6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A factory worker, Douglas Quaid, begins to suspect that he is a spy after visiting Rekall - a company that provides its clients with implanted fake memories of a life they would like to have led - goes wrong and he finds himself on the run.
Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, Bokeem WoodbineAction | 100% |
Adventure | 56% |
Sci-Fi | 53% |
Thriller | 45% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
An illusion, no matter how convincing, is just an illusion.
Fret, or fret not, 2012's take on the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger Sci-Fi favorite Total Recall does indeed show a three-breasted woman in all of her
bare-chested glory. And that's
a big part of the film's problem. Whereas in the original film it was contextually understood that the girl was a mutant -- the plot revolved around
disfigured humans-turned-Martians fighting for their basic freedoms from power-hungry suits -- her presence makes no sense in the slicked-up 2012
edition. She appears just for the sake of tying back to the original, and apparently things like context and themes were lost on the filmmakers of
this one, filmmakers who felt it was more important to recycle more than just the general idea of a "secret agent" who doesn't know he's a secret
agent until he tries to have a "secret agent" identity falsely implanted in his mind which in turn revives his skills as said secret agent. Or something.
The story's always been beautifully complex, and it's not really dumbed down in Director Len Wiseman's (Underworld) take. Nevertheless, the movie on the whole does feel
rather superfluous, though still quite a bit of fun. It tries to tell the same story in a different way without really letting go of some of the pieces that
made the original work in its own way and on its own terms. 2012's Total Recall relies more on smooth action and less on characterization
and mind-bending plot complexities. There's nothing wrong with that, but be advised that this Total Recall will play much better by
forgetting the old Total Recall, advice the filmmakers would have been smart to take to heart. Had they ditched the three-breasted girl, not
to mention
a whole lot of the other recycled dialogue and elements that serve only to remind viewers of the superiority of the original, chances are audiences
new to the world of Phillip K. Dick's story and longtime fans of the original film both could have more easily enjoyed Wiseman's vision had they not
been
constantly bombarded by remnants of a superior experience.
Will these memories be in 4K or only "mastered in 4K?"
Sony's commitment to releasing the finest Blu-ray products is evident with every spin of a Sony-branded disc. The consistency of product -- from the
latest blockbusters to the most cherished classic titles from years gone by -- is arguably tops in the entire industry, and why shouldn't it be; Sony
was a lead Blu-ray design and advocacy outfit, its PlayStation 3 console offered disc playback and instant wide format adoption, and the first wave of
titles released back in 2006 bore the
Sony label on the spine. Since then, and through a few growing pains and spurts -- a bloody format war, a misstep or two, the transition from Dolby TrueHD to DTS-HD Master Audio -- the
studio has emerged as the most trustworthy in the industry when it comes to its Blu-ray product. When it says Sony, chances are extremely
high that the movie is going to look
(and sound) about as good as the format allows. Now, Sony is recalling the days of its "Superbit" DVD releases with the emergence of "Mastered in
4K"
(*)
Blu-ray discs. The initial wave consists of a handful of films, all of which have enjoyed previous, and largely very high quality, Blu-ray transfers. The
new
transfers are sourced from 4K masters but here's where the giant asterisk comes in: they're then downscaled to standard Blu-ray 1080p resolution.
That
means buyers can enjoy them on their regular old Blu-ray players and their regular old HDTVs -- no fancy new hardware required. The downside is
that
viewers aren't really seeing the material in 4K; even those who shell out the large sum of cash for a new 4K TV will be treated only to an upscaled
presentation, much the same way today's regular old TV/playback 1080p device combos upscale standard definition DVDs.
Watching the "Mastered in 4K" transfer in 1080p does yield some benefits over the standard 1080p Blu-ray releases, even if it's not a true 4K
experience. The discs
take advantage of a significantly higher bitrate than regular old Blu-ray discs, meaning more muscle to produce the finest picture quality, revealing
superior details and showcasing that perfect cinematic, pleasing grain texturing for pictures photographed on film and more accuracy for those
photographed in the wholly digital realm. "Mastered in 4K" discs also promise superior color balance and accuracy, reproducing a more
faithful-to-the-source palette that will reveal the sort of natural shading and subtle nuance even the best of 1080p Blu-ray cannot match. More, Sony
promises
enhanced viewing on its own line of 4K TVs thanks to a proprietary upscaling algorithm that's designed to squeeze the most out of
the "Mastered in 4K" line of Sony discs, above and beyond what any competitor's display can offer. Makes sense considering some branch of Sony is at
work
along every step of the process. Unfortunately, one of Sony's shiny new 4K televisions was not available for review purposes, but suffice it to say that
either of the launch displays -- the 55" and 65" XBR-labeled sets -- will undoubtedly offer the best consumer viewing picture to date, whether joined
with a Sony "Mastered in 4K" disc or a regular old Blu-ray from any studio.
How to improve on an already stellar presentation? Sony's "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray release of 2012's Total Recall remake does just that.
What was a reference quality transfer manages to improve by a fair amount with the added
resolution of the 4K master, even after it's been reformatted to 1080p. It's obviously not a significant leap, but the image takes on a noticeably
tighter appearance. Even as a rather dark film -- it's awash in shades of brown, gray, and blue with heavy black backdrops -- the color palette looks a
little more natural, steadier in the darker scenes and more vibrant where applicable, notably as seen on some of the neon signage around the usually
rainy or
otherwise dreary and unwelcoming city shots. Details appear slightly better defined, again not by a significant margin but there's clearly a sharper,
more robust presence to much of the image. It's certainly not evident in every single shot, but choice comparisons do reveal a more well-defined
picture in
many places. Black levels are very strong and very deep, but not to the detriment of nearby details. Flesh tones appear true to the surrounding
conditions. Technically, the picture appears flawless, lacking noise, blocking, banding, or other eyesores. Total Recall
shows that even relatively brand-new films with already incredible "standard" Blu-ray transfers can improve with the "Mastered in 4K" process,
whether on dedicated 4K
screens or displayed on any old 1080p television.
Note that some comparative screenshots from the previous review were sourced from footage not included in this release and have thus been
replaced.
As expected, Sony's Blu-ray release of Total Recall delivers a dynamic surround sound experience that effortlessly pulls the listener into the film's haunting, dark future world environment. The track makes easy use of the entire stage, delivering a full, aggressive, and nuanced sound presentation that's as sonically dramatic and polished as most any out there. Sound elements -- from music to heavy sound effects, gunfire to light ambience -- are worked into the track with precision engineering, getting placement, balance, volume, and clarity all exactly right. Shootouts are handled beautifully; gunfire erupts from all corners and plays heavily but with fine clarity and attention to detail the whole way through, from trigger pull to bullet impact. The general din of a bustling future city plays convincingly in every shot, creating a very much lived-in world defined by subtle sound effects and strong, positive, balanced bass when necessary. From the din of The Fall's a busy transport hub to rain-soaked exteriors, the track paints of vivid sonic picture of all of its unique environments. Music is naturally smooth and spacious, very clear throughout the entire range and perfectly balanced from speaker to speaker. Dialogue plays firmly and naturally, hovering above surrounding din during busier scenes and always focused and clear as it streams through the center channel. In short, this is a dynamic, exciting sound presentation that does everything as well as can be expected. The movie benefits a great deal from its expert soundtrack, and it has been reproduced onto Blu-ray with great care.
This 4K Blu-ray release of Total Recall contains no supplement content. Note that this is the theatrical cut, not the extended director's cut available on the previous release.
Total Recall, 2012's most frustrating movie, gets so much right but doesn't ever fully come together under its own power. It's a film in the midst of a terrible identity crisis, a remake largely in name only that tries to be so different from its predecessor but at the same time take advantage of every opportunity to remind viewers of the other, superior production. This Total Recall would work wonders were it slightly reworked to exist in the same universe as its predecessor rather than try to fit in that film's own pair of shoes which prove too big to fill. This 2012 film is exciting and breathtakingly put together, a real stunner of an Action movie, but there's just not a good balance between "new" and "old" and there are too many poor choices in what basic ideas and themes to carry over and what to leave behind, what specific scenes and elements to recreate and which to abandon altogether. The entire film's problems are embodied in that three-breasted woman: the movie, like her, is a beautiful curiosity that just doesn't always fit amidst its surroundings. Replace her with "story," "emotion," "thoughtfulness," or "characters" and see this Total Recall as a good-looking but rather empty take on a superior product. Still, it's well worth watching -- and enjoying -- if viewers can separate the two films and soak this one up on its own merits, which is admittedly very hard to do, at times. Sony's "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray release of Total Recall looks amazing in every way, but not so amazing as to make it a necessary addition to the collection, particularly for anyone without the state-of-the-art 4K television sets to watch it on.
3 Disc Edition
2012
Extended Director's Cut
2012
2012
Bonus Disc
2012
2-Disc Extended Director's Cut
2012
2-Disc Extended Director's Cut
2012
2-Disc Extended Director's Cut
2012
4 Disc Edition
2012
1990
+BD with the 3 versions
1991
2015
2009
Director's Cut
2009
2012
1080p Corrected Version
2003
2015
2011
2008
2019
2006
40th Anniversary Edition
1984
2013
2019
2018
2015
2015
2003
Unrated Edition
2012