Total Recall

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Total Recall

PG-13

Released Aug 3, 2012

1h 57m

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

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Popcornmeter

30%

Tomatometer

233 Reviews

47%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

In need of a vacation from his ordinary life, factory worker Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell) visits Rekall, a company that can turn dreams into real memories. Thinking that memories of life as a superspy are just the ticket, Quaid undergoes the procedure -- but it goes horribly wrong. Suddenly, Quaid is a hunted man. He teams up with a rebel fighter (Jessica Biel) on a search to find the head of the underground resistance and take down the leader (Bryan Cranston) of the free world.

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Critics Consensus

While it boasts some impressive action sequences, Total Recall lacks the intricate plotting, wry humor, and fleshed out characters that made the original a sci-fi classic.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

There are so many opportunities to make a remake better, but this film didn't attempt none of them.

Rated: D+

Sep 8, 2017

Full Review

David Sexton

London Evening Standard

We used to do the future so much better. Let's not forget that. Let's forget this instead.

Rated: 1/5

Aug 31, 2012

Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Recalls Ridley Scott's Blade Runner and Christopher Nolan's Inception, without, sadly being quite as distinctive as either.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 30, 2012

Full Review

Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

The performances match this shallow kiddie pool story.

Rated: 1/5

Sep 4, 2023

Full Review

Graeme Tuckett

The Post NZ

Done right, Total Recall should be a glorious mash-up of genres; The Truman Show-meets-Blade Runner. As it is, this is sci-fi without ideas, and a thriller completely bereft of thrills.

Apr 18, 2023

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

[The film] spends so much of its time trying to duplicate aspects of the original that the filmmakers were distracted from their most clever ideas.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 3, 2022

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Shane K

Impressive visuals in places but that is where the positives end. This movie is a shell of what made the original good. No Mars, a lead character thats utterly forgettable and a lacklustre script. It took me 3 goes to get through it and I am literally writing this during the final scenes instead of watching. It takes some kind of skill to remake Total Recall and make it a bad movie.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

09/07/25

Full Review

momo k

low effort. insufferably worse than the original. so many poorly done call backs to the original (and visually to bladerunner) everywhere. i turned this movie off right at like 45% watched. created an account to complain here :D. can't even wait around to see bryan cranston try and save this slog. THIS MOVIE MAKES ME WISH I HAD THREE THUMBS DOWN.... i was kind of gobsmacked when they described Cohagen perpetrating a false flag attack as a profound plot twist and they had to literally explain what a false flag was to the audience and to the main character. i don't know what happens in the next hour of this movie but it has to be slop. i wish netflix had better sci movies when im just trying to chill out on my day off. just pure puke. this is the first time i ever posted on RT, this movie compelled me to. just dust off the dvd player or vhs and watch the original if you need something to enjoy.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

08/25/25

Full Review

Stephen C

Success in 1 hour and 57 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Sci-Fi Action, Brief Nudity, Intense Sequences of Sci-Fi Violence, Language and Some Sexual Content!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $58,900,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/20/25

Full Review

Toby B

Beautiful special effects and sets. Embarrassingly corny script. Why remake a classic so badly ?

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

06/26/25

Full Review

Louis N

Late comer but what a Fantastic movie! Exhilarating and great special effects

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/04/25

Full Review

Paul S

I haven't seen the original, so I can't say if this is better or worse. What I can say is I thought this movie was awesome! The story was compelling, the visuals were spectacular, and the action sequences were thrilling. I definitely recommend it for sci-fi and action fans!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/28/25

Full Review

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Len Wiseman

Director

Colin Farrell

Douglas Quaid

Kate Beckinsale

Lori

Jessica Biel

Melina

Bryan Cranston

Cohaagen

Bokeem Woodbine

Harry

Total Recall: Official Clip - Anti-Gravity Gun Fight

2:47

Total Recall: Official Clip - Car Chase

2:49

Total Recall: Official Clip - Elevator Explosion

2:22

Total Recall: Official Clip - Hauser vs. Cohaagen

2:47

Total Recall: Official Clip - Delusion or Reality?

2:23

Total Recall: Official Clip - Destroying the Fall

2:28

Total Recall: Official Clip - Secret Agent

3:01

Total Recall: Official Clip - I'm Not Your Wife

3:01

Total Recall: Official Clip - Who the Hell Am I?

2:56

Total Recall: Official Clip - Traitors Get Put to Death

3:06

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Synopsis

In need of a vacation from his ordinary life, factory worker Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell) visits Rekall, a company that can turn dreams into real memories. Thinking that memories of life as a superspy are just the ticket, Quaid undergoes the procedure -- but it goes horribly wrong. Suddenly, Quaid is a hunted man. He teams up with a rebel fighter (Jessica Biel) on a search to find the head of the underground resistance and take down the leader (Bryan Cranston) of the free world.

Director: Len Wiseman
Producer: Neal H. Moritz, Toby Jaffe
Screenwriter: Kurt Wimmer, Mark Bomback
Distributor: Sony Pictures
Production Co: Original Film
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Seq. of Sci-Fi Action|Brief Nudity|Intense Seq. of Sci-Fi Violenc|Language|Some Sexual Content)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 3, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $58.9M
Runtime: 1h 57m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, Datasat

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