My Recall of Total Recall

Yesterday morning I awoke and said to myself "this feels like a movie day".  After a wonderful, hour-long manicure and paraffin dip at Cityspa in Charlottesville, I went to see the recent version of Total Recall.  I openly admit that the original is one of my favorite movies, even the "terrible" graphics in all their ancient glory and Schwarzenegger's iffy acting.  Now, if you aren't a fan of Total Recall, the original, or you haven't seen the latest version, please stop reading, I don't want to spoil it for you.  However, if you don't care, go ahead and continue.

What I loved about the original:  it's set on Mars, it includes a story about a secret agent and mutants, it's action-packed, and it really does make you question what's real and what's not.

Although the latest version didn't rate very high I thought it was great.  I can't wait to see it again actually (at home of course, going to the movies is expensive).  The main story was there - an unfulfilled normal kind of guy, Doug Quaid, decides to go to Recall to experience being a secret agent, it turns out he is a secret agent (or is he?) and then gets all mixed up in the good side/bad side fight for power/freedom, he gets the girl, Melina, and they live happily ever after (or do they?).  

The biggest difference was that the film wasn't set on Mars but rather in the only two places on the planet that were left inhabitable after major chemical warfare: "The United Federation of Britain" and "The Colony".  The two were connected by this awesome gigantic subway train called "The Fall" which allowed people to commute to and from the two places everyday.  How?  It went through the earth's crust.  One of the coolest features of this film was the gravity shift after passing the Earth's core.  No gravity mixed with action and an awesome set were a plus for me.  The overall vision and design of the UFB and The Colony were also pretty cool and rather than actually flying, cars were controlled by powerful magnets.

The UFB had posh buildings that had elevators that went up, down and sideways - not unlike some in my dreams (truly, I have dreamed of these kind of elevators).  The Colony scenes were like a future Chinatown and it rained all the time.



                                                                                                                                                                             

Overall, if you don't expect the new Total Recall to be exactly like the original, you won't be disappointed.  Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the special effects, explosions, fight scenes and above all, Colin Farrell's sexiness.

And in case you fans are wondering... "the girl with 3-boobs" made an appearance in the new version too.