STARRING:

Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, Bill Nighy, John Cho

SCREENPLAY:

Mark Bomback, Kurt Wimmer

PRODUCER:

Toby Jaffe, Neal H. Moritz

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

Len Wiseman, Ric Kidney

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER:

Paulina Kucharski

BASED ON A SHORT STORY BY:

Philip K. Dick

DIRECTOR

Len Wiseman

Total Recall (2012) Summary

In a story set in the late 21st century, Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell) has disturbing recurring dreams about being a secret agent. Unable to shake the memories, he enters Rekall, a company that provides clients with artificial memories. When the memory implant goes horribly wrong, Quaid begins to suspect that he was in fact a secret agent whose current life as a low-level factory is actually the false memory implanted into his brain by the government. As Quaid struggles to distinguish between real and false memories, he is pursued by the police, led by the leader of the free world, Vilos Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston), chancellor of the UFB (United Federation of Britain). Quaid discovers that his service as an agent was working for Cohaagen, when he defected to the Resistance in an attempt to overthrow the UFB. His true memories were taken from from him when the UFB police captured him. Now, he must join forces with fellow agent Melina (Jessica Biel) to stop a ruthless plot to take over the colony in which they live while also trying to gain a total recall as to his true identity.

As with most remakes, lovers of the original Total Recall film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger will probably be disappointed with this version. Yet despite the differences between the two films, this is a movie that is engaging, exciting, and with non-stop action that will keep science fiction and adventure fans on the edge of their seats from the opening scene. While some viewers might not like wondering what was “real” and what was false memory, other viewers enjoy the mystery of such uncertainty.

Relive the original trailer below!

Total Recall (1990) Summary

“Total Recall” (1990) is an American science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox, and Michael Ironside.

In the film, Schwarzenegger plays the role of Douglas Quaid, a construction worker in the year 2084 who is having troubling dreams about Mars and a mysterious woman there. Encouraged by advertisements from the company Rekall, which offers implanted memories as a form of vacation, Quaid opts for a memory implant to experience an adventure as a secret agent on Mars. However, the procedure goes wrong, revealing that Quaid’s life as a construction worker is a false memory implant and that his real identity might be that of a secret agent.

Upon awakening, Quaid is attacked by his seemingly loving wife, Lori (Sharon Stone), and his co-workers, who are all now trying to kill him. He is propelled into an adventure that takes him to Mars in reality, where he battles with the oppressive administration led by Vilos Cohaagen (Ronny Cox).

On Mars, Quaid meets the woman from his dreams, Melina (Rachel Ticotin), a rebel fighting against Cohaagen’s regime. Together, they uncover a conspiracy related to an ancient alien artifact that could provide Mars with a breathable atmosphere. In the climactic showdown, Quaid manages to activate the alien machine, providing Mars with an earthlike atmosphere, and saving the colonists from Cohaagen’s tyranny.

The movie ends ambiguously, leaving viewers questioning whether the events they witnessed were reality or just the implanted memory adventure Quaid purchased from Rekall. “Total Recall” is known for its action-packed sequences, special effects, and thought-provoking themes about memory and identity.

K-PAX.com – official movie site

Good For Nothing Movie – New Zealand Western official movie site

Learn about real science from these free resources:

AstrophysicsSpectator.org – learn how the Universe works!

SolarStorms.org – learn about space weather and how it affects our lives.

FermisParadox.com – discussion of whether we are alone or if aliens exist.

CMPND.org – Center for Multifunctional Polymer Nanomaterials and Devices. Read some of there articles here.