‘Total Recall’ Returns to the Big Screen

A remake of the 1990 sci-fi action drama, it stars Colin Farrell, Bryan Cranston, Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale. Len Wiseman has directed several big budget sci-fi flicks and for producers Neal H. Moritz and Toby Jaffe, he was the perfect choice to direct the “Total Recall” remake. An action thriller about reality and memory, inspired by the famous short story “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale” by Philip K. Dick, “Total Recall” has been adapted for the screen once before, in 1990.

Collin Farrell as Douglas Quaid

“We just felt like we could make a fresh version of the original story,” says Moritz. “Dick’s story feels as cutting edge as when it was first published in the 1960s, and by reimagining the story, we thought that there was so much more to the characters and story that we could investigate.”

Colin Farrell and Jessica Biel

For Wiseman, who has worked on big budget flicks such as “Independence Day,” “Men in Black” and directed Bruce Willis in the action hit “Live Free or Die Hard,” it was an opportunity to put a fresh take on a familiar tale.

“The script was such a departure from the original and allowed me the opportunity to bring in some new things,” Wiseman says. “There’s a whole other kind of experience on Earth with which to take this character.”

Starring Colin Farrell, Bryan Cranston, Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale, this sci-fi drama follows Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell), who is haunted by recurring nightmares about another life as a super spy. In reality, he is married to Lori (Kate Beckinsale) and works at a local factory on a futuristic planet. Frustrated by these reoccurring dreams, Quaid visits Rekall, a company that promises to turn ones dreams into real memories. When the procedure goes horribly wrong, he becomes a hunted man and finds himself on the run from the police – controlled by Chancellor Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston). As the line between fantasy and reality gets blurred and the fate of his world hangs in the balance there is no one Quaid can trust, except possibly a rebel fighter (Jessica Biel) who works for the head of the underground resistance.

Colin Farrell in “Total Recall”

“We are constantly looking for meaning and where we fit in to the grand scheme of things,” shares Farrell. “It brings up issues of identity, ego, and super-ego and is a common story about a man who feels that he isn’t living the life he should be living – a man experiencing some discontent with his lot in life,” continues the actor. “But he gets a rude awakening, which is that he really isn’t living the life he should be living.”

A role previously played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1990 version, this modern remake keeps the action on a far-in-the-future earth dominated by two nation-states – United Federation of Britain and The Colony, and for Farrell, reprising a role previously played by Arnold was an honor.

Director Len Wiseman

“I remember all of his films growing up from “The Terminator,” “Red Heat” to “Commando,” so I knew what I was getting into. I did read the original story as well, but the script felt so different even though the plot points are the same. This film goes back to the short story and is a little closer to it, as there is slightly more attention paid to the psychological journey Quaid goes through.”

Thought-provoking, flashy, and full of non-stop action, “Total Recall” combines top-notch special effects with a powerful story and great acting and releases in theaters on Friday.

By Samantha Ofole-Prince for Trendy Africa Media.

Photos: Michael Gibson
TrendyAfrica Magazine

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