Entertainingly violent sci-fi actioner

Rating: 7/10 (8 September 2014)

Total Recall is a reminder of how big budget Hollywood action flicks used to be. Unlike nowadays, they went straight for an 18 certificate and made no attempt to make themselves available for a wide PG audience. This film typifies this approach with a huge amount of over-the-top violence. It was a style well suited to its director Paul Verhoeven who had already directed Robocop in a similar vein. Total Recall lacks the fun satirical element of that film and instead ramps up the action to very high-octane levels. It of course stars Arnold Schwarzenegger who at the time was on a run of highly entertaining action flicks. This one isn't the best of them for me but it still has enough about it to ensure it remains interesting.
It's based on a story by author Philip K. Dick whose work had been translated into the film Blade Runner earlier. Although I have never read the book that inspired Total Recall, I have heard that the movie only plays lip-service to it and it's a substantially different thing. This is hardly surprising news given the focus on action over ideas. Although, in fairness, the ideas presented are still quite good in places – even if the story is somewhat too convoluted for its own good perhaps. I liked the set-design and look of the Martian settlement and the special effects remain very impressive throughout. While the excessive violence was somewhat entertaining it has to be said. On the whole this is pretty good fun.