, its a very pretty film. honestly, the effects are very well done and the actual scenery from both the Colony and Britain are very well distinct. Both house half of the worlds population. But both are, like most societies are, split between social standards. This causes a feud between the two via fighting over they’re transportation between the two, know as “The Fall” which I found to be a great propaganda piece. The Colony is the slum of those two. While Britain is rich, beautiful, and architecturally superior. So effects, great, boom, done.

How was the story Matt? well…if you lack previous knowledge of the original total recall its good and bad. It’s good because you get to experience an interesting story within a very cool sci fi universe about a man who’s bored with his life and decides to get his brain messed with by an organizationa that provides people with an alternate life. Only to end up not knowing if his new memories are real or if what he’s experiencing is the false memories. It’s bad because the 3rd act of the film is very very predictable. (the whole film is predicable if you’ve seen the original though.) Walking into the first half you are introduced to this very creative world and this very interesting story wondering and questioning whether what’s happening is reality or the work of those working at Rekall. You’re supposed to be left curious as to how the entire thing will play out. But at a certain point the writers decided to basically say “nope you can stop wondering whats what because this is whats happening” and then it turns into your stereotypical predicable action flick with stereotypical hero and villain. Thus taking away a lot of mystery and potential

Don’t get me wrong, I love Bryan Cranston, he’s a great actor. But his role in this film was cliche at best.

However, I did prefer Colin Ferrell over Arnold. Mainly because I can’t take Arnold seriously in the first place aside from Predator

So to rap things up I’ll say this, The effects are great, the take on the future society is beyond interesting and I wish they explored it more along with exploring more of Rekall itself. The 3rd act falls flat along with the movies villain. The climax, while looking great, provides nothing special other than a cliche Hollywood ending.… Expand
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4
KayakMar 3, 2014
I haven't seen the original, but I wasn't engaged in this at all. Aesthetically pleasing with the cinematography, but no real substance to back it up which is a shame.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
DiskJul 15, 2014
Before we begin i’m just going to start off by saying that I will not be comparing this film to the original. Doing so only diminishes the film as a separate piece and instead, leaves it as something to nit pick constantly. However they doBefore we begin i’m just going to start off by saying that I will not be comparing this film to the original. Doing so only diminishes the film as a separate piece and instead, leaves it as something to nit pick constantly. However they do reference to the original at some points and I found it pretty humorous. The only thing I will say about the older movie compared to this one is that they follow the same basic format with little change to the story minus the exclusion from the big red planet.

Now that we have that out of the way, lets review the movie,

How was it you ask? well hold on let me just finish typing and you’ll see.

First off, its a very pretty film. honestly, the effects are very well done and the actual scenery from both the Colony and Britain are very well distinct. Both house half of the worlds population. But both are, like most societies are, split between social standards. This causes a feud between the two via fighting over they’re transportation between the two, know as “The Fall” which I found to be a great propaganda piece. The Colony is the slum of those two. While Britain is rich, beautiful, and architecturally superior. So effects, great, boom, done.

How was the story Matt? well…if you lack previous knowledge of the original total recall its good and bad. It’s good because you get to experience an interesting story within a very cool sci fi universe about a man who’s bored with his life and decides to get his brain messed with by an organizationa that provides people with an alternate life. Only to end up not knowing if his new memories are real or if what he’s experiencing is the false memories. It’s bad because the 3rd act of the film is very very predictable. (the whole film is predicable if you’ve seen the original though.) Walking into the first half you are introduced to this very creative world and this very interesting story wondering and questioning whether what’s happening is reality or the work of those working at Rekall. You’re supposed to be left curious as to how the entire thing will play out. But at a certain point the writers decided to basically say “nope you can stop wondering whats what because this is whats happening” and then it turns into your stereotypical predicable action flick with stereotypical hero and villain. Thus taking away a lot of mystery and potential

Don’t get me wrong, I love Bryan Cranston, he’s a great actor. But his role in this film was cliche at best.

However, I did prefer Colin Ferrell over Arnold. Mainly because I can’t take Arnold seriously in the first place aside from Predator

So to rap things up I’ll say this, The effects are great, the take on the future society is beyond interesting and I wish they explored it more along with exploring more of Rekall itself. The 3rd act falls flat along with the movies villain. The climax, while looking great, provides nothing special other than a cliche Hollywood ending.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
MeiklaOct 22, 2014
Dont listen to the critics. If u like steampunk this film is great! Action combiend with a deep story. It remind me of the overhyped inception movie. But not so serious
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
HotelCentralFeb 2, 2020
The CGI cityscapes are really the most interesting part. The story is kind of blah. Lots of shooting, though. Of course. Obviously.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
MovieFiend0Feb 10, 2016
It's hilarious that some people think this remake is better than the original Total Recall. The original with Arnold had that mystery "Is this just an implanted dream"? unlike the 2012 version. The original was also very violent (a goodIt's hilarious that some people think this remake is better than the original Total Recall. The original with Arnold had that mystery "Is this just an implanted dream"? unlike the 2012 version. The original was also very violent (a good thing), cheesy awesome, with humor, and outdated yet awesome effects/models that did not rely on CGI. Plus how on Earth could you not like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime?… Expand
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6
miccaelNov 8, 2019
Pretty epic, not sure why so many mixed reviews and even negative ones but I liked it lot. it was fun, sure, unbelievable in places but still fun.
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3
IAmaMovieGeekMay 30, 2020
This is a piece of garbage action movie. I found it so boring. But I did like the little twist at the start. Other than that, this movie is bad. I'm giving this film a D.
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2
i2k-Meta2023Jun 1, 2023
Lens flares everywhere...
Loved the original one with Arnold Schwarzenegger. This one far the worst from two.
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