"Get your ass to Mars!" Who knew that a line like that could come from one of the essential sci-fi pictures of all-time, a movie which also happens to be one of the most relentlessly entertaining and downright bonkers science-fiction movies ever made? With renowned provocateur and satirist Paul Verhoeven behind the camera, and Arnold Schwarzenegger giving one of his finest performances as construction worker turned secret agent Douglas Quaid, this violent, compulsive, special effects bonanza is a genuine classic of blockbuster sci-fi, and features great turns from everyone involved, including Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox, and Michael Ironside. The plot, loosely adapted from a Philip K. Dick story, is purposely all over the place, and mostly asks that Schwarzenegger looks perplexed and out of his depth for the entire film. Set mainly on Mars, Verhoven crafts a picture that looks surprisingly great and vibrant in its dank, slum-like aesthetics, as Quaid battles his way across the Red Planet searching for answers about his identity. There are so many great things to consider about Total Recall - the three-boobed prostitute, to name one - but it's important to note that this is also a picture of great ideas. The lingering questions Total Recall asks about memory will stay with you through all the bloodshed.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
