12 replies to this topic

[SeveranceZero]

Not quite sure what to call the new Total Recall - is it a remake of the old film or more of an adaptation from the book/short story?

Anywho, I know there is a lot of hate going around for this movie as other people seem to hate that the movie is being "remade" in the first place and nothing can touch the "masterpiece" that is the Total Recall of the 1990's featuring none other than California's former Governator!

One thing I think people fail to realize is that if they don't like remakes, they don't have to see them and they still have the originals to relish over. It's not as if once the remake is made all of the originals are wiped off the face of the earth and all memory of them is purged from everyone's mind. The fact that they argue that they now have to explain to others that they like the original, not the remake as an argument just makes me laugh. I never knew it was so hard to say "No, I liked the original Total Recall, not the recent remake" or something along those lines. Talk about sheer laziness!

I for one don't mind remakes at all and while not all of them are great, it's still cool to me to see how they revamp classics to fit in with today's standards/technology. I like when they do a remake right and I can leave a theater satisfied with what I just paid to see. Other times I walk out with a "Bleh" could have waited for DVD/Redbox and other times I wish I didn't just waste my money on that movie! But the same goes for other movies in general too - not just remakes.

With all of that said, I am curious what your thoughts are based off of the trailer. Personally, I think it could be a fun action film much like the original was to me (I never really considered Arnold to be the oscar-worthy actor others make him out to be - though that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy his movies, in fact I used to watch quite a lot of them when I was younger). He's the cheesy, fun, action movie guy.

Trailer:

[sirdan357]

It looks like it could be okay. The setting and effects look pretty high budget, but the dialog was pretty lame. The actors look pretty uninterested too, an obvious paycheck movie for them. I used to love the original as a kid but it doesn't hold up quite as well today, still fun but really cheesy. I doubt this new version will set the world on fire though. Maybe a decent opening weekend and then it will disappear forever like most modern remakes/movies in general.

[DarkCobra86]

My friend showed me this and I think it looked great. Definitely want to watch this. It also made me want to see the old one with Arnold. I hope it'll be good. I definitely need this machine to make some of my dreams come true haha.

[Kezins]

Total Recall was a cool movie for it's time, but it's not a classic or something I'd consider a masterpiece. Arnold was an awful actor and still is. So I'm not mad about a remake. Some movies are perfect and don't need to be redone, but Total Recall definitely could have been a lot better with decent acting. The trailer didn't look too bad. This might be something I'd be in the mood to go see this summer.

[DarkCobra86]

Total Recall was a cool movie for it's time, but it's not a classic or something I'd consider a masterpiece. Arnold was an awful actor and still is. So I'm not mad about a remake. Some movies are perfect and don't need to be redone, but Total Recall definitely could have been a lot better with decent acting. The trailer didn't look too bad. This might be something I'd be in the mood to go see this summer.

Haha, but do you really watch Arnold for good acting? I mean some actors I watch knowing they can't act but I'm like whatever. I just want to see the freaking movie or this pretty girl in it or some action with terrible acting in it.

[Ludono]

This can't be Total Recall without AHNULD but it still looks quite interesting. As a fan of movies I'll definitely check it out!

[SeveranceZero]

Haha, but do you really watch Arnold for good acting? I mean some actors I watch knowing they can't act but I'm like whatever. I just want to see the freaking movie or this pretty girl in it or some action with terrible acting in it.

No but people act as if the original Total Recall is perfect and anything else will just $@#% all over the original material and will automatically suck as if nothing can do better. And part of movies are the actors in them - they can make or break a movie as well as a solid script/director, etc..

If you don't believe me check out the IMDB forums - people are up in arms about the new movie and how terrible it will be.

[TKtheknight]

I remember watching Total Recall with Arnold when I was little. I loved that movie. Man what's with Hollywood and their remakes. I know they're milking money, but do they think they will be better than the original? Hope this doesn't disappoint though. I know there's going to be a remake of Judge Dredd and RoboCop.

[SeveranceZero]

I remember watching Total Recall with Arnold when I was little. I loved that movie. Man what's with Hollywood and their remakes. I know they're milking money, but do they think they will be better than the original? Hope this doesn't disappoint though. I know there's going to be a remake of Judge Dredd and RoboCop.

I dislike when people do this ^, a lot of what you've seen is a remake of something in the past, you just don't know it. Also, judging a movie before you even see it is kind of backwards. I personally don't care about remakes, sometimes films don't age well, sometimes it's cool to see a slightly different adaptation of a previous movie, sometimes it's cool to see an updated movie. The original is by no means excellent, it's enjoyable but that's about it. I think it's better to judge it, based on its own merit rather than saying "This doesn't stand up to the original". If you end up seeing it and you don't enjoy it, well that's a different story entirely but you are already going in with the disposition that it will be bad and it shouldn't have been made because it's a "remake". Instead of the mindset of "This may or may not be good".

Also as I mentioned earlier the movie being made doesn't change anything about the original, it's still there, you can still watch and enjoy it if you wish. I don't mean to sound rude or anything but I just grow tired of people complaining about remakes when these are the same people that complain when fresh ideas are turned into movies.

Two more recent examples are Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter -people are already judging it harshly (Look at the other thread I made in this forum or a much more extreme case the IMDB forums), solely based on the title and premise. Well that idea is new and refreshing but people say Lincoln didn't do that and it's garbage because of that. Now this film may or may not be good/decent/terrible but I am reserving judgement until I see it myself! Then there's The Cabin In The Woods - people complained about the title and that it's already been done and it's garbage (before the film came out), but the film itself was quite entertaining I must say. Some still even argue that they tried too hard and this "new idea" was terrible, well how do you please people? They complain about one thing, you do another, they complain again, you do another and yet they still complain. Seems like a lose-lose to me!

[DarkCobra86]

No but people act as if the original Total Recall is perfect and anything else will just $@#% all over the original material and will automatically suck as if nothing can do better. And part of movies are the actors in them - they can make or break a movie as well as a solid script/director, etc..

If you don't believe me check out the IMDB forums - people are up in arms about the new movie and how terrible it will be.

Haha, I guess a lot of people think only the original is good. I seen pieces of the original and don't remember much about it. But I don't recall it being great. I actually think this movie will be good and am waiting to see it. It also has jessical biel and kate so I'm totally down for it.

[SeveranceZero]

Haha, I guess a lot of people think only the original is good. I seen pieces of the original and don't remember much about it. But I don't recall it being great. I actually think this movie will be good and am waiting to see it. It also has jessical biel and kate so I'm totally down for it.

Lol that's a good reason to go to the movie - but I mean I don't mind if people end up disliking a movie, you know? I just wish they'd go in with more of an open mind, just because something is a "remake" of something you liked before, doesn't mean it will be bad. Also, even if they don't like it, it doesn't change anything about the original that they relish over. Or hell, even if they don't want to see it because they don't like remakes, then leave it at that, no need to complain about it being remade or whatever.

[DarkCobra86]

Lol that's a good reason to go to the movie - but I mean I don't mind if people end up disliking a movie, you know? I just wish they'd go in with more of an open mind, just because something is a "remake" of something you liked before, doesn't mean it will be bad. Also, even if they don't like it, it doesn't change anything about the original that they relish over. Or hell, even if they don't want to see it because they don't like remakes, then leave it at that, no need to complain about it being remade or whatever.

I get what you are saying. Now I just try to watch the movies before passing judgement on it. Critics are critics and they know their stuff better then me of course. But movies get bad rating all the time that I ended up liking for whatever reason. So I just try to watch it first now. I think remake are cool. It may not be as good as the original but it is always nice to see a remake because of the new technology and what kind of spin they gave it. I heard this one is suppose to not have the same story as the original Total Recall. So maybe fans can take it as two separate movie.

[sirdan357]

Total Recall was a cool movie for it's time, but it's not a classic or something I'd consider a masterpiece. Arnold was an awful actor and still is. So I'm not mad about a remake. Some movies are perfect and don't need to be redone, but Total Recall definitely could have been a lot better with decent acting. The trailer didn't look too bad. This might be something I'd be in the mood to go see this summer.

He may have been an awful actor, but he had a hell of a screen presence, something very few actors have nowadays. Most action stars are as bland as can be.