Only a duff ending prevents the remake of Total Recall from being a considerable achievement. With his everyman quality and fearless projection of vulnerability, Colin Farrell comes close to reinventing the characterisation of Doug Quaid/Hauser, originally played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1990.

I suspect that many readers already know the cinematic equivalent of Philip K. Dick’s short story, We Can Remember It for You Wholesale. If not, then here’s a rundown of the major players and their respective functions. Doug (Farrell) dreams of a troubling existence, being chased by “synthetics” or robots. One day, he wakes up in a cold sweat; his wife Lori (Kate Beckinsale) tries to comfort him. At work, he overhears something about Rekall, a place where fantasies can be inserted into the mind. Against the advice of his best friend, Doug goes there. When it’s revealed that he’s actually a spy, all manner of forces are out to get him. That includes trusted spouse Lori, who is not all she seems.

In brief, the gory elements of the Schwarzenegger version have been toned down to such an extent that the remake can feel bloodless. While I believe the original leaves a lot to be desired, its remake doesn’t cheat the audience either. For 95% of the running time, Total Recall delivers on suspense, action and some pretty worthwhile character development. We understand the simple routine of Doug and how it becomes disrupted when the shutters over his eyes are ripped away, metaphorically speaking.

As an acting gig, Beckinsale finds her groove early and sticks with it. She’s a compelling villain, able to bypass her looks and feel dangerous at every turn. Meanwhile, Jessica Biel’s Melina falls short of the objective.

Following Phone Booth, which provided a breakout part for Farrell, he’s been in the Russell Crowe doldrums of late, scrambling through weak script after weak script. Total Recall challenges the actor on a physical level. Overall, he does well under Len Wiseman’s studious direction.

To a large extent, the science-fiction genre can be defined by the production design or sets. In this area, Total Recall looks similar to Blade Runner, although it lacks the latter’s sense of darkness, mystery and grunginess. Perhaps the most significant change involves the absence of Mars as a setting. Rather than hurting the atmosphere of the remake, it helps to ground the film in a day-to-day reality that doesn’t feel futuristic. Granted, there are fantastical elements such as a transportation system that can move through the Earth’s core at high speed. Without giving anything away, the last five to ten minutes of the film lets the audience down. It’s an anti-climactic conclusion to a strong build-up. So, would I watch Total Recall again? No, but I can think of worse ways to spend an afternoon at the movies. 

(Released by Sony Pictures and rated "PG-13" by MPAA.)