Total Recall ultimately disappoints.

Rating: Null/10 (31 August 2002)

Overall, the plot is good and most of the movie is well-executed -- but the director ought to be shot for the completely unreal, cartoonish ending of this movie. It's at that point that your suspension of disbelief breaks down and you think, "What sloppy production." Phillip K. Dick, unfortunately, is spinning in his grave (though after 12 years, his rotations may have slowed somewhat).
Another problem is the level of violence. Whoa -- this is one gory film. In fact, it's probably the goriest movie I've ever seen. And it really didn't need to be. It could've stood on the merits of its plot and action. Instead, the director produced a film I'll =never= let my kids watch, which is a shame, because the plot is a good one.
This could've been a much better film if they had only changed it slightly, especially by making the ending believable. Instead, the director chose to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
"Total Recall" really shoulda been a 7 or even an 8 (which is really pretty good) -- instead, even without any discount for gratuitous gore, I have to give this movie only about a 4.