Paul Verhoeven’s adaptation of a P. K. Dick story is just wild. Doug Quaid has these repeating dreams about going to Mars, and despite his friends telling him not to, he decides to get a memory implant for a Martian vacation. But during the procedure, he recalls that he's actually a secret agent battling the evil Mars boss Vilos Cohaagen. Things are about to become incredibly chaotic on an intergalactic scale. *Total Recall* shows director Paul Verhoeven in especially over-the-top form, with the often criticized director maximizing the action and violence. And who better to portray all this mayhem than Arnold Schwarzenegger? It turns out that Schwarzenegger was the one who got Verhoeven involved. The film idea had been around for a while; several directors came and went, and David Cronenberg famously worked on a screenplay for a year only to have it scrapped because it was too faithful to Dick's short story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale." What they wanted was an energetic sci-fi blockbuster, something to showcase Schwarzenegger, and Verhoeven was more than willing to do it. *Total Recall* is an interesting film because you start questioning what’s real. Quaid isn't ever entirely sure, and the movie takes a surprising turn in the middle that adds even more confusion. But true to form, everything culminates in a massive explosion of bangs, crashes, and detonations. It’s important to note that the movie is quite different from Dick’s original story; when you hear Schwarzenegger was starring in a Verhoeven-directed adaptation, you really should expect the dumbing down that *Total Recall* delivers—something which confused some serious critics who still can’t understand how financially successful it has been (it earned over $260 million worldwide). The supporting cast is made up of solid performers. Rachael Ticotin, Ronny Cox, Sharon Stone, and Michael Ironside all give the expected tongue-in-cheek performances. The special effects are a mixed bag; however, it’s good to see the often neglected art of model work being done at a high level. Ultimately, I found this to be a hugely entertaining piece of ultra-violent popcorn entertainment. 8/10

Source on TMDB