Total Recall
Movie, 1990, 1990–1992, Set in 2084
Total Recall is #1 of 26 in release order and #25 of 26 in chronological order in the '90s Action.
The story
Construction worker Douglas Quaid's obsession with the planet Mars leads him to visit Rekall, a virtual vacation company that manufactures memories. When something goes wrong during Quaid's memory implant procedure, his life turns upside down, leading him to question what is reality and what isn't.
Total Recall recap
In 2084, construction worker Douglas Quaid keeps dreaming of Mars and a mysterious woman. He visits Rekall, a company that implants memories of holidays, and asks for a trip as a secret agent, but the procedure goes wrong when it touches real memories that have been wiped. Suddenly his co-workers and his wife Lori try to kill him. A recording from his former self, Hauser, tells him he was an agent for Vilos Cohaagen, the man who runs Mars and sells its air, and sends him there. On Mars, Quaid finds Melina, the woman from his dreams, and joins the mutant rebels, chased by Cohaagen's enforcer Richter. Quaid meets the rebel leader Kuato and learns about an alien reactor buried under the mountain.
Total Recall ending explained
Hauser's message turns out to be a trap: Hauser was Cohaagen's friend, and the whole escape was a plan to find Kuato, who is killed. Quaid refuses to become Hauser again, kills Richter, and starts the alien reactor, which melts the ice and gives Mars a breathable atmosphere. Cohaagen dies in the open air. Quaid and Melina kiss under a blue sky, and Quaid wonders whether it is all a dream.
Post-credits scenes
No. There is no post-credits scene.
Where to watch Total Recall
Total Recall is streaming on fuboTV, Paramount+, and Kanopy in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.5/10, Rotten Tomatoes 80%
Where it fits
- Release order: first, before Die Hard 2.
- Chronological order: after Demolition Man, before The Matrix.
Cast
- Arnold Schwarzenegger as Quaid
- Rachel Ticotin as Melina
- Sharon Stone as Lori
- Michael Ironside as Richter
- Marshall Bell as George / Kuato
- Michael Champion as Helm
- Mel Johnson Jr. as Benny
- Roy Brocksmith as Dr. Edgemar
- Rosemary Dunsmore as Dr. Lull
- Ronny Cox as Cohaagen
- Ray Baker as Mc Clane
- David Knell as Ernie
Directed by Paul Verhoeven.