Total Recall

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Total Recall

R

Released Jun 1, 1990

1h 49m

Sci-Fi

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

77 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a bored construction worker in the year 2084 who dreams of visiting the colonized Mars. He visits "Rekall," a company that plants false memories into people's brains, in order to experience the thrill of Mars without having to travel there. But something goes wrong during the procedure; Quaid discovers that his entire life is actually a false memory and that the people who implanted it in his head now want him dead.

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Critics Consensus

Under Paul Verhoeven's frenetic direction, Total Recall is a fast-paced rush of violence, gore, and humor that never slacks.

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Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

Forget about the disposable Colin Farrell remake from 2012.

Rated: 5/5

Nov 20, 2020

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David Robinson

Times (UK)

The film's visual invention is offset by its visceral nastiness. Schwarzenegger's self-deprecatory good humour prevails none the less.

Jun 23, 2020

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Nigel Andrews

Financial Times

Suffice it that machines crackle, futureworlds whirl and beings human and animal metamorphose before our eyes. Sci-fl addicts, see and enjoy. Everyone else may await, though not over-eagerly, the video.

Jun 23, 2020

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Harry Solomons

Loud and Clear Reviews

Total Recall succeeds where hundreds of its contemporaries fail; a sci-fi epic turning grand philosophical questions into undeniable and ludicrous fun.

Rated: 4.5/5

Jan 8, 2025

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Terry Francis

Southern Voice (Atlanta)

Undoubtedly the film will make millions, but Schwarzenegger still can't act worth a damn and neither he nor anyone associated with the film can ever buy what they don't have -- it's called class.

Rated: 1/4

May 9, 2023

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

There is no need to dress it up in order to have fun. [Full review in Spanish]

Oct 28, 2022

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Daniel N

There's not much better in life than an 80's Arnie movie. Loved it back then and still love it now.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/14/25

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Ethan D

This film is truly unbelievable - Arnold Schwarzenegger has once again treated us to another rollercoaster of a film. The action sequences still manage to keep audiences on their toes, and it's only amplified by Jerry Goldsmith's score, the supporting cast is stellar, and you can't bring this film up and not mention its Oscar-winning visual effects, which were truly impressive even today. The fact that they were mostly done practically just makes it an even better experience overall.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/15/25

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Boksi L

A real classic! Weirdly, of all the Philip K. Dick filmatisations, I still feel this one somehow comes closest to the pulpy, paranoid and quarter-sane future (non-)realities constantly mixed and interlaced in the feverish short stories and novellas Dick pumped out with breakneck speed, often just to barely feed his family, in the 50s and 60s.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/19/25

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thiago s

Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraco, a história é fraca, os personagens são fracas, e o arnold schwarzenegger quase não salva o filme, o que salvou foi as cenas de ação, por que se não fosse por isso, o filme seria ruim.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/15/25

Full Review

Garrett B

Total Recall is total epicness, featuring a stellar performance from Schwarzenegger, action-packed scenes, and great visual effects.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/28/25

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Shawn R

This movie is wacky in a good way!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/18/25

Full Review

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Paul Verhoeven

Director

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Douglas Quaid

Rachel Ticotin

Melina

Sharon Stone

Lori

Ronny Cox

Vilos Cohaagen

Michael Ironside

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Synopsis

Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a bored construction worker in the year 2084 who dreams of visiting the colonized Mars. He visits "Rekall," a company that plants false memories into people's brains, in order to experience the thrill of Mars without having to travel there. But something goes wrong during the procedure; Quaid discovers that his entire life is actually a false memory and that the people who implanted it in his head now want him dead.

Director: Paul Verhoeven
Producer: Buzz Feitshans, Ronald Shusett
Screenwriter: Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon, Philip K. Dick, Jon Povill, Gary Goldman
Distributor: Image Entertainment Inc., Live Video, TriStar Pictures, Artisan Entertainment
Production Co: TriStar Pictures, Carolco Pictures Inc.
Rating: R
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 1, 1990, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Oct 10, 2020
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 26, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $117.8M
Runtime: 1h 49m
Sound Mix: Surround, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Dolby SR, Stereo
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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