Somebody (somewhere) decided it would be a good idea to remake the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger action flick Total Recall, and the result is being released this summer — whether sci-fi fans want it or not.
Offhand, I cannot think of a reason why the Paul Verhoeven-directed special-effects extravaganza (which was more schlocky fun than any kind of classic to me) needs to be remade, but then again, when has that ever stopped Hollywood? This is another one of those productions (like Dark Shadows) that I had no interest in when it was announced — Colin Farrell replacing Ah-nuld as an amnesiac who may or may not be a freedom fighter/terrorist on Mars? — but after seeing the full-length trailer I am… less disinterested. Not quite interested, but I don’t see it as a black hole of nothing anymore, because it looks like the producers are really trying to be different. But it’s keeping the same name.
This version features Farrell, Kate Beckinsale (Underworld) and Jessica Biel, and is directed by Len Wiseman (Underworld) — Kate’s real-life husband. And it features a wicked catfight between Kate and Jessica, so that could theoretically make up for a multitude of sins. And visual effects have come a long way since the late-1980s technology used to turn Arnold into a woman. Still, I’m not convinced I need to see this in a theater, so the flick still has some work to do.
Read at Joe's 