1. No Arnie, No Sale
And of course, is there any bigger argument for this film's failure than the absence of Arnie himself? That's not to say that we would have preferred Arnie to do the remake himself, but simply that recasting such an iconic actor in a memorable performance such as this is extremely difficult. With the hilarious script and zany premise, Arnie brings a lot of charm to the table that helps us believe this universe, whereas Wiseman's version, deafeningly self-serious as it is, feels bland and joyless. Colin Farrell, while cast well enough for a film like this, suffers because the script doesn't even give him a chance to live up to the statuesque presence set by Arnie in the original. It is as though Farrell is playing a shadow, a shade of Quaid, and he is powerless against the debilitatingly dull script, and Wiseman's own over-stylised, mechanical direction. What did you think of the Total Recall remake? Give us your feedback below, and let us know how you think it stacks up against the 1990 original.