Total Recall (1990) Vs. Total Recall (2012)

[CyberpunkCentral]

Originally Posted by Rizor

But I don’t dislike the remake. At the very least, it looks great and its cast looks even better.

Come on, don't bullshit me - YouTube

[TheWildWhelk]

Is TR 1990 arguably the greatest modelwork film until Peter Jackson's Lord Of The Rings trilogy kicked off in 2001? I'd argue absolutely. An absolute feast for the eyes...

[L.J.]

1990 obviously

[lud]

1990.
Is this joke??

Though, 2012 has hotter ladies. Kate and Jessica .

[CreasyBear]

Originally Posted by lud

1990.
Is this joke??

Though, 2012 has hotter ladies. Kate and Jessica .

Hmmm...Sharon Stone in 1990 begs to differ.

Total Recall - Sharon Stone - YouTube

[KManX89]

1990, easily.

Remake was pure shit.

[HotTastyChili]

Originally Posted by Cliff

!990 wins, if only because it knows what it is.

The 2012 version goes back to the original Philip K Dick story but also doubles down on being a remake of 1990 (right down to calling it Total Recall for some reason). Problem is... the 1990 film often deviated wildly from the Philip K. Dick story, so 2012 is a bit incoherent as a result. Why include stuff like the 3 breasted woman when you've removed all the Mars and mutant stuff created for the 1990 version? 2012 TR is a great example of trying to have your cake and eat it too. If they'd have just stuck to "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" without trying to also lazily ride on the back of the 1990 film, they might have created something great, much like John Carpenter did with The Thing.

They probably kept the original film's title because the novel's title is so cumbersome. Philip K. Dick had a lot of those, like Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

"Consider that a divorce" is my favorite Arnie one liner ever. 1990 and it's not even close.

[Zoland2020]

This competition was over from the very start. The 1990 Schwarzenegger original blows the 2012 Farrell remake out of the water by a long shot and it's not even close.

[ltb2.0]

1990 without a doubt.

[traths]

1990

[mpstjohn]

A bit split on this.

I prefer the ending of the remake since Total Recall (1990)

[Show spoiler]ends with the insinuation that the entire film was literally just a psychotic episode and he had his brains scrambled at Recall

while the remake sustains that everything actually happened, which is at least a happy ending.

The 90s film is fun in a cheesy way and I enjoy it like that, rather than as a serious bit of science fiction. I don't believe that Schwarzenneger is an everyman the way he was in the story Philip K Dick wrote, nor that he would even work as a spy, the guy stands out in every room he's in. Nor do I buy that anyone would believe a word Cohagen says, the guy acts like a typical 80s villain, nor do I buy what Quaid's wife says about her being out of his league, he's Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The remake plays a few things more real. Colin Farrel plays a shlubby guy better, the reveal that his old identity (at least in the director's cut) is completely different looking (as played by Ethan Hawk) makes more sense. The notion of his old identity taking over leading into a schizoid episode where he must rely on muscle memory to get out of the situation rather than just having a psychotic episode, being sedated and waking up later in a Johnny Cab is compelling.

At a certain point it occurred to me that I enjoyed the 90s film as more a fun piece of late 80s/early 90s cheese than a serious bit of science fiction or even as a Philip K Dick film, I feel the remake fills that latter's void a little more.

If I want to watch a more serious scifi thriller I'll watch the remake, if I want a fun laugh of childhood nostalgia though I'll stick with the original. Either way each one has something to offer in the way of entertainment.

[SpartanJGE]

1990, easily. There's no comparison for me...