Film Review: Total Recall is a wild ride, without much to show for it

Philip K Dick would not be impressed with this remake of the Arnold Schwarzenegger film based on his book, although its star Colin Farrell gives a good performance.

Total Recall
Director: Len Wiseman
Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, Bill Nighy
***

Taking on one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's finest films is a thankless task for any filmmaker, let alone one best known for casting his wife in the fun but forgettable Underworld series. Undeterred, Wiseman casts Farrell in the role of Douglas Quaid. Commuting from the Colony to the United Federation of Britain (UFB), he dreams of more than waking up with Beckinsale by his side. Soon, his idyllic escape is thwarted by an evil chancellor (Cranston) who plots to defeat an army of rebels (Nighy) with a sea of synthetic storm troopers. Ripping off Blade Runner and Minority Report, Wiseman loves a chase – the film is littered with them – but forgets the rest. The author Philip K Dick would not be impressed, although Farrell emerges unscathed.