Are remakes becoming significantly unpopular and unremarkable?
The answer thus far has been a mixed bag. Let’s take the last 10 years of cinema, how many remakes have been good?
True Grit, The Departed, A Star is Born, Dredd, and more. Thereof course has been plenty of forgetful remakes, let’s look at the Total Recall remake in 2012.
The original did not need to be remade, however, Len Wiseman’s approach to the film is one to which I fully backed. Take a great story and make it serious, with a solid and modern visual look and feel to it.
A remake that most people have probably forgotten about, which is ironic considering the narrative of the film, but I would like to discuss why the film is frustrating because there is so much that is right with the film.
Len Wiseman who directed the fourth Die Hard film and the Underworld films was a good choice to direct the remake. He knows how to direct action and craft original sets. This time his niche is in science fiction and taking something that is already familiar to audiences. This isn’t the only time he has worked on a project that has an established fanbase. The fanbase of Die Hard is both large and loyal, there is always an expectation for a film like this.
He can make action set pieces work and stand out. Die Hard 4 had a selection of well-timed action sequences and if there was anything that could be altered about the original Total Recall (1990) it’s the aesthetics. The original had some practical effects that were great for there time but when you watch back, you may notice a few shots where the effects and sets don’t look as glamorous.
The original was goofy and some of the action scenes were played for comedic effect, the remake, however, drastically improved the visual look of the film and gave the action scenes a more modern and adrenaline-fueled kick with Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel fighting alongside the main action man Collin Farrell, who has a more everyday quality to him that I think Arnold didn’t have.
As soon as you see Arnold, you tend to think Commando, Terminator, Predator, those titles don’t exactly scream relatability. However, Arnold had a dominating screen presence that doesn’t quite compare to Collin and with that, something is missing from Total Recall (2012) but I think it comes to down expectations.
The original Total Recall was fun, however, I wouldn’t say I was a huge fan of it considering I didn’t grow up in the ’90s. It’s more of a cult film between 90’s audiences, critics did like the political and social satire from the works of Paul Verhoven, who previously directed Robocop (1987). He is a director that can do those themes very intelligently and turn them into a fun and explosive blockbuster with great humour.
The new Total Recall (2012) has amazing visuals. Take a look.
It really re-imagines the concepts from the first film and gives it a fresh new look and take. This is easily the best component of the film and makes me want to recommend the film to audiences and fans of science fiction action. With a budget this high, it was well spent.
It’s a shame that everything else didn’t quite land for me. The performances were good for the material they had. The fight scenes were all well shot and there was good stunt work. Although, the enemy troopers were terrible shooters, perhaps a nod to the troopers from Star Wars.
The film had a good selection of writers, including Mark Bomback who wrote Die Hard 4.0 and later writing the Apes films. Another director/writer pairing.
Collins Ferrell’s performance is similar to performances from actors such as Jeremy Renner from the Bourne films. Physically competent but never showing and peeling interesting layers of the character. There are a few nice scenes where he see a little from him, including a scene between him and a piano, where we begin to learn more about him and his past.
For a film that had such a low rotten tomatoes score, it’s rather baffling to see how amazing the visuals turned out to be. I know I am rambling on about how amazing the film looks, you have to see for yourself. Enjoy.
This clip showcases some cinema best visual work in years. Its cinema like this that really grabs my attention, a film is begged to be seen on the big screen. Although, Blade Runner 2049 is a far better film, the visuals in both are nearly equally impressive, I would say so, although many would argue 2049 is superior in terms of the cinematography and special effects.
The scene that gets me everytime is when Collin is looking out of his balcony, where we get a wide shot of the city in all its beautiful detail and imagery.
The use of real stunt work is evident, especially in the scene where Kate Beckinsale fights Collin Farrell in the early stages of the picture. The camera work never gets shaky and it’s all well shot.
I just didn’t take emotionally for the characters and story, Total Recall now exists as a forgetful remake but also just an unremarkable film, a water considering the talent behind the camera.
The question is whats next for Len Wiseman. A director who at one point was due to take over Die Hard 6 which fell apart. He is proposed to direct Ballerina with Ana De Armas. The plot is A young female assassin seeks revenge against the people who killed her family.
The film will be his first feature length picture since Total Recall, making it a 10 year absence from theatrical releases.
Total Recall is showing on Netflix UK
Author Bio
Sam is a content writer. He loves all elements connected with film and writes with passion, always. You can find him on Linkedin, where you will be able to read more articles. When he is not writing, you can find him practicing football
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