Movie Review - Total Recall (2012)

Tonight I went to see an old favorite, Singing in the Rain, on the big screen. It`s a movie I have seen many times on TV, the first few times in black and white.  So seeing it on the big screen the way it was originally shown would be awesome ... yes, I know this is a review for Total Recall.

You see, Singing in the Rain was sold out but Total Recall was playing at the same time and was a movie that I wanted to see. Ken had already seen it and recommended it, and Teena did not want to see it, so I thought  Total Recall was an excellent back-up plan.

Welcome to Rekall, the company that can turn your dreams into real memories. For a factory worker named Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), even though he's got a beautiful wife (Kate Beckinsale) who he loves, the mind-trip sounds like the perfect vacation from his frustrating life - real memories of life as a super-spy might be just what he needs. But when the procedure goes horribly wrong, Quaid becomes a hunted man.

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. There are major differences with the original version but many scenes that pay homage to that great film. The first film took place on Mars. This movie takes place after a great war had wiped out everything but Great Britain, now the United Federation of Britain (Hail, hail! Britannia always rules) and the colony which is Australia. I'm not giving anything away here as this is explained in the first minute of the film

Colin Farrell was admirable and believable playing the Schwarzenegger role. He had big shoes to fill and did it well. Beckinsale was so delightfully evil as his wife and I enjoyed  Bryan Cranston playing the evil Chancellor. 

The special effects were terrific but still I picked out parts of Toronto where the movie was shot, even with elevated roadways everywhere. Only a few times, but they are there.

A must see for any Sci-fi fan. Ken gave it an 8/10. I do too.