For You, We Can Recall It All I still remember that wonderful feeling of joy I had as a child when I first watched Paul Verhoeven’s "Total Recall". The sheer scale of it, the journey to Mars, the richly detailed world — it all left a huge impression on me. And while the film was anything but kid-friendly, aimed clearly at a mature adult audience, it became one of those works that probably shaped my love for science fiction and imagined worlds in general. Decades later, I was surprised to learn that the film, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone, and Rachel Ticotin, was based on a short story by one of my favorite authors, Philip K. Dick. The original is titled We Can Remember It for You Wholesale. Dick’s strong, mind-bending sci-fi provided the perfect foundation for the spectacular 1990 blockbuster. Right from the opening credits, the film sets the stage for something grand. The brutal, futuristic score plays over blazing red titles, leading us straight into the vast landscapes of Mars, the brightness of the Red Planet, a thrilling, spy-like plot, and a cast of striking characters — all spot on. The story itself is solid. Douglas Quaid, the protagonist, is obsessed with visiting Mars. This leads him to Rekall, a company that implants artificial memories. Since the film is set in the future, such technology is commonplace. From there, it explodes into full-on action, with virtually everyone suddenly out to kill Schwarzenegger’s character. The movie brims with shootouts, chases, fistfights, and all kinds of gadgets. It doesn’t lean heavily into drama but excels at something else: for its time, it brilliantly captures a futuristic vision of Earth and Mars, where everything — from planetary locations to high-tech devices — looks both imaginative and convincing. As a viewer, you believe what you see on screen: city streets, subway tunnels, even the security system at the metro entrance, scanning people as if they were getting an X-ray. I remember being amazed at how such sequences were created so convincingly back then. The filmmakers had to painstakingly recreate even the way people walked through that corridor. Technically complex moments like this are everywhere, and since CGI wasn’t an option, they had to build much of it by hand. That’s why the world feels more authentic and raw. No surprise the film won an Academy Award for Special Achievement in Visual Effects. And rightly so — the amount of work was colossal. I’ve seen many behind-the-scenes materials, and it’s still impressive how many things were invented for this movie. Some solutions remain awe-inspiring even today, gifting us with scenes of unprecedented beauty. The characters are well-written, each vibrant in their own way. Arnold delivers as always, convincingly portraying a man who evolves from a humble construction worker into the leader of a resistance movement, willing to shoulder the fate of an entire planet. The villains are memorable too — Cohaagen and Richter, played by Ronny Cox and Michael Ironside, stick in your mind forever. Both are powerful characters, brought to life with excellent performances. The female roles are just as strong. Sharon Stone gave us a complex and layered character, fully embodying the role of Quaid’s wife. Rachel Ticotin was also remarkable as Melina, the perfect counterpart to Stone’s character. The two women are polar opposites, each driven by her own motives, and both come across as charismatic and convincing. "Total Recall" is another brilliant piece from the director who gave us RoboCop, Starship Troopers, and Basic Instinct. It’s strong sci-fi with a fully fleshed-out world, where journeys to Mars or into the depths of human memory feel possible. At the same time, it raises questions about social inequality. The film reflects humanity’s timeless struggles: rulers versus the oppressed, the division of people into classes — privileged Earthlings versus second-class Martians forced to survive in inhuman conditions. Other themes of inequality also surface throughout. Even today, the film holds up remarkably well, especially in the age of high-definition visuals and high-quality sound. You can now savor every tiny detail on screen, as well as Jerry Goldsmith’s expansive score and the powerful sound effects. Sure, some choices feel dated, but overall, the film still looks impressive — and more importantly, complete. It’s the kind of movie you want to revisit again and again, because it’s undeniably a large-scale classic. 9 out of 10