Total Recall (2012)
1/4
Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, Bokeem Woodbine, John Cho, Bill Nighy
Rated PG-13 for Intense Sequences of Sci-Fi Violence and Action, Some Sexual Content, Brief Nudity, and Language
I am not the biggest fan of the original "Total Recall." Sure, it's kinda fun, but not nearly as good or thought-provoking as its reputation suggests. There was definitely room for improvement, and with the advancement of special effects over the past 22 years, it could have been a real winner. Unfortunately, Columbia Pictures hired hackmeister Len Wiseman to helm the project. With Wiseman, whose only concern is making things look flashy, behind the project, it was doomed from the start.
Doug Quaid (Farrell) is a lowly factory worker in the future. The majority of the planet is uninhabitable due to the after effects of biological warfare. There are only two areas left where people can live: Britain and Australia. Quaid is having nightmares of being apprehended as a spy. His gorgeous wife Lori (Beckinsale) is sympathetic, although that's not helping. In a search for answers, Quaid goes to Rekall, a shady company that can implant memories of the customer's desire into their head. But something goes horribly wrong, and a bunch of machines are after him, led by Lori in full-on bitch mode. The question remains though: is this real, or is it the memory that was implanted?
This remake gets off to a bad start. The opening scene is a dream sequence. That may have happened in the original, but it's mishandled here (duh). It's not a hint, it's a giveaway. Then we just wait for Doug to catch up and find out what we already know.
The acting certainly doesn't help matters. Colin Farrell is in full "take the money and run" mode. Farrell is smart enough to know that this movie was going to be crap, but also realized that a big paycheck is a big paycheck. For the money he was probably paid, I would have appeared in this movie too. Jessica Biel is surprisingly flat. Only the villains make an impression. Kate Beckinsale is vicious enough to seem threatening, but not even an actress of her talent can save this dud. Bryan Craston is good, but doesn't compare to Beckinsale. At least he doesn't fade into the background like he did in "Rock of Ages."
Despite his utter lack of talent as a filmmaker, it's easy to see why Len Wiseman is continually given big budget movies to direct. He has an amazing visual sense, and since foreign markets are the only ones studios care about, that's all that matters. While his talents have certainly improved from his wretched job in the first "Underworld" (this is one instance where studio involvement may have actually helped the film), it doesn't help the fact that the script is completely devoid of all semblance of character development (another no-no for big studio movies, since not every foreign country responds to every character), intelligence (can't alienate middle school boys) and ambiguity. The latter is especially disappointing. What made the original so interesting is that not even in the end did we know what is real. Only in one scene is the question of what is real convincingly asked.
The movie repeatedly steals from other movies, "I, Robot" and "Star Wars" in particular. It doesn't make the movie better. Just more repetitive.
Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, Bokeem Woodbine, John Cho, Bill Nighy
Rated PG-13 for Intense Sequences of Sci-Fi Violence and Action, Some Sexual Content, Brief Nudity, and Language
I am not the biggest fan of the original "Total Recall." Sure, it's kinda fun, but not nearly as good or thought-provoking as its reputation suggests. There was definitely room for improvement, and with the advancement of special effects over the past 22 years, it could have been a real winner. Unfortunately, Columbia Pictures hired hackmeister Len Wiseman to helm the project. With Wiseman, whose only concern is making things look flashy, behind the project, it was doomed from the start.
Doug Quaid (Farrell) is a lowly factory worker in the future. The majority of the planet is uninhabitable due to the after effects of biological warfare. There are only two areas left where people can live: Britain and Australia. Quaid is having nightmares of being apprehended as a spy. His gorgeous wife Lori (Beckinsale) is sympathetic, although that's not helping. In a search for answers, Quaid goes to Rekall, a shady company that can implant memories of the customer's desire into their head. But something goes horribly wrong, and a bunch of machines are after him, led by Lori in full-on bitch mode. The question remains though: is this real, or is it the memory that was implanted?
This remake gets off to a bad start. The opening scene is a dream sequence. That may have happened in the original, but it's mishandled here (duh). It's not a hint, it's a giveaway. Then we just wait for Doug to catch up and find out what we already know.
The acting certainly doesn't help matters. Colin Farrell is in full "take the money and run" mode. Farrell is smart enough to know that this movie was going to be crap, but also realized that a big paycheck is a big paycheck. For the money he was probably paid, I would have appeared in this movie too. Jessica Biel is surprisingly flat. Only the villains make an impression. Kate Beckinsale is vicious enough to seem threatening, but not even an actress of her talent can save this dud. Bryan Craston is good, but doesn't compare to Beckinsale. At least he doesn't fade into the background like he did in "Rock of Ages."
Despite his utter lack of talent as a filmmaker, it's easy to see why Len Wiseman is continually given big budget movies to direct. He has an amazing visual sense, and since foreign markets are the only ones studios care about, that's all that matters. While his talents have certainly improved from his wretched job in the first "Underworld" (this is one instance where studio involvement may have actually helped the film), it doesn't help the fact that the script is completely devoid of all semblance of character development (another no-no for big studio movies, since not every foreign country responds to every character), intelligence (can't alienate middle school boys) and ambiguity. The latter is especially disappointing. What made the original so interesting is that not even in the end did we know what is real. Only in one scene is the question of what is real convincingly asked.
The movie repeatedly steals from other movies, "I, Robot" and "Star Wars" in particular. It doesn't make the movie better. Just more repetitive.
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