Maybe Watch This: Total Recall (2012)

Total Recall (2012) Movie Poster

I will openly admit that this movie was not actually on my list of films I wanted to see, but that is because I consider the first film a classic story that should not be messed with. And being completely honest with myself, I know that if a director wants to remake a film, then they usually also want to change something in the plot. I do not think I have ever seen a film that was remade and simply just updated, new actors and maybe better actors, new technology to make the background, and perfection of an already outstanding script. Nope, they never want to do that because why did you make a whole new film then.

Still, my friends decided it was time to see a movie and they persuaded me to go and watch this film last night. I will say that I am happy I did go and see it with them (I love seeing movies with my friends), but with that in mind I will also say that the original movie is still better. And do not worry, I'll explain why I think the original is better in this as well, because that was the crux of my decision. Anyway, here is my review of the movie Total Recall (2012).

Total Recall [2012]

So for those that do not know, which seems to be a lot of folks in the younger generation, this is actually a remake of a movie by the same name, Total Recall (1990). That's right, a movie made just twenty-two years ago they have decided to remake with better graphics and a script that they think will hit home with the new generation. Except, to anyone that has seen the old movie this one is not even in the same playing field, let alone should carry the same name.
Which brings me to my first point of interest. I really hate what the director did with the name of this movie. On the outside, as in when you go to buy tickets at the box office and when the main title of the film comes up, it is labeled as Total Recall. Yet when the main character, played by Colin Farrell, goes into a shop to get what is called a "recall" in the movie, they decided to spice it up by changing the C to a K. In other words, the film has two different spellings of the same words, recall and rekall. Now, I'm not upset that the film makers wanted to use a K on the rekall part of the name, but if you are going to change the name in one place, then you better change the name throughout the entire movie. This includes the main title. In fact, I would have loved if the name was Total Rekall because then it would have been easier to internet search versus looking up the original. This name difference can be seen in the trailer I've provided right when they show the website (watch the web address) and I promise you it is that way in the movie too.

The Trailer for Total Recall (2012)

Now I will not lie when I say I have actually been on the line of what to call this movie. However, in the end I feel that there were enough benefits to give it a maybe watch. So what are the good things that I saw during this movie? Well for one the action is top notch. I'm not joking when I say that the action seen in this movie is blockbuster worthy. There are car chases, there are first fights, and there are gun fights. And all of the fights in the movie are well orchestrated between where the camera should be so you can see the action as well as what you should be seeing. In fact, I do not think there was a single time during the movie when I felt like the action could have been better. If anything, I felt that this was the best aspect of the film, or maybe second best.

The piece that the action is competing against is the backgrounds and the scenery. Unlike the original film, which was made right as computers were becoming more useful as a tool for making large-scale blockbuster hits, this film has technology completely at its disposal and the creators know that. They take the backgrounds, the way the civilization works, and the way that the future version of Earth looks to a whole new dimension. To be brief, there are two cultures. One (Australia) looks more oriental and has a blockier, more jagged style to symbolize the disrupt in that area of the world. The other (Great Britain) has a much more modern, high technological society look with pure white roads and an amazing infrastructure. From a civil engineering point, it actually look believable and it made both regions stand out as unique, yet very futuristic. And I think this came out so well that I honestly think it competes with the action.

Now, I'm not saying that the backgrounds come without flaws, in fact as I explained to my friend I found a bunch of problems that I do not think were handled well in the film, but in all honesty for a future attempt that looks different from anything we have ever seen they did succeed well enough.

So where did this movie suffer. Well, much like all major blockbusters nowadays that focus on large scenic backgrounds and highly explosive foregrounds, which left the money towards an amazing script to be dropped. Before I say anything more I do want to clarify that I am not saying the script was bad, it was alright. Instead, I am saying that it could have been better. In fact, there were several times throughout the movie that I thought they should have changed the lines and said something different or I felt that something just did not feel right. So you have these grade-A actors trying to make the best of a grade-B script.

Yet the scripting through the movie does not amount to the worst part of the film, the part that made me drop this a whole grade. Actually, it was the very end of the movie that made me say this movie is not for everyone. Let me put it this way so that I do not ruin anything, the very end of the original Total Recall (1990) was the piece that made the whole thing golden, a classical piece of media for all time because of the idea as it progressed. This movie lacks that, the golden moment that makes it amazing, and they traded it out for something I felt just was not as good. If you have seen the original and understand what I am saying, then you understand what they dropped in this film. That is the biggest buzzkill of this movie, the worst part, and the thing that upset me.

Still, if you want an action-packed movie with lots of explosions and wonderfully beautiful backgrounds, then this film is for you. I just recommend seeing the original movie first to understand what this one lacks.

The Spotted Canvas uses the Total Recall (2012) promotional material but is not endorsed or certified by Sony Pictures Digital Inc. All of the Total Recall (2012) promotional material and trademarks displayed on this website are the property of Sony Pictures Digital Inc.