TOTAL RECALL (1990) MOVIE REACTION - WHAT IS REAL!? - First Time Watching - Review

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

This movie kept messing with our heads with all of the twists! We love how we're constantly trying to figure out what is going on. So what's your take? Did he go to Mars or is this all in his head? If you enjoyed the reaction leave a like and subscribe (It helps us out a bunch and it's like KZbin tipping 😂) If you'd like to support the channel and gain access to the full length reaction become a member of our patreon bit.ly/3ICVrJ6 Watch our reactions early! kzbin.info/door/iCUz1bHid4H9mu6g2IOjXgjoin

[@TerribleEnglish]

I think it's designed to keep us guessing, but neither one actually works; it can't be just a dream program because his wife turns up in it.. and it can't be real because he chooses Melina for his love interest.. imo.

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

We love the fact that it keeps you guessing! It added a really nice dynamic. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

[@PaulWinkle]

The sweat droplet doesnt prove anything. Could be part of his schizo dream, a desire to keep the game rolling. Meanwhile I am sure, we see just an injected vacation, the stuff Arnie was paying for. I mean if Cohagen planned this bizarre plot to lead him to Kuato, why should he send the doctor and his wife to stop him?

[@nedzed3663]

And so many fake prosthetic Arnie heads

[@PaulWinkle]

@@nedzed3663 when his head came out of the woman's head he looked more like William Shattner in the Star Trek movies

[@lianafelice5466]

If you are loving Verhoeven but haven't seen Starship Troopers yet, I always recommend checking it out. It's gotten mixed reviews, but it is very satirical, and I think not everyone picks up on that. I personally love it 😀

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

We haven't seen that one yet, but it's definitely on our list! We've been loving the Verhoeven movies!

[@BlueScouse4]

Great suggestion! Love that film

[@bullpup33]

It's one of my favorite movies of all time!

[@nexus1972]

I'd like to know more.....

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

Jerry Goldsmith was supposed to do the score for Starship Troopers, but was busy with another project, so Verhoeven turned to a previous composer who he worked with on "Flesh & Blood" and "RoboCop": Basil Poledouris.

[@kiranpunnoose2441]

"You are what you do. A man is defined by his actions, not his memory." That is one of the best lines ever. When Quaid, a man with no memory who wants his memory restored and to be who he was before and himself, learns that his original memory and identity Hauser is nothing but a villain. So, taking the important words from Kuato by heart, he chose to renounce his original memory and identity of Hauser and became Quaid to do what is right.

[@YolandaAnneBrown95726]

#Truth.

[@sircdrom]

Word! I love it when he refers to himself as an asshole.

[@bfdidc6604]

@@sircdrom Nice when you can say it and it is not considered self-abuse.

[@maintenancelordgaming5778]

well said

[@dresca2501]

Great movie. Must've inspired Matrix. Cause his recall was exactly what he wanted. So this whole movie is his dream or ego trip 😂

[@MacMc691]

Arnold in his prime with this one. One of many huge blockbusters he was putting out left and right at the time, which catapulted him into one of the biggest action stars of all time. Movie still holds up.

[@tokukeitaro]

That run from Conan to True Lies cemented him as the number one action star. I even like Last Action Hero, but everything from Eraser onwards was sub par imo

[@MacMc691]

@@tokukeitaro That's a fair assessment. I would probably mix in End of Days and The 6th Day, and maybe T3, but it's subjective. Around the mid to late 90's, either way, his career was winding down. During the time you mentioned though, I can't think of another action star that was big as him other than Stallone, but even Sly wasn't that big. People that weren't around back then, have no idea how popular Arnold actually was, and to this day, there hasn't been another action star as big, and we didn't have the internet. lol

[@swokatsamsiyu3590]

If you loved RoboCop and this movie, you simply must watch Starship Troopers. Another well made movie with great effects, storytelling and underlying theme. Verhoeven really was on the top of his game back then.

[@kenpaden]

YES!!!! they will love Starship Troopers!!

[@swokatsamsiyu3590]

@@kenpaden You bet ya! Plenty of twist turners; on the nose, over the top characters with a purpose; and gore galore. And the same humour as in RoboCop.

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

@@swokatsamsiyu3590 on our list! Can’t wait to check it out 😄

[@ratpwn]

This. More Michael Ironside in all his underrated glory.

[@august_theroman]

Yessss Starship Troopers is one of my favorites!

[@chicodel5125]

Fun fact, The subway scene was filmed in Mexico, in the 80s, Mexico had one of the best and cleanest subways in the world.

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

Had no idea! That station looked clean af!

[@PaulWinkle]

Maybe it was built for the football world championship in Mexico 1986

[@chicodel5125]

@@PaulWinkle The subway was inaugurated in '68, but it was one of the most modern for its time, and the film was filmed almost entirely in Mexico.

[@kaziu312]

​@@chicodel5125interesting!

[@carloscontreras4655]

​@Gimil38 Dude, get your facts right before commenting. The real deal is: "When you're in Mexico, you MUST avoid drinking water directly from the SINK!", not ANY water (for example, bottled water, or what you can get at any restautant, bar, hotel, etc), like your comment seems to imply. 🙄 BTW; I'm Mexican!

[@flizzight]

Robocop, Total Recall, and Starship Troopers - best bullet squibs EVER !!!

[@DraylianKaiju]

The writer of the book Total Recall, Philip K. Dick was a genius at writing great Sci-fi while still weaving brilliant social commentary into his work. His book "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" was later adapted into "Blade Runner" another Sci-Fi masterpiece. And his book " A Scanner Darkly" was also adapted into a film and is one of my favorite Sci-Fi films....and as ALWAYS awesome reaction and review guys 😎🤓👍👏👏👏

[@IanSmith-t1x]

Also, Minority Report, Screamers, The Adjustment Bureau, Radio Free Albemuth, Also TV series, The Man in the High Castle, and Electric Dreams. Without doubt, the greatest Sci-Fi writer ever! His narratives are peppered with the politics and socioeconomic problems of the 60's and 70's, which give his stories a gravitas and realism that is sadly lacking in the works of most other Sci-Fi writers. A huge talent, gone too soon!

[@marcelmoreau2733]

only stephen king has had as many stories adapted into movies/tv as phil k dick.

[@gramrus]

Also, "Vanilla Sky" based on Phil's "Ubik", where reality and dreams are mixed

[@jaimicottrill2831]

Wow, you guys are so great at picking up the little subtle details that I miss when I watch movies! At the same time you're not pretentious about it, it's like watching movies with very cool friends.

[@g3synth205]

I remember this being the most expensive movie ever made at the time of its release. That has since been surpassed many times, but for 1990, this was a really huge, expensive production.

[@lethaldose2000]

Hey Ari and Denise, In Total Recall, the initial setup is a really cool way to have the audience guessing what is really happening. -------- The idea that from the MOMENT Quaid sits in the chair, everything plays out exactly like the secret agent memory he paid for. -------- The plotline is a signature of the author Philip k. Dick. -------- He enjoys posing the questions "what is real, what only exists in my mind, and how important is the difference, really?" Some others that have been adapted to film include "Minority Report," "A Scanner Darkly," and perhaps most famously, "Blade Runner."

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

Love those themes honestly! Can’t wait to check out the other movies based on his writing! 😃

[@lethaldose2000]

@@OfficialMediaKnights of course "Blade Runner" is next level. "Minority Report" is great as well. The adaptation of "I-Robot" and "A Scanner Darkly" were not as well executed in the script adaptation, so they kind of fall short, but a still a good watch.

[@signupstuff]

In the beginning when they're strapping Quaid in, the lab technician mentions "blue sky on mars" while looking at the implant they're about to use. It's a throw-away line that no one pays attention to at the time but comes back at the very end.

[@johncarpenter3751]

In my opinion, it was all a dream. The line in the end “Blue Skies on Mars” is a line that was said by a recall technician. “Hum, Blue Skies on Mars, that’s a new one” is the line that makes me think it was a dream.

[@mokane86]

Also the alien artifacts from the pamphlet and his order, and the fade to white. Of course Melina being built and shown on the Rekall computers as he describes is suspicious as well, but presumably the computer could have pulled her from his real memory.

[@paul1979uk2000]

That and the fade out at the end suggest it was a dream and he's waking up.

[@astragalusson]

If it's a dream how do you explain the scenes without Arnold's character, only including the villains? Considering it's a memory manipulation thing, why the company created scenes that doesn't include him? Did they include "cut scenes" in his fake memory? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to prove you're wrong. It just doesn't make sense to me.

[@johncarpenter3751]

@@astragalusson cuz it’s a movie, we didn’t see Arnold take a shit in the movie ever, so with your logic, because I didn’t see it, we must be in a dream. No one travels from earth to space and doesn’t take a dump 😂

[@wibli]

me too

[@kevinburton3948]

"You think this is the real Quaid? *It is* !" Best one-liner in the film!

[@welcometothemovies9157]

The guy who becomes Arnold human shield on escalator was my friend. He was a stuntman and coordinator for years before he passed away last fall

[@batmanvsjoker7725]

Just now realized that the bad guy smashing his fish tank and letting all the fish suffocate is a mirror image for all the Martians suffocating without air

[@batistacena84]

Lmfao 30 years to wake up seems long my friend 😂

[@batmanvsjoker7725]

@@batistacena84 I don't get it

[@JetPackFlame]

Duh!

[@jd-zr3vk]

Your explanation is clear, a breath of fresh air.

[@jomojojo6603]

Did you call him the bad guy because you couldn't spell Cohag...Kohaig...Kopenha... Yeah, bad guy. 😂

[@alucard624]

Still a great movie all these years later. Verhoeven's love of over the top violence, especially the overblown squibs for gunshots, is a staple of his films. The VFX still hold up pretty well even if some of the animatronic work can look somewhat janky (part of the charm too).

[@martynkellett]

You guys are killing it. Im in. I appreciate the intelligent commentary you give to these reactions.

[@rexxbailey2764]

LOLS, DATS INTELLIGENT COMMENTARY FOR YOU !??😆😂😂😂🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂 POSERS. 😂😂😂😂😂😂👎

[@stillhuntre55]

I saw this in the theatre when it first came out! And I saw it for one reason: my man Michael Ironside. Through the whole movie I kept seeing him as his character from "V"; Ham Tyler. Little mannerisms, expressions...I LOVED that character. Then a few weeks later I saw him interviewed - and he said he'd played his role in Total Recall as a "goodbye" to his Ham Tyler character, as he'd loved playing him and never got closure for him. I KNEW IT! And I love when you can see certain things in the nuances of a favourite actor's performance.

[@bandvcreations5955]

Demolition Man and Starship Troopers are also a great sci-fi rides from the 90's with fun commentary and action

[@LordSplendid]

Yes! Demolition Man have a similar vibe indeed! So much fun.

[@SCharlesDennicon]

Demolition Man is a nice scifi action flick but it doesn't hold a candle to Total Recall.

[@bryanb3352]

@@SCharlesDennicon imo, Demolition Man is much better. I've watched it many more times. I'd say it's more relevant today than when it was made.

[@LordSplendid]

@@SCharlesDennicon I agree, Demolition man have some flaws.

[@Daniel-Strain]

I love how both Robocop and Total Recall are about the subject of identity, what makes you YOU - and whether or not the 'powers that be' can tell you who you are, or whether you control who you are.

[@batmanvsjoker7725]

I love how for all the gore and cheesy one-liners, the movie still keeps in touch with its bigger themes of dictatorship and questioning reality. Another movie that'll make you question reality is Inception by Christopher Nolan.

[@LordBaktor]

So many extra details to catch on repeat viewings. This movie can easily be watched 10 or 15 times and still feel fresh.

[@Klayhamn]

the main trick maintaining the "was it all a dream" conundrum is the fact that - in the "secret spy" scenario, he actually WAS an agent in the past and his memory was ostensibly erased - this is what makes both possibilities plausible, since any incongruence (e.g. him "ordering" a woman that ends up looking exactly like the one he ends up meeting) can be explained by fragments of his "original" memory.

[@TheRPGInsomniac]

Another underrated 80s gem you could watch would be “Ladyhawke” from 1985. Directed by Richard Donner (Lethal Weapon, The Goonies, so many other greats), and stars Rutger Hauer, Michelle Pfeifer, and Matthew Broderick. It’s got fantasy, action, romance, humor … really think you two would love it!

[@silence1776]

It's a chick flick disguised as a sword-and-sorcery picture. The only genre film with less balls is probably ... Frickin' Legend. ~ Aech ~ Ready Player One

[@Renegade2786]

6:47 - 6:51 I thought the EMH was a doctor, not a cab driver. PS: I like how the movie ends the same way the guy in Rekall describes it to Doug. Making the audience think that everything after he fell asleep in the machine was a simulation.

[@wadethegreat22]

The open ending is great. I think it was an ego trip. The demure girl on screen before he went under is the key clue. Unless they just sample photos of criminals, what are the odds they have his secret girlfriend as an option?

[@willx8837]

"that's what she said" was not expecting that, spat my beer out. Great reactions guys, I really enjoyed

[@SushiElemental]

"Great reactions guys, I really enjoyed" is also what she said

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

One of the many short stories by Philip K. Dick that were turned into an awesome movie. "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" became "Total Recall" with a later remake with Colin Farrell, Jessica Biel, and Kate Beckinsale "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" became "Blade Runner" with Harrison Ford, Sean Young, and Rutger Hauer "Paycheck" stayed "Paycheck" with Ben Affleck, Uma Thurman, and Aaron Eckhart "Minority Report" stayed "Minority Report" with Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, and Max von Sydow "Second Variety" became "Screamers" with Peter Weller, Roy Dupuis, and Jennifer Rubin "Adjustment Team" became "The Adjustment Bureau" with Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, and Anthony Mackie "A Scanner Darkly" stayed "A Scanner Darkly" with Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, and Robert Downey, Jr. "The Golden Man" became "Next" with Nicholas Cage, Julianne Moore, and Jessica Biel

[@kenyabrunson4985]

Also, his 1953 short story, "Impostor" was turned into the 2001 movie "Impostor", with Gary Sinise, Vincent D'onofrio, and Madeline Stowe.

[@Taj_Rahine]

The short story of paycheck was way better than the movie. Thanks for listing these though, there are a few I haven't read/ seen yet, but I'll be sure to see them asap.

[@SubterrelProspector]

Fantastic reaction. Love this film. And THANK YOU for leaving in the "Guy's a f***ing a**hole.". My favorite line delivery in the movie. So many people skip that in the edit. Great video!

[@bacteriajoe9403]

Another good villain portrayal by Michael Ironside is "Scanners". You'll like the practical effects.

[@videoinformer]

The same actor, Ronny Cox, played the top villain in Robocop and in Total Recall. He also was basically the same character, a criminally evil and greedy corporate executive.

[@sagan1976]

I remember reading a movie magazine back when this came out. They said Verhoeven kept telling the special FX guys "More blood! More blood!"

[@kuribayashi84]

It probably wouldn't surprise you that Rob Bottin, who did the Makeup-effects, was also responsible for _The Thing._

[@kieronball8962]

Wonderful reactions from Ari and Denise, to this fantastic sci-fi classic. 33 years later and people are still pondering the questions raised in Total Recall. Of course, I like to think that Arnold became the hero to save his girl and Mars. :)

[@TANKTREAD]

Fantastic score composed and conducted by Jerry Goldsmith. Performed by The National Philharmonic Orchestra.

[@shainewhite2781]

LOVE THIS MOVIE!! David Cronenberg, director of Body Horror films like Scanners, The Fly and Videodrome was hired by producer Dino De Laurentiis to direct the project for a 1985 release. Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett, the writers of ALIEN, along with Gary Goldman, were hired to write the script. Cronenberg originally wanted the film to be a psychological thriller rather than a Sci Fi Action Adventure film. Shusett objected and wanted to do "Raiders Of The Lost Ark On Mars." Tension between the producer and director got so nasty, Cronenberg left the project and Laurentiis sold the script to Carolco, the same company that made RAMBO, Terminator 2, Cliffhanger and Cutthroat Island. It was the most expensive Independent movie ever made, $75 million dollars Paul Verhoven was brought on board as director after the producers were impressed by his film ROBOCOP. Dennis Quaid, James Caan, Richard Gere, Richard Dreyfuss, Matthew Broderick, Michael Douglas, Tom Selleck, Patrick Swayze, Peter Weller and Christopher Reeve were considered for Douglas Quaid. The movie was filmed at Churibsco Studios Mexico City. The film was a box office success, making $270 million dollars and it won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.

[@Khay-77]

This movie sticks with you. The debate still goes on if it was all a dream. So well written and just a fun, awesome sci fi movie.

[@billucf96]

Total Recall was originally written by Philip K. Dick, who also wrote Blade Runner and The Man in the High Castle back in the 1960's. Starship Troopers was also written in the golden age of science fiction. So many great sci fi movies were originally books from the 1950's and 1960's.

[@tacitus6384]

I think the thing that really gives it all away that it's all a dream is when he goes into Total Recall and is designing his memory, you a) see the brunette's face on the TV screen as he's designing her, and you hear a scientist in the background saying "Blue skies on Mars? That's a new one!" and how does the movie end? With a blue sky on Mars.

[@EarnestEgregore]

“Total Recall doesn’t say whether it’s reality or it is a dream, you know? It’s really saying there’s this reality and there’s that reality, and both exist at the same time,” Paul Verhoeven explained in a Canadian hotel room, the day after the film screened at TIFF. “Because you look at Total Recall there is never a preference, let’s say, taken by me or the scriptwriter, to say this is really what he dreams about and this is the truth.” “I wanted it to be that way,” Verhoeven clarifies. “Because I felt that it was - if you want to use a very big word - post-modern. I felt that basically I should not say ‘This is true, and this not true.’ I wanted - and we worked with Gary Goldman on that, not the original writers - [and we] worked very hard to make both consistent, and that both would be true. And I think we succeeded very well. So I think of course there is no solution. Hey, it’s both true. So I thought, two realities; that it was innovative in movie language at least, to a certain degree, that there would be two realities and there is no choice.” This is what the director said himself in an interview... So it's a bit like when Carpenter purposely used the silhouette of someone on the crew during The Thing, so it would be impossible to guess ahead of time what the meaning is, there's equal evidence supporting both, and more importantly, in this particular instance the director wanted us to consider the idea that both are equally real, and furthermore, I think he wanted us to question "What is reality?"... that theme seems oldhat now, but at the time, that was a pretty heady idea for a cheesy Arnold movie.

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

Instead of the standard fade to black, Verhoeven faded to white to indicate this might all have been a dream. He'll leave it up to you to decide though.

[@correypeta]

That doesnt prove anything. Arnold dreamed about Melina BEFORE he went to Recall. So seeing her face as he was falling out could have been a memory projection. And just because the Ego Trip was Blue Skies on Mars and it turns out to be exactly that doesnt prove anything either. This story is based on We Can Remember It For You Wholesale. And the point here is that the fantasy was REAL. main character Quail has a menial job but fantasizes about having more, being more. After visiting Rekal. the techs realize his memories were erased. They wipe him again and send him home. Agents come for Quail and he remembers that his memories have been wiped and that he was an assassin. Basically it ends with Quail making a deal with his superiors: instead of just wiping my mind (because that just makes me fantasize and I'll end up figuring it out again), give me a really great memory of an exciting life. And that should keep me sated. They agree and send him to a psychologist to help him figure out what he really desires. Quail tells them of a fantasy he used to have where, when he was a kid, he found a rat like species and was so kind to them. The rats were there to actually invade earth. But due to Quail's kindness, the rat aliens said that they would hold off on their invasion while Quail was alive. The psychologist and superiors all thought this was pretty narcissistic, but they granted the memory. In the end, it actually turns out to be true: Quail was good to the rat aliens and they are sparing earth while he lives. His memories were wiped to keep him safe. Based on the original premise, I dont think Quaid's life is fake at all. He's an important guy and they're trying to hide what he is with what APPEARS to be fake memory. But in reality, it is all true.

[@watchreadplayretro]

Piers Anthony wrote a movie-tie in novel for this release, and although you could say it's merely the script turned into a book, often movie-tie in novels are based upon the original shooting script that can often get changed during filming or have bits cut due to cost or timing, so there is even more depth in that, plus Piers was already an award winning sci-fi and fantasy writer in the first place, so it's for sure worth checking out. What I love is that upon a 2nd view there are even MORE tiny details (eg Melina can clearly be seen on the monitor during the 'girl selection scene' at Rekall, so it's great to watch again in the future. The remake wasn't bad at all, but this original was SO good that the remake just couldn't compete! Fantastic reaction thanks guys, instant sub for this!

[@DanJackson1977]

One of the writers is Dan O'Bannon... who also cowrote the original script for Alien, and wrote the space Vampire movie LIFEFORCE which is bugfuck nuts and 1985's meta zombie comedy RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD which he also directed. Dan apparently had a thing for strippers so you see a lot of naked ladies in his movies... especially Lifeforce and Return of the Living Dead. Dan also starred in and cowrote John Carpenters first film DARK STAR, and wrote what may be the first Cyberpunk graphic novel in 1976 with artist Moebius which inspired the look of Alien, Blade Runner and Tron

[@FP194]

Yes Mathilda May spent the entire movie naked

[@tokukeitaro]

​@@FP194 12 year old me remembers her vividly.

[@Scopper81]

If Total Recall had been released a year earlier, it would be THE 80s Movie. Verhoeven and Schwarzenegger at their best. One of my favorite movies.

[@rodentnolastname6612]

This was one of the, if not the, last big budget sci-fi film to use almost all practical effects. The CGI revolution followed right on this movie's heels.

[@blaylock1978]

When he is getting the description of the secret agent experience, it is literally the plot of the movie, and I absolutely love that scene, and just how the guy is kind of excited about explaining it to him…

[@kolajoabiola2790]

Love this movie to bits. It's always such a good time. This was Arnold in his prime and Paul Verhoeven at his peak (This, Robocop, and Starship Troopers were awesome). Enjoyed this reaction. Bless you both :)

[@mr_yoru5834]

The world of this movie is so imaginative. Implanted memories, interplanetary travel, secret agents, mutants, psychics, ancient alien technology, it's got so much going on.

[@apxstitch]

I got to watch this one in the theatre which was such a fun experience! I've loved this movie since and watched it many times over the years. The score by Jerry Goldsmith is one of my favorites and I listen to it often. Thanks for a great reaction :)

[@charmawow]

As soon as Jerry Goldsmiths score kicks in with those cool opening titles, you know you’re about to be in for a great ride, with this movie………and another fabulous job on the makeup effects by Rob Bottin, who gave us the body horror of John Carpenters, The Thing.

[@bensneb360]

Hands-down, one of the best sci-fi movies of all time in a perfect film

[@germantoenglish898]

"Two weeeeeks, two weeeeeeekkkkkkssss" 🤣 The Fifth Element is another great movie with similar esthetics and pacing.

[@belvagurr403]

Now you need to see an updated version with Colin Ferrell in Total Recall

[@karlschmitt6359]

This movie is one of my favorites along with: The 6th Day, Eraser, Running Man, and Kindergarten Cop! Arnold's acting gets better, too! If you want to see him in a fantasy roll watch Conan The Barbarian! Glad you liked this movie! Hopefully you'll be getting to Lord Of The Rings Trilogy soon(extended editions please), thank you!

[@monsterking1973]

I watch the running man over the weekend vary good

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

I'm a big fan of 80's Schwarzenegger movies: Conan the Barbarian The Terminator Commando Raw Deal Predator Red Heat The 90's he got into comedies as well: Kindergarten Cop Twins and of course some more legendary action fare: Total Recall Terminator 2: Judgment Day True Lies

[@karlschmitt6359]

@bloodymarvelous4790 Red Heat and Raw Deal are pretty good! Twins, even though its filmed in New Mexico where I'm from, I didn't like it! True Lies and Last Action Hero are two of his worst !

[@rayvanhorn1534]

One of my favorite sci-fi films ever, so glad y'all did this! The writer of this is Phillip K. Dick, who also gave us the base for "Blade Runner" (one of the best sci-fi films eva!) & he also wrote "The Man in the High Castle"...which is an epic miniseries, would be AWESOME if you would at least give the first season a reaction!!!😁

[@allisterfiend_2112]

Another great sci-fi movie that came out a year before Matrix is 'Dark City', give it a watch, you two will love it.

[@donmorton7282]

Great review guys. This was another amazing theater experience with a great score from Jerry Goldsmith. Side note Rob Bottin, who did the effects for The Thing did the makeup fx

[@chadlynch1551]

This is based on a story called We'll Remember It For You Wholesale, written by a guy named Philip K. Dick. The author was something else; either a certified genius who was ahead of his time or completely off his rocker, or both. Many of his stories broke new ground, and many of them have been made into successful movies. Blade Runner, for instance was based on his story Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. If you enjoy speculative fiction at all I highly recommend reading his stuff.

[@TaxmanTV]

Great reaction. This movie is a trip and keeps you guessing on which scenes are real, and which are part of the memory implant. Some scenes it seems to be a mix of both on purpose.

[@angelminaj617]

I choose to believe that he is still at recall. Him being a secret agent and everything about that package was too much of a coincidence for what happened.

[@LoveThisRealWoman]

Yes but why all the scenes that don’t include Arnold?

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

There’s a lot of clues that leads one to believe the most likely scenario is that he’s in a dream. But they also planted enough evidence to suggest this is all real. Love how they kept it ambiguous. Thank you for sharing your insight 😄

[@finegamingconnoisseur]

You just picked a 90s Arnold movie filled to the brim with seedy **ahem** joints, over the top violence and gore, his unique brand of one-liners, and an ending left wide open to interpretation by the audience. With Mars, mutants, and Sharon Stone in the mix, it's one heck of a ride.

[@johngriffiths9401]

The pioneer of special effects and a must watch for any sci-fi fan is ‘Forbidden Planet’, 1956. It stands the test of time.

[@dq405]

It does indeed!

[@michaelcoffey1991]

Fun watch, such a great science fiction flick we get so few each year. Glad you both enjoyed it

[@mike79p]

Rob Bottin was the effects guy on this movie. He also did The Thing and Robocop.

[@kellypedersen9896]

This is based on a story by the late SF author Phillip K. Dick (who also wrote the story on which the movie "Blade Runner" was based) called "We Can Remember It For You Wholsesale". Writers like Phillip K. Dick, Robert Heinlein and HP Lovecraft provided MAJOR inspiration for science fiction and horror directors in the 80s, both in terms of subject matter and the use of of practical effects (which peaked in the 80s as well; OK, this movie is from 1990). I saw saw in the theater the week it came out (I was 18)- that initlal scene where Arnold breaks his space helmet on a rock was definitely . . . eye-popping. :)

[@joshmorales770]

I *think* Verehoeven has previously confirmed that the wipe to bright white at the end of the film represented Schwarzenegger's character losing his mind at the film's end. I really love how the film plays with what is and isn't reality essentially from its opening scenes to its very last second. This film (and quite a few other science fiction movies and shows) is based on the works of Philip K. Dick; the novelette is called "We Can Remember it For You Wholesale" if you're interested in reading it.

[@phillydelphia8760]

I think he said that's what he prefers to think, but it's not a definitive ending for either theory. It's designed to be interpreted whichever way the viewer prefers.

[@chankoksoon]

It's good that you have the screen on screen feature while you guys comment / react while the movie is playing on the same screen! Great job!

[@Daveyboy100880]

Another great reaction and post-movie analysis, guys! I loved the tandem reactions to the gory and freaky bits, and also the discussions about the underlying themes. Can’t wait for you to do Starship Troopers! Re. the visuals: the production designer was William Sandell, who also did Robocop (he had a slightly bigger budget with this one!), and many of the sets were indeed built as complete environments, sometimes linking multiple soundstages. A lot of the world design came from Ron Cobb, an amazing concept designer who specialised in realistic near-future extrapolations, and who contributed a lot to Alien, Aliens, The Abyss and many others. They don’t build ‘em like this any more. Visual effects-wise, this was the last film to be awarded a Special Oscar for Best VFX, meaning that the Academy decided that there was no contest that year and just gave it the award outright! It’s pretty amazing, and the make-up/animatronics were part of the award. They were done by Rob Bottin, who also did Robocop (and The Thing, hence the gnarliness!).

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

No wonder those animatronics looked so damn good! It was Rob Bottin's work! Glad the team won an Oscar for this. They most definitely deserved it!

[@Daveyboy100880]

@@OfficialMediaKnights and to think that Bottin didn’t want to work with Verhoeven again after Robocop, but when he saw the finished product he realised that even though it had been a stressful working relationship, Verhoeven really did know how to bring the best out of the work! The director gave Bottin carte blanche on creating the make-up and animatronic FX for Total Recall, and it shows! It all freaked me out when I saw the movie in my early teens 😬

[@tonygriffin_]

This and Blade Runner (definitely do that if you haven't!) were 80's/90's movies based on Philip K Dick novels, as was Minority Report in the 2000's. Blade Runner is, along with 2001: A space odyssey, are 2 of the best SF films ever from the 20th century.

[@ChrisReise]

6:50 Fun Fact: The Johnny Cab's voice is supplied by Star Trek Voyager's Robert Picardo...the Johnny Cab's face was created using Picardo's face as a model.

[@LIGHTNING132YTG]

These shots of Mars are some my favorite in all of cinema! The way the color glows and shines is beyond beautiful and breathtaking! The Cyberpunk aesthetic in this feels very genuine! I've been a huge fan of the cyberpunk genre since 2015 and a lot of properties within the genre are sights (and sounds) to behold. I don't know if you guys are into Anime at all, but an amazing Cyberpunk Anime is Ghost in the Shell from 1995. GitS from '95 and Akira from '88 are regarded as the greatest Anime films ever made. I, myself, haven't seen Akira, but Ghost in the Shell is definitely worth the watch! The film Soldier from 1998 is also a great action film with Cyberpunk undertones (set in the same universe as Blade Runner, with Soldier being a spin-off/sequel). Soldier wasn't really well received at the time of it's release, but I still see it a great 90's action/sci-fi film. Side Note: I try to recommend some of my favorite films (or films I like) that I feel have similarities in themes, actors, or directors with the films y'all react to. I apologize if I recommend a film that ends up being a disappointment.

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

We've got Blade Runner lined up soon! Can't wait to see what Ridley Scott does with that one! Also, you guys have not missed thus far with these suggestions. We've been enjoying all of them!

[@tokukeitaro]

You have good taste, as a 2nd generation Cyberpunk fan(read Neuromancer as a wee lad I the 1980s) those are solid recommendations especially Soldier which I rarely see mentioned anywhere. Another classic would be Escape From New York. The sequel there is subpar except for the badass ending that redeems the movie for me.

[@LIGHTNING132YTG]

@@tokukeitaro Dude, yes! I've only seen it once, but I loved it! Such a great Carpenter action film!

[@sethraelthebard5459]

Yes! What are the quintessential sci-fi action movies of all time! I'm so glad you guys are going to enjoy it

[@batmanvsjoker7725]

The old lady who was gonna take the briefcase was legit ready to throw hands with Arnold. I kinda respect that.

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

Yo! She was ready 😂 That would’ve been entertaining to watch haha

[@Aeroldoth3]

I never understood her. How can you get SO angry over someone claiming their own stuff?

[@batmanvsjoker7725]

@@Aeroldoth3 Old people, I suppose?

[@Aeroldoth3]

@@batmanvsjoker7725 I didn't think that. It's like a weird combo of homeless person and entitled karen, before karens existed.

[@lethaldose2000]

Great job you guys were spot on with the breakdown of the themes of the class divisions that occur between what happens between those with resources and those without. ------ Sci-Fi is such an opportunity to explore the financial, racial, cultural, divergences of humans but in different settings where the rules of morality are unclear. ----- It reveals what folks would do when they have to the chance to wield power versus being a person who is at it's mercy. --------- This is what makes the writing of Phillip K. Dick so enthralling.

[@chrislaustin]

This movie has always felt like a Hitchcock style story done in a futuristic Sci-Fi style world. And while not all the special effects hold up that great(maybe on purpose), as they looked pretty cheesy even in 1990, many of them still look great. This is probably my Favorite Arnold movie in regards to story, as you just don't know what to believe from one scene to the next, but it all comes together in the end. The mark of a truly great espionage rollercoaster thriller.

[@beeepizzle]

Fantastic script writing, incredible set designs, the apex of practical effects, little or no green/blue screen, the 80’s movie storytelling was EPIC.

[@greatfox232]

It was all a dream.. biggest clue. When he was at recall, the male doctor says "Blue sky's on Mars? That's new" and the movie ends with blue sky's on mars

[@LoveThisRealWoman]

Yes but why all the scenes that don’t involve Arnie?

[@j-asher]

​@@LoveThisRealWomanOr more importantly, the scene with the technicians saying they haven't implanted the fake memory yet.

[@greatfox232]

@@j-asher thats part of the scenario

[@sethraelthebard5459]

So glad you guys loved this movie so much! This film was one of the last films that used almost full practical effects. The huge sets, the models, the different camera angles to get the wide expanse shots. Additionally, almost all of the Earth scenes were filmed on location in Mexico City. And still, this film was made for a fraction of what modern CGI films cost. It even won the 1990 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It stands the test of time as one of the greatest science fiction/action films ever made!

[@derkabronen]

What is real and what is not. Welcome to Phillip K Dick. "Blade Runner", "Minority Report"... and Bryan Cranston made a whole season of Phillip stories.

[@15blackshirt]

Lead actress Sharon Stone and director Paul Verhoeven reunited for Basic Instinct. Another sci-fi action satire I recommend watching is Demolition Man. This was loosely adapted from the short story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale". Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in Kindergarten Cop the same year as this

[@hous2tim964]

It seems the light at the end shows he was lobotomized. And yes everything he experienced was an illusion it seems, which makes sense to me because the way he and Melina survived towards the end is very strange. It seems to me that the director Paul Verhoeven spoke about it in an interview. In any case, it's a great film. Paul Verhoeven did an excellent job. This is one of those films that I have seen many times and still enjoy watching.

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

Such a fun film! And yes the fade to white definitely feels like it’s a major clue. Thank you for watching this with us 😄

[@hous2tim964]

@@OfficialMediaKnights I really enjoy your channel, you are cool people with positive energy.

[@phillydelphia8760]

It's filmed to be interpreted either way, there is no set answer to it. So it's whatever you prefer it to be!

[@pekkokuopanportti6859]

It's no wonder the mutant effects remind of The Thing, because Rob Bottin is behind the character effects for this film as well as The Thing and Robocop.

[@speardagger]

The main bad guy here was the same one from Robocop.

[@TheDaringPastry1313]

Fun fact: it took 15 puppeteers to bring Kuato to life. The beauty of this movie is that you can find evidence for it being real and all being a dream. The white light at the end could just be a fade away to end the movie, him being lobotomized (dying) or him being stuck forever or simply waking up from his dream experience.

[@Rocket_Man232]

🔔 5:26 In this scene (but not this edit) after having had the Sales Manager describe the-chosen-by-Quaid 'Secret Agent' Scenario (which EXACTLY describes what afterwards happens in the movie) Quaid is shown an onscreen image of the woman he has selected. If you look closely at the image, it is UNMISTAKABLY the SAME EXACT WOMAN that he teams up with in the latter part of the movie!

[@mmicoski]

I still amazed how entertaining is to rewatch these beloved movies through your eyes.

[@onuraksungur9602]

❌ CGI ✅ Practical Effects

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

Agreed! When possible the combination of both working in tandem always gives the best illusion!

[@milknosugarta]

It's based on a Phillip K Dick book called "We can remember it for you wholesale" - So much of his writing is based on what makes us human. Other films based on his books are Blade Runner (Do androids dream of electric sheep?), Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, The Adjustment Bureau.

[@leobuscaglia5576]

For Pete's sake do not watch the remake starring Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel. It is horrible to say the least.

[@Thisistheworld3748]

It wasn't terrible, just not as good as the original. Similar to the Robocop remake. Not terrible, but not as good as the original. Just my opinion.

[@elroymartinezjr]

@@Thisistheworld3748agreed.

[@ramon.rnt1992]

This movie is such a trip! It's crazy how well written this movie is to be so confusing and still make sense! Crazy.

[@beckyboyd372]

When the director found out it was Schwarzenegger as the lead, he threatened to walk. Schwarzenegger asked to meet with him and really pushed that he wanted to be challenged as an actor really wanted to support the directors vision of making a big budget 'indie film' with an anti-capitalist theme. I believe they became great friends afterwards :)

[@DoktorStrangelove]

Re: The score: That's the great Jerry Goldsmith, absolutely dominating as usual.

[@jamesmorant1406]

On my top 5 of Arnold Schwarzenegger best movie's

[@GregoryStock-g3r]

I've never been intoreaction content until a few days ago when i saw your reaction of ALIENS - Love seeing your rough reactions but also all your thoughts at the end of the movie. Great channel!

[@k01db100d]

Philip K. Dick is the one of greatest sci-fi writers of all time. I can recommend you another movie based on his work - Minority Report, 2002 (starring Tom Cruise). That's one of best sci-fi movies I've seen.

[@ravissary79]

"See you at the party Richter!" Love that line.

[@michaelconnor1542]

If you haven't seen it yet, Demolition Man is a must. Nineties with Arnold's friend and rival, Sylvester Stallone. It pulls from Huxley's Brave New World, and has some great commentary and how society was developing.

[@FollowingGhost]

Years ago I got to hang out with Robert Costanzo (Harry) in Nashville Tennessee. I was with Robert Miranda, who was in another Arnold movie. After we headed out Costanzo pulled up beside us in his Cadillac while we walked down the sidewalk. When he did he rolled down his window and did a driveby scene from a gangster movie, word for word while shooting us with his finger gun. One cool feature is the miniature train on Mars. They installed a tiny screen inside and projected the scene as the exterior camera moved away to show the lighted interior and actors.

[@shallowgal462]

My favorite sound effect was when Quaid jumped through the transport security screen. Did you recognize the Recall doctor in the hotel on Mars was the same doctor on the TV commercial aboard the train on Earth? Maybe it didn't malfunction. Maybe it _was_ Doug's Ego Trip: he got the girl, killed the bad guys, and saved the entire planet, *as promised.*

[@Yezhanium]

According to Paul Verhoeven himself, "Both outcomes are correct, no matter what you choose. Both have clues that confirm either/or, so it's up to the viewer to decide for themselves - dream or reality." To that end, can't recommend enough Soldier 1998 with Kurt Russell. About a man taken from birth to become a warrior, only to be thrown out as obsolete. It's written by same dude, as original Bladerunner (and is a spin-off to it), with Paul W.S Anderson directing, during his better days. It's a beautiful character study about PTSD and inability to re-integrate into normal society. Kurt has barely over 100 words throughout the film but most of his acting is eyes and expressions.

[@vasiliarkhipov2121]

Movies like this are why Arnold was a Star. The thing I love about a lot of Arnold's movies is they are a lot more than just action movies. Like so many other times in his career Arnie fought to be in this movie, originally they wanted a bit less action and to play up the mystery aspect more. So they didn't want Schwarzenegger at all. Problem was they couldn't get it made without a Star. Arnold's interest got the movie made after some personal and script changes. Without him fighting for it we'd of missed out on one of the coolest Sci-Fi Action flicks of the 90s.

[@javix2013]

A movie with almost no CGI, just like Blade Runner. It was good when that technology didn't exist, because Hollywood had to be more careful with the special effects, to make them in a handmade way and they were incredible and many times realistic.

[@letmadora28]

the futuristic aesthetic... you mean México City? this movie was filmed around my "old town" 🤣🤣 10:12 these are the looooong stairs in the Chabanaco subway station and 10:33 our beloved subway train painted grey. I used to live a street from it. 12:50 is the Insurgentes subway roundabout. The rest are government buildings and sets built in the Churubusco Studios. I always smile everytime I see this movie. I saw this movie in theaters back in the 90's. still disgust me the vacumm faces. Great reaction.