Total Recall gets a reboot

IN the late 21st century, Earth is a radioactive wasteland apart from two outposts on opposite sides of the planet: the prosperous United Federation of Britain ruled by Chancellor Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston), and the polluted, rain-saturated Colony, home to millions of workers and the underground resistance led by Matthias (Bill Nighy).

It’s a hum-drum life for those living in the colony for factory worker Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell) , even though he’s got a beautiful wife (Kate Beckinsale) who he loves.

Rekall, a shadowy company which promises to realise clients’ dreams by implanting artificial memories, sounds just the ticket for the jaded Doug - real memories of life as a super-spy might be just what he needs.

But when the procedure goes horribly wrong, He becomes a hunted man.

Finding himself on the run from the police - controlled by Chancellor Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston), the leader of the free world - Quaid teams up with a rebel fighter (Jessica Biel) to find Matthias and stop Cohaagen.

Total Recall is bombastic fun so long as you disengage your brain and submit to the gargantuan leaps in logic.

Based on sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick’s short story We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, both the 2012 reboot and the 1990 original are driven by the question of whether Quaid and his life-or-death situation are real.

Len Wiseman directs set pieces with aplomb, including a high-speed hovercar chase and a dizzying pursuit through a tower block’s horizontal and vertical lift shafts.

Fans of the Arnold Schwarzenegger version might regard this remake as sacrilege, but it makes for a perfect slice of futuristic entertainment.

The 2012 Total Recall is packed full of visually audacious action scenes, looks spectacular and contains some good two-hander scenes between Farrell and his two leading ladies.