thrilling, bloody, complicated what more can I say?

Rating: Null/10 (23 May 2003)

SPOILERS, SPOILERS, SPOILERS
If I had to rank the ten best science-fiction movies made in the nineties, Total Recall would appear. Not only, is it one of the best science-fiction movies of the last decade but it's also one of the most original movies ever made. The film-maker, Paul Verhoeven made a masterstroke. His movie is a studied mix of science-fiction, horror, and detective film. It's of course based on a rich but complicated screenplay. Indeed, during the movie it's nearly impossible to distinguish dream from reality and to define Schwarzenegger's state of mind. The screenplay is also skilled because it aims at getting the spectator lost by leading him towards wrong tracks. Moreover, Verhoeven made of Mars, a dangerous and dreadful planet where you have to mistrust everyone and where everything can happen, especially the unexpected.
Arnold Schwarzenegger plays with conviction his role of a worker in search of his real identity. Little by little, we're quite sure that he puts himself in the place of an hero who must release Mars in the grip of the dictator Cohaagen.
The movie is also worth seeing for its outstanding special effects and its fantastic sceneries. It's also a well-regulated movie between the (bloody) action sequences and moments that encourage reflection.
At last, Verhoeven showed feats because he succeeds in sustaining the interest of the spectator during all the movie in spite of its difficult story. Besides, you follow the movie with a great interest hoping that Verhoeven will give us a rational explanation about Scwarzenegger's state of mind. But it's not really the case. In spite of an "happy end", the film-maker is careful not to reveal the truth. So, doubt about dream or reality remains.
At the end, this is indisputably Verhoeven's best movie and Schwarzenegger's best performance to date