Arnie's seeing red.

Rating: 9/10 (3 July 2009)

By the time the 90's rolled around, action films just didn't get any better than Arnold Schwarzenegger. And when it came to sci-fi and action directors, Paul Verhoeven was certainly at the top of his game. Naturally, the two came together for "Total Recall," a unique sci-fi/action-hero story that finds everybody's favorite Austrian on the red planet, battling mutants, struggling with his identity and crusading on behalf of those in need of some clean, breathable and – most importantly – free air.
Based on a short story by Philip K. Dick (whose work has made it to the big screen also in the form of "Minority Report" and "Blade Runner," to name a few), "Total Recall" is a landmark both for its stunning visual effects as well as its non-stop pace and over-the-top action. Arnie is in top form as the everyday man who exchanges routine and security for confusion and paranoia when a vacation company toys with his mind. Rekall, the company in question, will implant a memory – for a price – that will make you think you had an incredible vacation (or in this case, an action-packed adventure that will satisfy all your wildest cravings) when it was all just a pricey dream. Unfortunately, things go very wrong very quickly for our hero. His wife (Sharon Stone) turns against him, as it turns out she is a secret agent who has been spying on him throughout their marriage. In turn, he finds himself being chased by a gang of cronies -- led by Michael Ironside -- to what appears to be his home planet, where he hooks up with an ex-lover (Rachel Ticotin) and makes acquaintances with a three-breasted prostitute, a cab-driver with bad teeth and a really grotesque and unappealing mutant (who can also be seen in the "Aspen" episode of "South Park"). Is it real, is it a dream? What makes this film truly genius and leaves room for many a repeat viewing is that, in the end, it's totally up to the viewer.
Verhoeven throws everything AND the kitchen sink at his film. "Total Recall" is as chock-full of mind-games as it is action, and is possibly the man's finest film to date. Even today, 19 years (!) later, it still holds up, both in its story and in its visuals. Those seeking some escapism but with a film that carries as much brain as it does brawn, can do no wrong with "Total Recall." One of the finest from one of the greatest action heroes of our time and one of the most under-rated directors in his time. Spawned from the film was a short-lived TV series as well as a classic musical parody, titled "Total Recallin'" – set to the tune of Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'" -- which can be found on any video-viewing website.