[critical] Total Recall – Programmed Memory

At the end of the twenty-first century, the Earth has been the subject of several conflicts chemical that made a good part of our world uninhabitable. Only two large territories remained healthy : the Islands of england, as well as a part of the european coast, known under the name of federal Union british economic power, and Australia, called ” the Colony “, in a state of poverty. Every day, the workers of the Colony borrow the only safe means of transport, the Fall, which passes through the earth’s core. Doug Quaid, a worker making security robots, has had enough of living the same life, day after day. Interested in the offers of the company Rekall, which offers its customers the implant of memories virtual, it launches out in the adventure, and decides to implant memories of a secret agent mission. And is found embedded in a conspiracy in which millions of lives depend on his actions…

Author’s Note

[rating:6/10]

• Release Date : August 15, 2012

• Directed by Len Wiseman

• Film american

• With Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, Ethan Hawke, Bill Nighy

• Duration : 2h01min

• Original title : Total Recall

• Trailer :

Total Recall – Programmed Memory is the second film adaptation of a novel of 1966 by Philip K. Dick “We can remember it for you wholesale” (“Memories for sale” in VF). I admit to not having seen the previous version of 1990 by Paul Verhoeven with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sharon Stone but this new version keeps the bulk of the fabric of the original medium and his first adaptation, evacuating just March to stay on an Earth dual the 2 parts are connected by “the Fall”, a kind of shuttle underground traversing the planet.

The scenario, given its literary origin quite ancient, is no longer very revolutionary in 2012. The subject of the super-agent is reprogrammed with the memory of a “normal” person has already been re-used many times. Moreover, even before the first adaptation film of the novel, a cartoon japanese, 1982, named Cobra, that one could see in France in RécréA2 in the 80s, incorporated the same principle of machine dreams reveals the true nature of a guy lambda. Playing slightly on the concept of perception of reality (mostly in the hero’s lines, but in only one real scene otherwise) and on the idea of the political plot, the film is not a monument of reflection, but an action film quite effective.

Borrowing visually to Blade Runner for its scenery and its rain and the modernity of the armed synthetic of recent films like the “new” Star Wars trilogy or Tron Legacy, the implementation environment of this Total Recall remains sympathetic. However, in the manner of many blockbusters, many of the action scenes (particularly the end of the film) are clearly exaggerated, and others show the weaknesses of realization that can commit Len Wiseman, which I had not at all enjoyed the first movie (the saga Underworld). It is clear, however, that if the action is omnipresent, the film is well paced, despite a few light laps in the first half-hour. Information taken, those who have viewed the first version will benefit in more than a few winks and references like for example the famous call girl with three breasts.

Colin Farrell is believable in the main role, even as his partner weapon, interpreted by Jessica Biel. On the other hand, if Bryan Cranston is excellent in her roles the television, it is here little to be credible in its role of policy and little disturbing. By the way, if the idea (voluntary) director to add to the kits of the hero a brunette woman more like a ‘real woman’ of the hero rather than a blonde like in the original story is relevant in the play of realities in which can register on film, the choice of his own wife Kate Beckinsale in this role there is no doubt more linked to its plastic (which will be worth definitely a few more points to note on the part of some spectators) to his talents of actresses extremely little visible.

Total Recall – Programmed Memory is not a disaster film like the summer season we sometimes used in the field of blockbusters and remakes, quite the contrary. But there is, however, limited to a film easily, without large-scale : a very good time of relaxation, but a feature film, very classic, both in substance and in form.