Total Recall 2012 (Post-release)
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the_batdemon
Sr Member
I saw a sneak preview last night. I liked it. There were a couple nods to the original. One I found funny. The designs were great. It's a good summer popcorn movie.
There was a great tv show last night on DIYNetwork called: Building Hollywood
They showed building the sets on sound stages, from designs to findl set dressing...
Very cool designs indeed!!
They showed building the sets on sound stages, from designs to findl set dressing...
Very cool designs indeed!!
Heavy Future: Total Recall (2012)
Total Recall has lot of great visuals including many real sets making their whole world believable. It's non stop action yet I wasn't really engrossed by it. Sometimes the much needed excitement was somehow lacking for me and knowing the gist of the story based on the original film had nothing to do with it.
Even the flying cars sequence which I was most looking forward to, started out great but lost steam eventually. Kate Beckinsale's early fight in the movie is probably the highlight of the movie for me.
Len Wiseman who directed this also directed the first two Underworld films, which I felt were also barely memorable. And my expectations were already pretty low for this movie, so I don't really consider that I was totally disappointed by it.
The streets of the Colony in this movie had a Blade Runner vibe, while some other parts in the movie reminded me of Minority Report. All that only made me realize that no matter how impressive the production design was, the movie still kinda felt hollow and forgettable to me. And neither Collin Farell nor Jessica Biel were the problem as they along with Kate Beckinsale played their roles quite well.
I just hope the remake of Paul Verhoeven's other classic sci-fi film doesn't share the same fate.
Total Recall has lot of great visuals including many real sets making their whole world believable. It's non stop action yet I wasn't really engrossed by it. Sometimes the much needed excitement was somehow lacking for me and knowing the gist of the story based on the original film had nothing to do with it.
Even the flying cars sequence which I was most looking forward to, started out great but lost steam eventually. Kate Beckinsale's early fight in the movie is probably the highlight of the movie for me.
Len Wiseman who directed this also directed the first two Underworld films, which I felt were also barely memorable. And my expectations were already pretty low for this movie, so I don't really consider that I was totally disappointed by it.
The streets of the Colony in this movie had a Blade Runner vibe, while some other parts in the movie reminded me of Minority Report. All that only made me realize that no matter how impressive the production design was, the movie still kinda felt hollow and forgettable to me. And neither Collin Farell nor Jessica Biel were the problem as they along with Kate Beckinsale played their roles quite well.
I just hope the remake of Paul Verhoeven's other classic sci-fi film doesn't share the same fate.
Kerr Avon
Master Member
Collin Farell is such a forgettable actor. I'm just not sold on this. The first is a classic of mind ****s, but this sounds like it's so bland it's not worth watching. Also, apparently they have a subway system that goes through the center of the Earth to get to the other side of the planet? Really? Really? I'm sorry, three breasts on a woman, Martians, mutants, Kuato and everything else about the original is more believable than a subway through the center of the Earth.
Death Grin
Active Member
It was good. It's not a re-make, it's a new movie, based on the same book. Sure there were some nods, but it was a new movie.
Kerr, do you like anything? Anything?
Kerr, do you like anything? Anything?
Kerr Avon
Master Member
Absolutely. But what an absolutely rude, impertinent and irrelevant thing to say. I guess I don't like you.
I've not seen many of Collin Farell's movies but out of the few Phone Booth is the only film I liked. And though it was not a lead role, he was good in Minority Report as well.
Also as I was watching Total Recall I kept thinking that there would be other capable directors who would deliver sci-fi masterpieces with such production values. Like Duncan Jones, who could have done his love letter film to Blade Runner which was titled "Mute".
Also as I was watching Total Recall I kept thinking that there would be other capable directors who would deliver sci-fi masterpieces with such production values. Like Duncan Jones, who could have done his love letter film to Blade Runner which was titled "Mute".
Death Grin
Active Member
Oh, well I'm glad you do like some things. Reading your posts most of the time I don't get that impression.
Like, or don't like, just don't guess about it.
I enjoyed it for the most part. I liked when he was sneaking through security and there was a woman ahead of him that looked like Arnolds disguise from the original.
Two things I did not like:
1. The director must have been an intern for Abrams. Lens flares everywhere! I wear glasses and I never get lense flares.
2. Global chemical warfare? Bit of a stretch, but ok. Great Britain and Australia have most of the livable land? Uh, sure, why not. There is a train that can travel through the core at what would have to be 28000 mph? WTF?!!! Are you kidding me?
I did like that the start of the end titles said "Inspired by..." instead of the usual "based on..." BS.
Sent from my Etch-A-Sketch
Two things I did not like:
1. The director must have been an intern for Abrams. Lens flares everywhere! I wear glasses and I never get lense flares.
2. Global chemical warfare? Bit of a stretch, but ok. Great Britain and Australia have most of the livable land? Uh, sure, why not. There is a train that can travel through the core at what would have to be 28000 mph? WTF?!!! Are you kidding me?
I did like that the start of the end titles said "Inspired by..." instead of the usual "based on..." BS.
Sent from my Etch-A-Sketch
Camaro91
Well-Known Member
I liked it, good movie. Liked the roles of Collin Farell, Jessica Biel, and Kate Beckingsale. Gotta love Kate.
As for the travel through the core, just gotta go with it. It's a movie with flying cars and robot cops, so why not. Wasn't really a big thing other than travel.
The whole destroy the robot army before it reaches the collony wouldn't be as interesting and time pressing if they had to take a train by land, then a ship to get there.
As for the travel through the core, just gotta go with it. It's a movie with flying cars and robot cops, so why not. Wasn't really a big thing other than travel.
The whole destroy the robot army before it reaches the collony wouldn't be as interesting and time pressing if they had to take a train by land, then a ship to get there.
Noeland
Master Member
Yeah, saw it today. Thought it was a whole big pile of mediocre. The first half had a few watchable scenes. Kate Beckinsale's behind did not disappoint. 
The woman looks stunning in this film, which was to be expected I suppose. She is literally sex and violence at the same time.
I had hoped that given most folks know the story pretty well they would try and throw in a few surprises. Nope. The second half of the film falls on the playbook of action/sci-fi film cliche's pretty hard and things get tired real fast once all the setup is done. The film has two worlds. "The Colony" is basically LA in 2019. Very blade runner inspired. The other side of the world, Brittain, looks like Minority Report/Irobot a lot. Not a little. A LOT.
And there was a scene with elevators that made me think of Galaxy Quest, when they were running through the obstacles. Given that the film takes itself deadly seriously I did chuckle a few times because of that reminder.
And I never thought I'd say this, but Brian Cranston was not good in this. Cohagen was wasted as a character and Cranston was wasted as an actor IMHO. Colin Farrel just looked dazed and confused through the entire film. It was like zoolander with one expression over and over again.
The woman looks stunning in this film, which was to be expected I suppose. She is literally sex and violence at the same time.I had hoped that given most folks know the story pretty well they would try and throw in a few surprises. Nope. The second half of the film falls on the playbook of action/sci-fi film cliche's pretty hard and things get tired real fast once all the setup is done. The film has two worlds. "The Colony" is basically LA in 2019. Very blade runner inspired. The other side of the world, Brittain, looks like Minority Report/Irobot a lot. Not a little. A LOT.
And there was a scene with elevators that made me think of Galaxy Quest, when they were running through the obstacles. Given that the film takes itself deadly seriously I did chuckle a few times because of that reminder.
And I never thought I'd say this, but Brian Cranston was not good in this. Cohagen was wasted as a character and Cranston was wasted as an actor IMHO. Colin Farrel just looked dazed and confused through the entire film. It was like zoolander with one expression over and over again.
What..."Oh my god...It's BEAUTIFUL!!!"? Or the other one that was so different? :lol
Disappointed. Trailer showcased some dazzling production design and effects, but this is sounding like a cheaparse Tuesday special or a DVD from the cheap bin option. Great design means nothing in a mediocre film. Almost an offensive waste of talent sometimes.
Disappointed. Trailer showcased some dazzling production design and effects, but this is sounding like a cheaparse Tuesday special or a DVD from the cheap bin option. Great design means nothing in a mediocre film. Almost an offensive waste of talent sometimes.
rodneyfaile
Sr Member
I thought Farrell was good in "Phone Booth" and "In Bruges" as well. Don't forget "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus", "SWAT", and "Daredevil".
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