TOTAL RECALL: REMAKE OF RECALL

Let it be known that I was a fan of the movie TOTAL RECALL that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger back in 1990. It was a great science fiction film filled with plenty of action, top notch special effects and of course the use of cute quips by Arnold. It's still a good movie to watch and enjoyed. So count me among the surprised to find that I actually enjoyed the remake that comes out this week on DVD as much as if not more than the original.

For those who don't know here's the story: The Earth is overrun with people and only two areas that are now able to support life, one in what we know of as England run by Cohaggen and another in what was once Australia. To get from one point to the other you board "The Fall", a skyscraper size ship that passes through a tunnel from one area to the other. The folks at the Aussie end are protesting their abuse at the hands of the others and use "The Fall" as a symbol of their life of servitude. Matthius (Bill Nighy) is their rebel leader, demanding a release by the people in the English area.

Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell) works in a factory that builds robot security troops for Cohaggen. He continues to have nightmares about a escaping the police with a woman he doesn't recognize (Jessica Biel). He wakes each night beside his wife Lori (Kate Beckinsale) unable to explain his dream other than to say it felt so real. Feeling as if something is missing in his life, he sees an ad for a company called Rekall.

Going to Rekall, Doug learns that it's a vacation that takes place in the brain. Rekall injects you with drugs and implants memories into your brain that make you feel as if you've experienced the travel dream of your choice, as long as you've never actually been involved in your choice in real life. Doug chooses the life of a spy but as he begins to go through the process the machines alerts the officials that he actually was a spy. Before he can argue the point the door burst in and a security team sweeps in killing the Rekall members and attempting to capture Doug. Except that his natural instincts kick in and he takes out the entire team and escapes.

Unaware of what is going on, Doug continues to try and escape the police and get home. Once there he is comforted by Lori who suddenly turns on him and tries to kill him. While they fight she lets him know this is not the happy home he though, that they were never married and that she was sent to watch him in case he remembered anything other than the implants the government placed in his brain. Doug escapes Lori and the chase is on. With little to go on and secretive clues that he apparently left himself, Doug is trying to find out first what is going on and second where he fits into the whole scheme of things.

So what makes this version different from the original? First off the amount of action involved. This film is an adrenaline rush from start to finish. At the same time it offers enough story to carry it along as well rather than opt for non-stop gunplay and running.  Most intriguing is the fact that you wonder till very near the end if this is all really happening or if it's all a part of the Rekall experience that Doug asked for. Is he really Doug or a double agent? And what about the girl in his dreams, where does she fit in to all of what is going on? If you've seen the original you know the answer, if not then you'll keep wondering until all is revealed.

Perhaps the biggest change from this movie to the original is the setting and motivation for the action being seen. It no longer takes place on Mars and doesn't revolve around generators that create an atmosphere there. Instead it sticks to this planet and problems between two areas that represent what is left of Earth. For me that didn't ruin the film at all. And perhaps that's why it didn't feel like so much of a complete remake and more like a re-imagining instead.

Ferrell does much better in this remake than last years FRIGHT NIGHT which missed completely. He does a great job as the confused Quaid. Beckinsale and Biel do tremendous as well moving from love interests to action stars in the blink of an eye. Having done so before my guess is both will continue to do so in the future and do it well.

It's been 20 years since the original film was released so I'm certain that there is a generation out there that's never seen that film who will enjoy this one on its own merits. Fans of the original, if they allow themselves to forget that film, will find this one entertaining as well. For me its one that I know I will have no problem pulling it out and watching again; it's that good. 

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