Solo4114
Master Member
The short story doesn't take place on Mars either, as I...er...recall. Quail (not Quaid in the story) WANTS to go to Mars, but can't afford it. He goes to Rekal to get his memory-vacation, they sell him on the "spy package" open his brain up and discover he's ALREADY a spy and his memory's been suppressed. He goes home, finds out it's true, the gov't tries to kill him, but eventually he agrees to have his memory suppressed back to "average Doug Quail" although they promise to let him have this hero-wish-fulfillment thing...only to open his brain again and see that he ALREADY has memories of the wish-fullfillment thing.
The short story, as I remember it, is a lot closer to a futuristic Twilight Zone episode than an action-thriller film.
That said, I do appreciate the way that the film played with "what's reality and what's a false memory?" The rest of it was fun popcorn action, back when fun popcorn action didn't necessarily mean MICHAELBAYSPLOSIONS!!!!!
The short story, as I remember it, is a lot closer to a futuristic Twilight Zone episode than an action-thriller film.
That said, I do appreciate the way that the film played with "what's reality and what's a false memory?" The rest of it was fun popcorn action, back when fun popcorn action didn't necessarily mean MICHAELBAYSPLOSIONS!!!!!
