Total Recall 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Total Recall 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 4, 2020

Arnold Schwarzenegger has made so many memorable films over the course of his now decades long career that choosing a favorite can be a bit of challenge, but I have to say for me personally Total Recall would probably be either at or near the top of any list I might come up with. There’s always been a slightly “winking” aspect to Schwarzenegger’s performance acumen, and that very aspect helps to aid the so-called “mind bending” propensities of this frequently gonzo outing from Paul Verhoeven. Total Recall had a previous 1080 Blu-ray release from Lionsgate in 2012 that I reviewed way back then (see below for a link to the review), and which I gave very high marks to at the time. Lionsgate is back with a new 4K upgrade of the film to help celebrate its 30th anniversary, and the presentation on both the 1080 and 2160 versions included in this new set may offer moments that could be improved, but which I suspect many will feel are in other ways an improvement over the 2012 release.

As stated above, Total Recall was released on 1080 Blu-ray back in 2012 in a so-called "Mind Bending Edition" with a then brand spanking new transfer approved by director Paul Verhoeven, and some appealing supplements. Those interested in a plot recap are encouraged to read my original Total Recall Blu-ray review, though those new to this film will note I begin that review with a clear warning that it's hard to discuss the plot without revealing spoiler material. My original review is also a good resource for screenshot comparison and seeing how supplements between the two releases line up.

Total Recall 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 Blu-ray.

Total Recall is presented in both 4K UHD 2160p and 1080p courtesy of Lionsgate Films and StudioCanal in 1.85:1. Since this is a "combo release" which doesn't seem to be getting a standalone 1080 release as of the writing of this review, I'll cover both presentations here. As noted above, I gave top marks to the 2012 Blu-ray, while I'm downgrading the scoring here slightly for both the 1080 version and the 2160 version, which may cause some to understandably question my comment above that in some ways these new presentations are an improvement over the 2012 release. So let me just begin by saying what I've often said over the course of my pretty long tenure here: scores are relative way markers, and what was a 5.0 for me in 2012 might not get the same generous score in 2020. And as I've also stated repeatedly, I personally wish people would pay less attention to scores and more to the actual discussion of the presentation. So with those introductory comments in mind, let me mention some of the differences, both plus and minus, that I noticed while watching this film again in both its "new, improved" 1080 and 2160 presentations, when compared to both the 2012 release and to each other.

The first thing that struck me is that both the new 1080 presentation and the 4K UHD presentation are somewhat darker than the 2012 release, as well as generally better saturated. The brightness of the 2012 version may tend to highlight the grain field a bit more, especially in daytime scenes, but grain seems more finely resolved overall in both the new 1080 and 2160 versions in this release, and in fact I personally liked the resolution of the grain field better in 4K UHD, which has not always been the case with me when releases like this that have provided simultaneous new 1080 and 2160 versions have been in my review queue. Grain in the 2160 version is noticeable without ever swarming or clumping, even in some opticals. The 1080 version doesn't offer quite the same clarity (if that's a decent term) in the grain resolution that the 4K UHD version does.

While there are still some noticeable fluctuations in densities and saturation levels in both of the new presentations here, with some moments like the opening scene with Sharon Stone looking a bit desaturated, generally speaking I found the vividness of the palette in these new presentations to be superior to the 2012 version. That very opening scene has some interesting palette highlights toward teal in the Dolby Vision rendering, and in fact HDR throughout the 4K UHD version really impressed me repeatedly, though in that regard some of the reds take on a more orangish tint. Perhaps ironically then in the context of HDR, and rather interestingly to my eyes at least, the colors seems slightly pushed on the 1080 version in this release, and are therefore surprisingly a bit more nuanced and less lurid looking in the 2160 presentation.

There are some passing compression issues in both presentations that will probably be the source of greatest concern and/or controversy and the one striking minus. Most of these are centered on some of the Mars material, notably the first landing there. In the 1080 version there are clear banding ripples moving through the lower right part of the frame. I actually went back and watched the Mind Bending Edition which I reviewed so many years ago, and there are just hints of ripples right at the segue between the two scenes, though not as noticeable as the ones here, which kind of weirdly occur just a fraction of a second later. The 2160 version didn't exhibit the banding on my display, but there were very noticeable pixellated macroblocks, again in the lower right corner of the frame. What's kind of perplexing in terms of compression challenges for this kind of scene is that the very opening Mars set sequence (Quaid's first "dream") I thought looked exceptional in the 4K UHD version in particular. The orangish reds were spectacularly suffused without any compression issues that I noted, detail levels were excellent and grain resolved nicely against the sky especially.

On the whole in my personal estimation both the 1080 and 4K UHD versions here are an improvement over the 2012 release, especially in terms of palette and fine detail level (things like the Rekall salesman's herringbone suit jacket are really impressively rendered, and even some of the textures on the kind of quaint miniatures used in many effects sequences offer new detail). The 4K UHD version in particular offers a well balanced palette that manages to offer really striking hues, especially toward the red end of the spectrum (but also with regard to elements like the bright pink top Stone wears early in the film).

Total Recall 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Total Recall features a Dolby Atmos track on both the 1080 and 4K UHD discs. This does offer noticeable and recurrent verticality, quite evident in moments like some of the cacophony Quaid experiences tooling around the hotspots on Mars, but also prominently in the big "Terraforming" climax, where overhead activity is quite pronounced. Maybe just a little ironically, then, my one niggling qualm with this track isn't the Atmos channel engagement, it's actually a bit lower, toward the midrange where some of Jerry Goldsmith's score in particular just doesn't seem to have adequate punch. There are very impressive bursts of LFE, however, so this may have been a mixing decision. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional subtitles in several languages are available.

Total Recall 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

I typically score supplements for 4K UHD releases based on what (if anything) is included on the 4K UHD disc (as opposed to any included 1080 discs packaged with the release). In this case, since as of the writing of this review it doesn't look like Lionsgate is offering a standalone 1080 release, I'm scoring this based on the contents of the entire package.

4K UHD Disc

• Audio Commentary with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Paul Verhoeven


• Total Excess: How Carolco Changed Hollywood (1080p; 59:22) is another very well done piece that explores the history of the studio. A number of fascinating talking heads, including Paul Verhoeven and Michael Douglas, are featured.


• Open Your Mind - Scoring Total Recall (1080p; 21:24) is a really interesting featurette offering a number of film music experts discussing Jerry Goldmith's contributions to the film. It's great to see such an in depth piece devoted to the music, and Goldsmith fans should love this.


• Dreamers Within the Dream: Developing Total Recall (1080p; 8:26) features concept artist Ron Miller and looks at aspects like production design while also briefly getting into David Cronenberg's connection to the project.


• Trailer (1080p; 1:30)

1080 Blu-ray Disc 1

• Audio Commentary with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Paul Verhoeven


• Open Your Mind - Scoring Total Recall (1080p; 21:24)


• Dreamers Within the Dream: Developing Total Recall (1080p; 8:26)

1080 Blu-ray Disc 2

• Total Excess: How Carolco Changed Hollywood (1080p; 59:22)


• Total Recall: The Special Effects (1080i; 23:15) looks at what were state of the art effects at the time of the film's production. Judging by the closing credits, this seems to have been a French production.


• Making Of (480i; 8:03) is an archival featurette.


• "Imagining Total Recall" Featurette (480i; 30:12) is another archival piece which offers a number of fun interviews with various cast and crew members.


• Trailer (1080p; 1:30)

Maybe just a little confusingly, this release actually labels the 4K UHD disc as Disc 1, and the first 1080 Blu-ray disc as Disc 2, calling the second 1080 Blu-ray disc simply Special Features (even though there are special features on both the 4K UHD disc and the first 1080 Blu-ray disc).

Total Recall 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I thought the 2012 1080 Blu-ray release of Total Recall was going to be "as good as it gets", and while this new release may not be a total home run, it's pretty close in my opinion, though, who knows? Maybe an 8K UUHD version is imminent which will wipe this release from our memories, Rekall style. Aside from some passing compression issues in both the 1080 and 4K UHD versions, this release offers generally solid video and audio, and a nice supply of interesting supplements (I found the Carolco piece in particular to be fantastic). Highly recommended.