Total Recall ~ early review

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  • TelevisionUserTelevisionUser Posts: 41,395
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    Saw this today and actually enjoyed it far more than I expected.It didn't clash in my mind with the Arnie version at all even though there were numerous nods to that film throughout. I loved the look of the film although I expected the UK scenes to be the rainy ones rather than the Colony, was that an injoke by chance? The Fall would be very handy to have in reality. Proper commuter travel.:)

    Colin Farrell was fine in the lead whilst Jessica Biel didn't really make that much of an impression to be honest. Kate Beckinsale played her part like a thing posessed with her dogged pursuit and her seeming indestructability. Nothing like a scorned woman to hold a grudge.;)

    Nowhere near to being a classic, but an enjoyable way to waste a couple of hours all told.

    I'd be interested to hear if there were there any bad guys like the memorable villains Vilos Cohaagen and Richter (magnificently played by Ronny Cox and Michael Ironside respectively) from the 1990 original film?

    Interestingly, the critics are giving this film relatively poor reviews, e.g. 2/5, but it seems to be more highly appreciated by ordinary cinema goers.
  • Matt DMatt D Posts: 13,153
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    There's a version of Cohaagen in it, played by Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston.

    I think that the Richter roll has been combined with that of Quaid's wife Lori, giving Mrs Wiseman a bigger part than Sharon Stone had in the original version.

    I haven't seen a single positive review of this. The general consensus appears to be that it is a soulless run-of-the-mill SF action thriller that is inferior to the Arnie original.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 14,920
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    teeswolf wrote: »
    Jessica Biel is in no way a nobody and she is equally as gorgeous as miss Beckinsale.

    And neither was Rachel Ticotin, back in the day.

    M'colleague at work is a bit of a movie junky. He was saying today he was going to skip it as he'd also seen nothing but bad bad reviews for it.
  • TelevisionUserTelevisionUser Posts: 41,395
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    Matt D wrote: »
    There's a version of Cohaagen in it, played by Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston.

    I think that the Richter roll has been combined with that of Quaid's wife Lori, giving Mrs Wiseman a bigger part than Sharon Stone had in the original version.

    I haven't seen a single positive review of this. The general consensus appears to be that it is a soulless run-of-the-mill SF action thriller that is inferior to the Arnie original.

    Thank you for providing that information, Matt D.
  • linkinpark875linkinpark875 Posts: 29,686
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    For for me it takes too many gags from the original and too much like bad Sci-fi movies of the day.

    It reminds me of Repo Men and The Island.

    The acting is weak all round. If it got negative reviews I can see why. The most off putting thing is the bad set and silly space ships and space men like Star Wars.

    Strange it has many of the lines from the first movie. First one was cheesy but good think I have to say this is a movie which should never have been remade or readapted.
  • Matt DMatt D Posts: 13,153
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    You may find this amusing: http://www.the-editing-room.com/total-recall-2012.html ;)

    I watched it recently. It was, as in my previous post about the reviews, a soulless run-of-the-mill SF action thriller that is inferior to the Arnie original. Utterly pointless. None of the charm or humour of the Arnie version, none of the fun, and it was all so very... bland and forgettable.
  • linkinpark875linkinpark875 Posts: 29,686
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    Matt D wrote: »
    You may find this amusing: http://www.the-editing-room.com/total-recall-2012.html ;)

    I watched it recently. It was, as in my previous post about the reviews, a soulless run-of-the-mill SF action thriller that is inferior to the Arnie original. Utterly pointless. None of the charm or humour of the Arnie version, none of the fun, and it was all so very... bland and forgettable.

    I think forgettable is the word for this movie. It could have been so much better but there's been better sci-fi hits since Total Recall and this remake is definitely not a good movie.
  • circlebro2019circlebro2019 Posts: 17,560
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    saw this the other night and felt it was magnificent

    amazing cgi, reminded me of blade runner, loved the air born favellas,such brilliant imagination

    the actions scenes were crazy, the favella run and elevator hopping being my favourites

    and a complex and interesting story with a good cast

    9/10 for me...maybe even 10/10 for sci fi fans

    cant understand why some didnt take to it
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 411
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    whedon247 wrote: »
    saw this the other night and felt it was magnificent

    amazing cgi, reminded me of blade runner, loved the air born favellas,such brilliant imagination

    the actions scenes were crazy, the favella run and elevator hopping being my favourites

    and a complex and interesting story with a good cast

    9/10 for me...maybe even 10/10 for sci fi fans

    cant understand why some didnt take to it

    Seriously? 10/10 - you've got to be joking?
  • Matt DMatt D Posts: 13,153
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    whedon247 wrote: »
    cant understand why some didnt take to it

    Because it was an average and forgettable remake of a sci-fi action classic.
  • KarisKaris Posts: 6,380
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    Matt D wrote: »
    Because it was an average and forgettable remake of a sci-fi action classic.

    Even average is being overly generous...
  • circlebro2019circlebro2019 Posts: 17,560
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    it was a million times better than the original imo
  • ScooterwolfScooterwolf Posts: 2,645
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    whedon247 wrote: »
    it was a million times better than the original imo

    :D Surely this is a wind up? :eek:
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 527
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    just saw it tonight on bluray.excellent and better than the original.
  • circlebro2019circlebro2019 Posts: 17,560
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    obviously not a wind up

    i loved this movie and really cannot understand why someone wouldnt unless they wanted to hate it from the outset
  • Matt DMatt D Posts: 13,153
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    Well, I hated this movie and really cannot understand why someone would love it.

    Average, run of the mill, etc...
  • StansfieldStansfield Posts: 6,097
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    :D Surely this is a wind up? :eek:
    An opinion.

    I thought it was better then the original too, imo.;)
  • linkinpark875linkinpark875 Posts: 29,686
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    I notice this movie has sunk down the ITunes chart and it's cheap to buy in the shops.

    It was one of the worst remakes in years. I'm still puzzled by the direction they took this movie.
  • Logan FiveLogan Five Posts: 627
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    Watched this the other night - was OK, but much preferred the original.
  • LyricalisLyricalis Posts: 57,958
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    Apologies for resurrecting the thread...

    Anyway, just watched this because, well football on instead of BGT on ITV, so thought I'd give my impressions, as I'm sure everyone wants to hear them ;).

    Not a bad action film, but is missing all the humour and atmosphere of the Arnie version. Lots of running about and fighting, but I honestly couldn't have given a stuff if the main character had lived or died. He was no Arnie.

    It actually now comes across as a totally transparent re-tread of the American War of Independence, with Australia (now being called the colonies, so you can identify that it's supposed to be the US), and Britain now, for some reason, being the oppressing state. Why the hell would two places on opposite sides of the world be the only ones to survive a war? It's a shame that it's all set on Earth too, and there are no aliens or mutants.

    If you're going to remake the story, why not put the focus more on memory and identity, by far the most interesting aspects, and less on action and evil empires?
  • linkinpark875linkinpark875 Posts: 29,686
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    Lyricalis wrote: »
    If you're going to remake the story, why not put the focus more on memory and identity, by far the most interesting aspects, and less on action and evil empires?

    For me the first one was all about the mars bit. There's been far better films done in this format like Source Code.

    The movie was spoiled by a weak cast, the set was rubbish. It tried to be a remake but doing so different they kept referring to the first as cheesy.

    Now it goes down as a bad remake. I have tried to enjoy this movie but it's just not a good watch.
  • kippehkippeh Posts: 6,655
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    Like the Robocop remake, the rehash of Total Recall is sorely missing Verhoeven's satirical wit.
  • dearmrmandearmrman Posts: 21,434
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    kippeh wrote: »
    Like the Robocop remake, the rehash of Total Recall is sorely missing Verhoeven's satirical wit.

    Why look at them as remakes, they are a retelling of the story, if you always refer back to the original what is the point of watching the new ones, apart from going the original was better..in Total Recall's case in my opinion it isn't.
  • LyricalisLyricalis Posts: 57,958
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    For me the first one was all about the mars bit. There's been far better films done in this format like Source Code.

    The movie was spoiled by a weak cast, the set was rubbish. It tried to be a remake but doing so different they kept referring to the first as cheesy.

    Now it goes down as a bad remake. I have tried to enjoy this movie but it's just not a good watch.

    Yes, Source Code is a much better film. It works better on both the exploration of identity and the action fronts. It also worked better on the romance part, which didn't really work at all in the Total Recall film, due to no chemistry at all between the two leads, and no attempt at all to give Jessica Biel's character any depth.
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