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Total Recall (1990)

Director: Paul Verhoeven

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From Time Out Film Guide

Picking up from where he left off in RoboCop, Verhoeven pictures a lean, mean future controlled by conglomerates via a hands-on designer technology. Doug Quaid (Schwarzenegger) is a working stiff who dreams of living on Mars. What quicker, cheaper, safer way of making his dreams come true than purchasing memory implants: a two-week trip to Mars, first class, with a personal ego-trip as an optional extra. But something goes wrong (or does it?). Quaid has already been to Mars (or has he?), and his memories have been erased (hence those dreams?). Now They want him dead. 'The best mind-fuck yet!' says Quaid, as the plot takes another Z-bend at warp factor ten. Inevitably there are contrivances, but Verhoeven's gusto, ingenuity and guts know no bounds...especially the guts: the comic-edged violence is shockingly brutal. The inspiration, as with Blade Runner, comes from Philip K Dick (his short story We Can Remember It For You Wholesale), and many of his themes recur: identity, self-determination, perception, and yes, we're talking about memories here, alongside a revolutionary parable, two great female characters, and some colossal effects. The future doesn't come any better.

Author: TCh 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide