CFE's 100 Science Fiction Film Countdown

[Doctor Jones]

Yeah, cause i havent either (and doesnt really call out to me, so i doubt i will).

Wait, you haven't seen this?

 

[Obi-Ron]

Most over hyped movie ever...

I would say that "honor" goes to The Dark Knight.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

Star Trek got Kirk wrong, it's full of bad writing and JJ Abrams is a TV director. This cannot be in a Top 100 Sci-Fi list.

 

[El_Citrus]

Star Trek got Kirk's character near perfect, imo, especially when they show how he has to grow from this raw talent of sorts into the Kirk we know.

I'll admit, some of the writing was a tad off. It wasn't "bad", but at times they were a bit too direct with the dialogue, stating the obvious in a situation, but overall I found it to be fine, along with JJ's directing.

 

[thejon93]

This is a great list, 'CFE'. It's nice to see that you have quite a wide taste in movies. Over the past couple of weeks, I've been catching up on reading most of your reviews and you have turned me onto a bundle of great movies that could even make my own list of my 100 favourite films of all-time.

My favourite (believe it or not) is actually 'The Last Starfighter'. I remember watching the film as a kid and I really enjoyed it then, so it was nice to re-discover it again. And, I heard that they were set to make a sequel for it in 2010. If they go along with that idea, I'm kinda hoping that, instead of going for "state of the art" CGI, they'd go for more usage of anamatronics and models instead. Just as a kind of reverse scenario to the original, as they ended up using "state of the art" CGI for that time. As if you couldn't have already told, I love 'The Last Starfighter'. It's one of the few films that I could watch over and over again. Great fun.

Anyhow, this is a terrific list that you've been building up, 'CFE'. Although I still prefer your 100 Comic-Book Films list (because I've seen pretty much all of those films before), I was actually surprised at how many films I've seen from this Science Fiction genre. And while some of these films I wouldn't dare to see in a million years, a.k.a. 'Dune', I do take into account that I'm not the biggest Science Fiction fan out there. t:

Okay... Repeating the praise (ONCE AGAIN!!!), great job on this terrific list. Waiting for the next review to come out reminds me of those Christmas chocolate-calenders, everyday would be sweet as we'd be getting that much closer to reaching the grand finale.

 

[thejon93]

Star Trek got Kirk wrong, it's full of bad writing and JJ Abrams is a TV director. This cannot be in a Top 100 Sci-Fi list.

Well, hey! I haven't seen the new movie yet, but I can definitely tell you that having a great television director/producer/writer at your side while boasting out a franchise of Blockbuster films is pretty genius. Television directors have to worry about continuity at all times... Think about that.

 

[SuperFerret]

I've actually never heard this much dislike for the new Trek movie. Nearly everyone I talk to likes it.

Also, I've been half-following, half-not-following this countdown. I admire the effort CFE put into it, but there's a lot of stuff on here that I either haven't heard of or would disagree with. Sci Fi is just too big a genre for this to be easy or widely agreed with, like the Comic movie one was.

 

[thejon93]

I've actually never heard this much dislike for the new Trek movie. Nearly everyone I talk to likes it.

I personally like to think of this new 'Star Trek' movie as a Saturday-matinee movie. Only with a great taste of originality. It's rather rare in Hollywoodland to get something as fresh and original as this new 'Star Trek' film. Usually some of these films are just crappy re-trends of past films, 'Prince of Persia', or are just simply uninspired pieces of trash, 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'. Now, I really don't mind it when people talk trash about films that should damn well know better (and should be better... period). But when people talk trash about films like 'Star Trek' or, better yet, films that actually try and attempt (whether they fail or not)... That really does make me mad.

 

[El_Citrus]

tj93 has a point, that CFE hasn't gotten enough credit for the extensive reviews he's written up in making this list. I can't imagine how much effort and time it's taken to produce all of this. Great job, CFE.

 

[Max J Power]

I don't think I'd put Star Trek that high, because I tend to favor the movies with more exploration of sci-fi themes (like Minority Report, Children of Men, and Dark City).

But I did enjoy Star Trek a great deal and think it's a good reboot for the franchise.

 

[El Payaso]

Star Trek got Kirk wrong, it's full of bad writing and JJ Abrams is a TV director. This cannot be in a Top 100 Sci-Fi list.

I agree with you on this.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

Well, hey! I haven't seen the new movie yet, but I can definitely tell you that having a great television director/producer/writer at your side while boasting out a franchise of Blockbuster films is pretty genius. Television directors have to worry about continuity at all times... Think about that.

Except that they didn't care about continuity at all. And that's not even my problem with the movie.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

Star Trek got Kirk's character near perfect, imo, especially when they show how he has to grow from this raw talent of sorts into the Kirk we know.

No, they wrote him like they and the general audience thinks Kirk behaved like in the old series/movies. But Kirk was always described as a dedicated "bookworm" with a strong sense of duty, all those "bending the rules" and "skirtchasing" is just not there to the big extend people think it was.

Okay, now you can use the "BUT HIS FATHER DIED!!!!" excuse, but than you have to admit that this guy has nothing to do with the iconic character, so why use him? (okay, now you will pull out the "TIMELINE TRYING TO FIX ITSELF" or some crap like that, but that just falls under my second point, "bad writing")

I'll admit, some of the writing was a tad off. It wasn't "bad", but at times they were a bit too direct with the dialogue, stating the obvious in a situation, but overall I found it to be fine, along with JJ's directing.

The movie was written by hacks. There is no excuse for that. Heavily relying on coincidences and a plot device that doesn't work after set rules but just like the writers need it right now is bad. It's just bad. And to think that you those hacks probably got more money for this "screenplay" than I will ever earn in my whole life... I see no need to support this.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Star Trek got Kirk wrong, it's full of bad writing and JJ Abrams is a TV director. This cannot be in a Top 100 Sci-Fi list.

How did it get Kirk wrong?

That training scene where he had the apple I was thinking "****! Has Shatner gone throught a de aging process?!?!"

Pine WAS Kirk.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

How did it get Kirk wrong?

That training scene where he had the apple I was thinking "****! Has Shatner gone throught a de aging process?!?!"

Pine WAS Kirk.

You haven't seen the TOS era Trek that much. Shatner's Kirk would've manipulated the test and then he would've played it straight and leaving the others wondering what happened. Fooling around with an apple and playing a total jerk is not what Kirk is supposed to be.

 

[thejon93]

Except that they didn't care about continuity at all. And that's not even my problem with the movie.

How do you know that? Were you the producer?... I don't think so. And also, in continuity... I meant the character continuity. I haven't seen the movie yet, but as I've heard from others before about it, but I can definitely tell you that they did in-fact care about what they did with the characters. You go to a 'Star Trek' movie for the characters. You don't go to see them for these deep and complex storylines, you see them because you care about the characters. In this case, we're getting re-introduced to them. And, in that case, I think that they did a great job of revamping the series for a great mass of people to discover and enjoy.

 

[david icke]

No, they wrote him like they and the general audience thinks Kirk behaved like in the old series/movies. But Kirk was always described as a dedicated "bookworm" with a strong sense of duty, all those "bending the rules" and "skirtchasing" is just not there to the big extend people think it was.

Okay, now you can use the "BUT HIS FATHER DIED!!!!" excuse, but than you have to admit that this guy has nothing to do with the iconic character, so why use him? (okay, now you will pull out the "TIMELINE TRYING TO FIX ITSELF" or some crap like that, but that just falls under my second point, "bad writing")

You can't just say that is an 'excuse', part of it was an exploration of character, nature as opposed to nurture. Would Kirk still have the same qualities under different circumstances. They explore this in a lot What If? stories, like when they had spider-man stop Uncle Ben's killer, and he went onto become a big hollywood star instead of a superhero, at the end of the story he ends up doing the right thing and finding himslef becoming the Spidey we know.
Kirk here still had the same spiritas the old series, the same qualities as his father, it was just unfocused due to his father's death, and Pike recognised that, moreso than Kirk, 'What are you talking to me for man?'
It was an inetersting take.

And as for JJ A being 'only' a tv director, the guy directed the two ep pilot of 'Lost' which is better than most movies.
He also directed the best MI movie, better than DePalma's and Woo's.

The movie was written by hacks. There is no excuse for that. Heavily relying on coincidences and a plot device that doesn't work after set rules but just like the writers need it right now is bad. It's just bad. And to think that you those hacks probably got more money for this "screenplay" than I will ever earn in my whole life... I see no need to support this.

There are plenty of coincidences and plot devices in fantasy and sci-fi movies, with this argument you're going to be dissmissing a lot of movies as being writtne by 'hacks'. There are plenty of coincidences in real life too, and when you are dealing with someone messing with a timeline, you are going to get elements coming together fighting against that, it's a sci-fi trope.

They did a great job with bringing Star Trek back, and even integrating it into the other timelines to keep the trekkies happy(which , personally, I would not have bothered with, I would have just started them off as a straight re-boot like Bond).
We already have examples of star Trek movies going horribly wrong, this was not one of them.

 

[david icke]

You haven't seen the TOS era Trek that much. Shatner's Kirk would've manipulated the test and then he would've played it straight and leaving the others wondering what happened. Fooling around with an apple and playing a total jerk is not what Kirk is supposed to be.

So you may think, but this is a slightly different Kirk, the one who was a loose cannon for all those years without his father's inspiration and guidance.
He would have a bit more of a cocky attitude, and Kirk does play the cocky attitude when he feels it's appropriate, like in 'the Corbomite Maneuver'.

I am not a Trekkie, but I had my period of being into the original series, and recognised Kirk in the JJ movie.
and , as said, he is a What If? Kirk, same guy with different experiences shaping him.
Like someone who went to a rough and tumble school as opposed to one who went to boarding school, that would shape a slightly different attitude, even though the kid would be just as brainy.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

**** Star Trek anyway. The new film was made to make Star Trek cool. And it worked. The only people that have beef are the old school trekkies upset that their "thing" is being made hip. Tough **** tis what I say.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

How do you know that? Were you the producer?... I don't think so. And also, in continuity... I meant the character continuity. I haven't seen the movie yet, but as I've heard from others before about it, but I can definitely tell you that they did in-fact care about what they did with the characters. You go to a 'Star Trek' movie for the characters. You don't go to see them for these deep and complex storylines, you see them because you care about the characters. In this case, we're getting re-introduced to them. And, in that case, I think that they did a great job of revamping the series for a great mass of people to discover and enjoy.

They didn't re-introduce the original characters, they introduced the characters as "what-the-general-audience-think-they-were-like".

 

[TruerToTheCore]

You can't just say that is an 'excuse', part of it was an exploration of character, nature as opposed to nurture. Would Kirk still have the same qualities under different circumstances. They explore this in a lot What If? stories, like when they had spider-man stop Uncle Ben's killer, and he went onto become a big hollywood star instead of a superhero, at the end of the story he ends up doing the right thing and finding himslef becoming the Spidey we know.

What you describe is fate, not nature versus nuture (btw, nature makes about 70% of ones personality). The "What If" concept is also used in a very flawed way, because "WHat If" doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. You have to make a chance and then run with it. That doesn't explain the changes they made. (So the death of Kirk's father aged characters and changed the whole universe? LOL, hack writing)

Kirk here still had the same spiritas the old series, the same qualities as his father, it was just unfocused due to his father's death, and Pike recognised that, moreso than Kirk, 'What are you talking to me for man?'
It was an inetersting take.

It was just made to make him "cool". And so you have admited that he is a different character afterall, so no need to make a movie about the old TOS crew if you change them that much.

And as for JJ A being 'only' a tv director, the guy directed the two ep pilot of 'Lost' which is better than most movies.
He also directed the best MI movie, better than DePalma's and Woo's.

Lost is also a show where they just made up things as the shows go on. And for Abrams MI 3 being better than MI-I and MI-II? Do you really think he's a better director than DePalma or that he can shoot better action scenes than John Woo?

There are plenty of coincidences and plot devices in fantasy and sci-fi movies, with this argument you're going to be dissmissing a lot of movies as being writtne by 'hacks'. There are plenty of coincidences in real life too, and when you are dealing with someone messing with a timeline, you are going to get elements coming together fighting against that, it's a sci-fi trope.

No, it's not. Fantasy and Sci-Fi doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. You have to SET UP A BASIC UNIVERSE and its RULES and then you have to play with them. Not change them while you are at it. Coincidences are bad writing. Regardless of the genre. The Real life argument doesn't count because there is NO PLOT RUNNING.

Dude, get some information about storytelling and writing.

They did a great job with bringing Star Trek back, and even integrating it into the other timelines to keep the trekkies happy(which , personally, I would not have bothered with, I would have just started them off as a straight re-boot like Bond).

In your opinion. But the movie wasn't even that successful and most of it was because of the marketing. Not because of quality.

We already have examples of star Trek movies going horribly wrong, this was not one of them.

It was. It was as badly written as "Generations". Just with more budget.

 

[CFE]

#20

TOTAL RECALL (1990)

[YT]aGyuqAAyMKc[/YT]

[YT]lJEllFk3Hqw[/YT]

[YT]kZbPTwQLZoo[/YT]

[YT]V17duGlHEYY[/YT]

[YT]qyCu7Erm0T4[/YT]

Directed by ... Paul Verhoeven
Story by ... Jon Povill, Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett
Screenplay by ... Gary Goldman, Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett
Adapted from the short story “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale” by ... Phillip K. Dick

Executive Produced by … Mario Kassar and Andrew G. Vajna
Produced by ... Buzz Feitshans, Robert Fentress, Elliot Schick and Ronald Shusett
Cinematography by ... Jost Vacano
Production Design by ... William Sandell
Special Make Up Effects created by … Rob Bottin
Art Direction by … Jose Rodriguez Granada and James E. Tocci
Costume Design by ... Erica Edell Phillips
Editing by ... Carlos Puente and Frank J. Urioste
Original Motion Picture Score composed by ... Jerry Goldsmith

Arnold Schwarzenegger ... Douglas Quaid / Hauser
Rachel Ticotin ... Melina
Sharon Stone ... Lori
Ronny Cox ... Vilos Cohaagen
Michael Ironside ... Richter
Marshall Bell ... George / Kuato
Mel Johnson Jr. ... Benny
Michael Champion ... Helm
Roy Brocksmith ... Dr. Edgemar
Ray Baker ... Bob McClane
Rosemary Dunsmore ... Dr. Lull
David Knell ... Ernie
Alexia Robinson ... Tiffany
Dean Norris ... Tony
Mark Carlton ... Bartender
Debbie Lee Carrington ... Thumbelina
Lycia Naff ... Mary
Robert Costanzo ... Harry
Michael LaGuardia ... Stevens
Priscilla Allen ... ‘Two Weeks’ Fat Lady
Ken Strausbaugh ... Immigration Officer
Marc Alaimo ... Everett
Michael Gregory ... Rebel Lieutenant
Ken Gildin ... Hotel Clerk
Mickey Jones ... Burly Miner
Parker Whitman ... Martian Husband
Ellen Gollas ... Martian Wife
Gloria Dorson ... Woman in Phone Booth
Erika Carlson ... Miss Lonelyhearts
Benny Corral ... Punk Cabbie
Bob Tzudiker ... Doctor
Erik Cord ... Lab Assistant
Frank Kopyc ... Technician
Chuck Sloan ... Scientist
Dave Nicolson ... Scientist
Paula McClure ... Newscaster
Rebecca Ruth ... Reporter
Milt Tarver ... Commercial Announcer
Roger Cudney ... Agent
Monica Steuer ... Mutant Mother
Sasha Rionda ... Mutant Child
Linda Howell ... Tennis Pro
Robert Picardo ... Voice of Johnnycab (voice)​

When a man goes for virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real, or does he?

----------------------------------------------

Get ready for the ride of your life.​

----------------------------------------------

What would you do if you discovered your life was a façade…a mere illusion orchestrated to contain you and prevent you from uncovering the truth.

Is it even a dream at all? Or is there more to it?

Would you accept the dream…or fight back against it?

For one man, the conundrum of his own reality becomes the subject for an interplanetary dilemma,,,and a devastatingly enthralling ride through intrigue and action in 1990’s “Total Recall.”

The year is 2084…Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a construction worker married 8 years to his beautiful wife named Lori (Sharon Stone) and going on with his life. But he’s plagued by nightmares of Mars…and a strange yet beautiful brunette (Rachel Ticotin). These visions give Doug reason to believe that he’s meant for greater things…and Mars is somehow the key. Hearing of a company called “Rekall INC” in which one can purchase artificial memory implants of vacations, Doug decides to ‘take a trip’ to Mars and, through the company’s “Ego Trip” plan, he’ll be doing so as a Secret Agent.

From there, Quaid suffers from a schizoid embolism during the procedure and realizes that the very life he’d been living was set up by the Agency…the organization headed by Mars Administrator Vilos Cohaagen (Ronny Cox) to make him believe that he was a lowly citizen when, in fact, he’s an invincible Mars Agent who had discovered top secret information about the planet that could tip the scales in an ongoing struggle between Cohaagen and Kuato…a mutant revolutionary who heads up a rebellion against the oppressive Mars Colonial Government.

Inspired by Phillip Dick’s 1974 short story “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale” and Directed by famed Dutch filmmaker turned American Sci-fi Action guru Paul Verhoeven, “Total Recall” is nothing short of spectacular with its quick wit, involved plot twists and mind numbingly awesome action as it sets the stage for an engrossing examination of what defines our reality.

The film is notoriously debatable for one sole reason…

Did its story even really happen?

Consider…when Quaid goes to Rekall and prepares for his implants, the film chooses to slowly track in on the device as the procedure begins…from there it cuts into a segment where Bob McClane, the man who sold Quaid the vacation, has another sale interrupted by Quaid’s ‘Secret Agent’ cover being blown. Technically, one could see this as real and relish in Quaid actually being an agent.

But you could also take this moment as the moment when the implanted memory begins. The story makes itself up as Quaid goes along…the story dictates that the ‘Ego Trip’ wasn’t implanted (although it was) and that Quaid is an agent.

Another moment of speculation is when Dr. Edgemar and Lori try to get Quaid to snap out of his fantasy. What forces Quaid to choose NOT to is the sight of a bead of sweat on Edgemar’s head. Now this could very well be real and Edgemar could be in on the entire conspiracy…however, it could be Quaid’s delusion causing him to become paranoid and fall back into the memory implant.

Although it's easy to interpret Total Recall in a very straightforward manner, so that the bulk of what we're seeing at any particular moment and the bulk of the dialogue are the literal reality, very convincing arguments can be made that the majority of the film is a depiction of Quaid's memory implant while in the "patient's chair" at Rekall. And those certainly aren't the only two interpretations possible.

What matters more than thinking one has a "right answer", though, is the deeply captivating story that provokes our interpretations and the amount of fun we have getting there. Verhoeven and the scriptwriting team, which included Dan O'Bannon and Ron Shusett (the writing team behind the first “Alien” film) never let us go very long without another plot twist, most of which force a reinterpretation of the material that went before. The twists occur about once per every ten minutes, if not more frequently.

The entire film is built on this fascinating precipice and it clearly showcases the incredible imagination of Phillip Dick and his notions.

Of course, when you’ve cast Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead, most audiences want to believe that he’s actually kicking ass…and when it comes to the action, Verhoeven doesn’t disappoint.

The spectacle of “Total Recall” is admittedly a bit more bombastic than “Robocop” (although I prefer the ladder as a whole) and the action is top notch especially on the cusp of 1990…when films such as “Die Hard 2” and “Robocop 2” were also busy upping the body count.

The film, essentially, starts as a huge chase movie with Quaid attempting to escape Richter and Cohaagen’s thugs all while trying to uncover the mystery of what’s going on. The chase throughout the subway is awesome, including the poor sap that Quaid uses as a human shield (very much “Recall”s answer to Kenny getting blown away by ED-209 in “Robocop&#8221. Then there’s the fight when Quaid makes it to Mars and that’s pretty sweet.

And who can deny that moment when Thumbelina…the small stature escort…stands atop the bar in the Last Resort wielding a machine gun!?

Any film that has a midget ****e gunning down soldiers is pure gold!!!

But the best action sequence, for me, is the finale as Quaid and Melina take on Cohaagen’s forces with a trusty hologram watch.

“Ha ha ha ha you think this is the real Quaid? It IS.”

Quaid’s fight with Benny in the giant drilling machine is also dynamic and powerful.

Being a Paul Verhoeven film, the violence is essential and, obviously, brutal. Gunshots blow holes through people while arms get severed, heads get blown out, spikes go through noses (true!) and, possibly the most grotesque effect in the film…what happens to the human body as a result of being on the surface of Mars without oxygen.

Yeesh!

The cast is a wonderful assembly of genre favorites.

“Total Recall,” without a doubt, is my personal favorite performance of Schwarzenegger’s. While he did admittedly create an iconic character with the Terminator and that’s the role he’s most synonymous with…you have to understand that essentially he’s playing a one-note cyborg in those films.

Now in the case of this picture, you could argue that it’s no different from other Arnold fair such as “Commando,” “Red Heat” or “True Lies” as far as Arnold being a bad ass spouting off one-line zingers…and in one aspect he has to provided this element here as well.

But what makes “Total Recall” stand out for me is the fact that Arnold starts off the film as an everyman…completely oblivious to any notions of being a superhuman fighting force. At first he’s completely neglectful of the idea…even after he totally slaughters Harry and his goons after leaving Rekall, you catch a glimpse of Arnold completely in disbelief over his actions. While he very much remains an action hero in the film, this dynamic of him being led to believe that he’s just a simpleton adds a layer to his performance that isn’t really in any of his other action exploits.

The three supports of film are also wonderfully rendered. Sharon Stone beautifully delivers as Quaid’s loving wife yet also molds incredibly well in to the b*tchy adversary he has to deal with…at least we get to see her all nice and sweaty first. Quaid’s true love Melina is given a very flavorful approach by Rachel Ticotin (Sally Bishop from “Con Air!!&#8221 and it’s really something that the noblest female in the film is a sleazy member of a sex saloon. And then there’s the kick ass Michael Ironside (“Scanners,” “The Machinist&#8221 who I’ve been a fan of for many years, partly due to his role here as Richter. Ironside is such a bad ass here yet it’s always a delight to see Arnold kick him around and rip his arms off to have him fall to his death.

“See you at the party, Richter!”

One of me favorite characters, though admittedly a minor one, was Benny the Cab Driver, played by Mel Johnson, Jr. He stole many of the scenes he was in with great comic timing and an interesting back-story. I was quite interested by how he went from being what could have been a minor background role to a primary figure in the overall plot. Exquisite.

Finally, Verhoeven utilizes Ronny Cox yet again as a vicious bad guy…only this time, as opposed to “Robocop,” his turn as Cohaagen is even worse! But it truly speaks volumes of Ronny as an actor since he’s able to go from playing a string of nice guy roles into being the biggest bastard on Mars.

The film, along with “Predator” is also one of Arnold’s most quotable.

“I got five kids to feed!”
“Consider that a Divorce!”
“A Man is defined by his actions, not his memories.”
“In thirty seconds you'll be dead, and I'll blow this place up and be home in time for Corn Flakes.”

The film is a visual marvel and looks absolutely b*tchin!

William Sandell’s production design on Earth fits with the Neo-Brutalist architecture found on location in Mexico…the giant concrete colossal structures are a sight to behold through Jost Vacano’s camera. From there, Sandell and Vacano both get to shine on Mars. The design of the Colony is incredible with its airport type feel and uncompromising steel surfaces working as a great contrast to the harsh red of the planet. And of course there’s Venusville, the sleazy district of Adult Entertainment and Prostitution…complete with dingy back alleys that you, as an audience member, kind of want to peer into and see all the nooks and crannies of…it’s that in depth! The neon work of the area is also awesome with blazing signs for everything from ‘XXX films’ to ‘Nudie Booths’ to ‘Jack in the Box’ and ‘Pepsi’ (a great visual metaphor for western society saturating a foreign locale just as America has done to China and Japan).

There's a lot of fun to be had noticing all of the cultural differences and similarities that the future era of the film will bring. Verhoeven delights in subtle glimpses of various symbols and accoutrement's. His view of the future is one full of corruption, commercialism and decadence. He doesn't have much confidence in a "bright new world" as humans spread out to new territory.

Vacano’s cinematography is scorching on Mars and it’s almost as if the red pigment of the planet is meant to evoke Quaid’s own rage for trying to figure out his identity and place in the world.

The film’s visual and optical effects are amazing…the holograms are neat and the models constructed for the Shuttle to Mars and the Colony itself as well as the Pyramid Mine. It also looks incredible in camera and it harkens back to a time when the field wasn’t dominated by computer imagery.

Although, interestingly enough, “Total Recall” boasts one of the most memorable early CG shots when Quaid passes through an elongated x-ray device. The image of his green-tined skeleton running towards the glass and Arnold himself shattering through it? AWESOME!

“Total Recall” is also known for its incredible make up and visual effects work by Rob Bottin (“Robocop,” “Fight Club&#8221. The mutants of Mars are incredibly imagined with bizarre make-up work that just looks gorgeous. The giant effect created for Kuato himself is magnificent and a great moment of “how did they DO that!?” back when I was younger.

You’ve got the false head that Quaid wears to make it to Mars undetected…beautifully conceived through stop motion animation and Bottin’s practical creation.

Oh and who can forget Mary? The Last Resort hooker with three…count ‘em…three boobs. That always seemed to come off as wishful thinking when I was a teenager.

There’s also the simple yet effective creation of the Johnny Cab; robotic taxis used on Earth. These puppets always, for some reason, reminded me of Don Knots in their appearance…I know that might seem weird, but whatever. It’s also great with Quaid, finally fed up, just dismantles one of them to make his own escape.

But without a doubt, Bottin’s work was cut out for him when it came to displaying the effects of being out in Mar’s non-existent atmosphere. Fully sculpted heads for Arnold, Rachel and Ronny were made…complete with pulsating necks and bulging eyes. I remember getting freaked out about that when I was a kid, the sight of a human being suffocating like that is one of the hallmark images of the film and sticks with you BIG TIME!

In terms of production values, “Total Recall” is probably one of the best of its time.

The film is brought full circle with a breathtakingly sweeping score composed by Jerry Goldsmith…his “Total Recall” theme is hands down one of the best science fiction themes I have ever heard in a film; it’s bold, futuristic, dynamic, heroic…it makes you want to venture to Mars to fight Colonial Soldiers it’s that rousing! That score is very well orchestrated in its theatrics and it’s a definite crowd pleaser. The remainder of his score is very atmospheric and play a big contribution in increasing the scope and importance of the picture’s narrative.

While Total Recall certainly has influences, including "The Martian Chronicles" (1980), “Dune” (1984) and the first major film based on a Philip K. Dick work, “Blade Runner” (1982), it's more notable for the films that it has influenced in subsequent years, including “The Fifth Element” (1997) and many of the "rubber reality" films such as “Abre los ojos” (1997), “Vanilla Sky “(2001) and “The Thirteenth Floor” (1999). It's also yet another film on the very long list that have had various elements "adapted" into part of The Matrix (1999)--most explicitly here, the "bug" that Quaid has to remove from his body with a high-tech machine and the possibility of "waking up" from a particular reality by taking "the red pill".

In all honesty, there’s no real provocative undertone for the film…”Total Recall” is just a rip roaring ride of fun! It’s the kind of film that you can check your brain at the Main Titles and just enjoy yourself. It provides everything you could ever want in a slam-bang sci-fi blockbuster and it’s just great.

Fast paced and extremely violent, “Total Recall” is a dazzle…an absolute must see for Sci-Fi aficionados and just , simply put, one of the best times you can have watching a film.

----------------------------------------------

 

[Vengeance]

Agree with everything there, a truly great action sci-fi film with a just as good mind bending story to boot and fantastic effects(which I miss nowadays), love it.http://it.gl

 

[TruerToTheCore]

So you may think, but this is a slightly different Kirk, the one who was a loose cannon for all those years without his father's inspiration and guidance.

Fine. But then it's a different character, not James T. Kirk and the re-introduction to the modern audience is kinda... useless?

He would have a bit more of a cocky attitude, and Kirk does play the cocky attitude when he feels it's appropriate, like in 'the Corbomite Maneuver'.

To save his ship. Not to piss other people off. Kirk in TOS was alone in the big universe, he HAD to bend the rules. In the new movie he bends them just to bend them. ANd to annoy people. That'S a prick, and ultimatively disrespectful to the chracter "James T. Kirk".

I am not a Trekkie, but I had my period of being into the original series, and recognised Kirk in the JJ movie.

I am no Trekkie either and if they've changed the names I would not have recognized them. With a little bit more irony this could've been a good sequel to Galaxy Quest... Yup, it would've worked as a Trek parody, not as a serious movie.

and , as said, he is a What If? Kirk, same guy with different experiences shaping him.

Twin studies have found out that your basic personality is usually the same, even if you live in totally different mileus. ANd that's just backed up more and more by genetic research. Again, I cry "foul" when I see this "Alternative Kirk". They could've made a completely new crew. But they wanted the names because they bring the money.

Like someone who went to a rough and tumble school as opposed to one who went to boarding school, that would shape a slightly different attitude, even though the kid would be just as brainy.

See above.

 

[Vengeance]

^ though can be said Kirk of old did bend the rules sometimes after all he did cheat on the test in both this film and original history and if you watch the films how many times does he go against Starfleet's orders, hell he steals the Enterprise and flies it straight out the base doing a bit of damage in the process against orders, I could imagine a younger Kirk being a bit more pricky as you called it.http://orders.gl