Total Recall (2012)

[Celini]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1386703/

A factory worker, Douglas Quaid, begins to suspect that he is a spy after visiting Rekall - a company that provides its clients with implanted fake memories of a life they would like to have led - goes wrong and he finds himself on the run.

Director: Len Wiseman
Writers: Kurt Wimmer (screenplay), Mark Bomback (screenplay)
Cast: Colin Farrell, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale, Bill Nighy, Bryan Cranston

[Celini]

I am a big big fan of the original Verhoeven's Total Recall, so my view of this one is probably very biased!

I saw this yesterday and was really disappointed. All right they justify the reboot by making the movie happening in a supposedly different universe; we're not on Mars anymore and the rebels and Cohaagen have different agendas... but some scenes composition are strangely similar and some lines are just identical!

The original TR was actually pretty fun and silly at time -anybody remember Arnie running around with a wet towel around his head?-, it seems to me that they suck all of the fun out of this version, to make it a pure action movie. Action, there is plenty of it with some nice car (?) chases and hand to hand fight, but when it comes to character development, this is when it comes particularly dire!
With one liners such as "shit", "shit, shit", "shiiiit" or other "oh my god", poor Jessica Biel hasn't been given the ideal material!

I found the acting terrible from the 3 main characters, but again the script was so poor that they probably did what they could with what was given! Cranston was good although he was not as believable as Ironside as a badass.

Now for the good, most of the CGI is actually quite solid with some very nice shots of the cities...

6/10

[superhero]

I couldn't believe when Len said it's better to take out the one liners from the original and make the film more "real".
Although his wife does get a good line "I do good wife"

[funthing29]

Some films are daft but fun, but this was just nonsense. Where was the fun? Where was the humour? It took itself too seriously.

There are gaping plot holes, little to no character development, wooden acting, poor continuity and a few dodgy special effects. For the most part, the film is visually impressive (really liked the futuristic shots of the cities) but this does not disguise the underlying weak script.

And the biggest disaster of all, Bill Nighy was reduced to a cameo and badly miscast.

6/10

[RickyRaj]

I'll wait for the DVD!

[superhero]

I've never really found Colin Farrell funny...

[weliveandbreathewords]

Was shown some 'exclusive footage' prior to seeing the expendables 2 yesterday at footage, all ill say is, they showed so much Im not entirely sure I actually need to see the film anymore!
It looked action packed though.

[raj101]

the tv series is much better.

and thats not even Total Recall.

[soonforgotten]

Here are my photos from the premiere last night: http://londonfilmfanatiq.com/2012/08/17 ... -premiere/

I'll write my review over the weekend, but I found it fairly fun. It takes itself a bit too seriously, but it's non-stop action that is very well done. Yet, ironically, it's all pretty forgettable too.

[weliveandbreathewords]

Sorry, but what the hell was jessica biel wearing? :S