Films/DVD Asylum

'Total Recall': Is it over already?

108.81.116.219

mr grits

A

Gawd, I was so ready for this overly long action melodrama to end. Even the fire alarm that went off was a blessed relief. Don't get me wrong, this was superior to Ahnold's version and had nothing to do with Mars. Points for a more semi-realistic plot.

Yeah, they be action and too much of it. Just typical of the endless remakes that the Hollyweed cash cow throws at us. Looked to be a Brit film other than Farrell and Beckinsale having American accents which was explained later.

This thing was designed to sell popcorn and soda but is so long you will be getting free refills--which is a backfire for the theater.

Good luck on this one. If you want to see a new twist to an olde tale then go see it.

2 outta 5

Follow Ups:

fabulous looking science fiction movie - mbnx01 22:28:45 08/06/12 (0)
Ok, it was a little long, but damn. If you've got a big screen in your neighborhood and like science fiction, go.

Cast was excellent across the board.

"Lock up when you're done and don't touch the piano."
-Dr. Greg House
Which Chick is Which? (mild spoilers) - Brian A 00:27:28 08/06/12 (3)
Okay, so I saw the movie today and had trouble telling the wife and the mistress apart at first. I liked how the movie repeated all the (in)famous scenes of the original with a twist.

What I didn't like was the trashing of physics with "The Drop" I know it is far above the ability of most here to understand, but let's just say the 17 minute drop is impossible for several reasons. First of all, I did the math, and amazingly enough, if you were to fall for 8.5 minutes at one gee acceleration, then slow at one gee for another 8.5 minutes, sure enough, you could cover much of the diameter of the Earth. They got that right. However, should you be able to fall through the Earth like that, your acceleration would immediately start reducing due to the fact that the mass of the Earth above you would start counteracting the mass of the Earth still below you.

So you wouldn't increase in speed like you would with a constant acceleration. Also, wind resistance would slow you way down. It is apparent in the movie that there is air in the tunnel. And if the tunnel was full of air, it would be immensely dense toward the center of the Earth, perhaps even solid. Then you have the question of heat and radiation near the core of the Earth. And finally, you would, theoretically, feel weightless for the entire journey, for you would be in a free fall.

Finally, the passengers would indeed feel lowered gravity near the core of the earth, then the gravity would reverse, but only if their velocity remained constant, and it wasn't. Also, in "reality" they were traveling along a path that passed only near the core. So if they really could make that fall in a perfect vacuum, what they would feel was a slight lateral force as they would always be falling at an angle to the center of the Earth.

I'll spare further criticisms, but the Fall, as presented, is wrong much more than it is right.

We'll have to agree to disagree about global warming until the next global cooling scare comes along
- If you can't tell... - mkuller 10:23:03 08/06/12 (2)
  ...Jessica Beil from Kate Beckinsale, you have bigger problems than suspending your belief for a science FICTION film.
  - Thanks, good point - Brian A 13:12:40 08/06/12 (1)
    After a few scenes, I was able to tell, but I tend to not recognize faces at first when I don't know the person. For me, they would have had to be a blonde and brunet, or one real shapely, or something to make them obviously different. But that's just me.
    
    I read that Eva Green was considered to play the part of Melina (Jessica Biel). Now I would have recognized her big time! Biel's performance seemed a bit lifeless to me. Kate Beckinsale as Lori was much more interesting.
    
    But, I'll hold fast to my criticism of the Drop. Science Fiction, by definition, takes presently known science and interpolates it into the future. Not unlike Star Trek. The drop violates, in painfully stupid ways, well known scientific facts. It would be like the USS Enterprise using helium balloons to travel through space.
    
    We'll have to agree to disagree about global warming until the next global cooling scare comes along
    - Biel's performance... - mkuller 20:44:38 08/06/12 (0)
      ...seemed lifeless.
      
      She doesn't seem to be much of an actress, but what a babe.
I liked it more than you... - mkuller 13:12:03 08/05/12 (0)
...and some critics, but I didn't expect a lot going in.

Lots of action and an interesting premise.

The future here is larger and darker than in Arnold's film many years ago plus CGI has developed much further.

Fun popcorn flick.

I'd give it a solid C.
The only Farrell flick I've liked was "In Bruges". - free.ranger 12:35:37 08/05/12 (2)
I've tried liking the man with one eyebrow, but since that movie in 2008, I can't muster it up. The industry is trying so damn hard to make him into an action hero, I don't know if he can do other things or not. "In Bruges" stands out, IMO, as his best/only decent work.

He was OK in "The Recruit" with Pacino, but as usual, Big Al stole the show. Farrell's biggest presence there was as an eternal brooder.
- I liked him in 'London Boulevard'.......an interesting Brit Crime. * - mr grits 11:58:45 08/06/12 (1)
  .
  - He (& everyone else) was good in that, though as a film it was disheveled. TERRIBLE editing!/mediocre story...N/T - musetap 20:37:08 08/12/12 (0)
    N/T
    "One this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" - Michael McClure
'Blade Runner'. - mbnx01 16:32:28 08/04/12 (1)
A bad movie that's famous for looking good.

TR is playing on the local BIG screen. I'll go. What the heck, it's not like I'm that busy with other things.

Looking forward to science fiction extravaganza, but not a particularly good movie.

This won't be the first time for that for me.

And I'm sure it won't be the last.

"Lock up when you're done and don't touch the piano."
-Dr. Greg House
- Four stars??? - KLechterO78s 11:59:59 08/05/12 (0)
  Seems to me, I always see Blade Runner as receiving good marks. However, I've made half a dozen attempts to watch it and never made it past 15 minutes. This film just can't hold my attention.
  
  BTW I liked Arnold in Total Recall. Cheesy, funny, violent, bizarre...lots of movies like this came out in the late 80's early 90's.
No surprises in your head's up but thanks for validating the dreck ads that... - musetap 11:12:32 08/04/12 (0)
in and among themselves made this POS looking monstrosity a pass.

Some producers just have WAY too much money to spend.

Hope PKD's estate made some bank on it.

"One this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" - Michael McClure
I loved - oldmkvi 08:38:31 08/04/12 (0)
OK, hated, Ahnold,s Bug Eyes near the end of the original!
I can't remember. - tinear 08:19:33 08/04/12 (0)
Thanks for seeing this POS. When you hear that the studio won't release a film for critical review pre-general opening, your antennae should be alerted.
it got horrible reviews...no need to waste your shekels NT - Jazz Inmate 20:49:35 08/03/12 (0)
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We must be the change we wish to see in the world. -Gandhi

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