Total Recall might be what you could consider the classic Arnold Schwarzenegger action film. The plot involves Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who goes for virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real or is he still strapped inside the simulation.

In the opening scene of Total Recall Quaid is on an expedition to Mars where he breaks his helmet open suffocate to death only for the film to show that this was all a dream. Right from the very beginning of Total Recall the film the audience is invited to ask the question whether the events that transpire are real or within his head. As these dreams could either be taking as mere fantasies or showcasing real events of an undercover secret agent who has his memory wiped whereby recall unlocks these memories. As it turns out this opening sequence was all a dream again highlighting the question of whether this is really all within his mind or a showcasing of his memories. This is again apparent with the brunette girl he sees in his dreams shown to be melena later in the film again asking the question of whether all of this is due to his repressed memories. As Quaid and his wife Lori (Sharon Stone) watched the TV where show news footage of the rebels fighting with the government. This indicates a key theme of total recall being the battle between a caste-based political power struggle within the film. During this scene Lori Pye tries to persuade the oak not to go to Mars, which later in the film could be taken as her not wanting his secret agent persevered himself to awaken repressed memories. Quaid however wants to do something more with his life again links to the idea of implanted memories to condition him to this falsified reality.

On his way to work Quaid watches a advert about recall highlighting his desire to go to Mars thinking about going to recall in order to implant a fake memory of him being there however as the film goes on to demonstrate will they be implanting memories or will he actually remember these events himself. When Quaid talks to his friend Harry he tells the story about his friend to winter recall and almost got lobotomised. On one hand you could see this is Harry trying to protect Quaid and the other as demonstrated later on in the film it could very well be Harry knowing about Quaid’s passing him not wanting to find out. Quaid then decides to go to recall either to get fake memories or receive his past life is left up to the interpretation of the viewer.

When Quaid meets Bob McClain, he is unsure about sending him to Mars and offers something different. This further reinforces the idea of recording a past memory and that is recall themselves were responsible for the wipe. Quaid wanting the memory of Mars could even be interpreted as merely an obsession or him reliving a past life. They refer to recall as an ego trip creating the idea of this all being his mind however, Quaid has a desire to become a secret agent which could be a sign of repressed memories. That being said, what happens in the film is effectively what Bob offers in recall showcasing that it is all in his head the people at root recall say that’s a new one blue sky on Mars as they put his dreams into the computer highlighting the idea that this is all in his head. Quaid states “I was always fascinated with mars” highlighting repressed memories. Before he goes under quaint designs the woman of his dreams again hunting the idea of little being in his head however this is also an incorporation of the woman he originally saw in the streams possibly alluding to the fact that this is all real. When Quaid freaks out at recall the film can be interpreted one of two ways. You can see this as it’s all being real, and he realises his past life, or this experience is all in his head and part of recall experience. Within this scene they talk about the memory Which is the idea of repressed memories as well as stating that they haven’t implanted the secret agent portion of his ego trip yet linking to the idea of this being real as well as them stating that the agency. They raised his memory. After they are raised his memory, they refund his mum and dumping in a taxi so he can get home. As he gets dropped off Harry and some other men grab him stating that he blabbed about Mars again posing the question throughout the film as to whether this is all in his head whether he really was a secret agent with erased memories in reaction to this he beats up along the way. As a explains to Lori about Mars it is very possible that this could have happened or the delusions of a madman that has gone crazy via a recall implant as illustrated by the blood on his hands.

When Laurie tries to kill Quaid, he ends up apprehending her. From this she then explained how his whole life is a lie set up by recall as he was a secret agent with his memory wiped each further highlights the idea of this being reality. From this she then goes on to state that she is not his wife Annette six months ago this artificial reality was set up for him as his whole life it is a lie. The agency did this to make sure he does not discover the truth that he was a secret agent. This showcases that this might in fact a breeze true version of reality and the events beforehand were implanted as simulated idea set up by the agency further highlighting the subtext of your entire life possibly being fiction.

As Quaid goes on the run from the secret government agents that events showcased as reality but could very well be a dream. Throughout the hints of this experience being real such as when Laurie says “what if they bring him back” again linking to the idea of Quaid’s life being real. However, Quaid seems to become an effective killing machine almost right away further linking to the idea of this is all in his head or possibly repressed qualities from his secret agent past. As Quaid goes to a hotel, he gets a message where he finds out he is being bugged. After wrapping a wet towel around his head to block the signal he gets a message and briefcase form a guy supposedly form his past, again we don’t know if this is real or fantasy, as the secret agent leaves a brief case for him again questioning whether this is a dream or reality.

This idea of questioning the nature of reality comes up again in which Quaid watches a video of his supposedly true self in the form of Hauser. Hauser reveals that Quaid is a fake person and that he is really a Mars secret agent that fell in love but then realised the dystopian like worlds that has been created for the Martian people. Due to this he wants to ruin Keohane but unfortunately Hauser is no longer a life meaning it is all up to Quaid, a common theme throughout the film is the idea of the jewel in split personalities and whether you are really yourself. He ultimately gets his plan from his past self-going to Mars to destroy cohagen as throughout the film the story pave the idea of reliving your past life as well as the dual personality of the mind as to what is real and what is fiction.

In the classic two weeks seen Quaid dresses up as a large woman whose head is secretly a bomb. This seem further links to the thematic narrative of the film being changing into a new persona and identity. The repressed memories in Quaid’s mind showcases the power of the brain and its ability to manipulate and control reality. As Quaid gets a flyer for a brothel called the last resort where it states on the back-call Melina for a good time, Benny convinces Quaid to get in this. Later, in the film it is revealed that Benny is actually on the side of Cohagen which is a brilliant version of the comic relief character troupe. Quaid gets a flyer for a brothel called the last resort with writing on the back saying call Melina for a good time from this he gets into Benny’s camp to driving there. The character of Benny within the film as the comic relief that turns out to be the bad guy is a brilliant subversion on the clichéd trope in showcases the originality and creativity of total recall. During this scene also Benny asked Quaid “first time on Mars” to which Quaid answers “yes well know well sort of” as Benny replies “damn man doesn’t even know if he’s been to Mars”, highlighting the key theme throughout the film, this is further showcased when one mutant says to him “do you want to know the future” to which Quaid replies “how about the past”. In a typical lastly set up the prostitute Melina is someone from houses past that he knows but does not remember. Again the idea of what is real and what is fiction as a key theme throughout the film is she is exactly like the girl he specified at recall. In his conversation with Melina is his stated that Hauser is still on the side of Cohagen and that he is a ex-Cohagen agent that switch sides the rebels again create a sense of an artificial reality with a typical spy infiltration setup. The film showcases the idea of his reality not being real but instead a free-form delusion invented from the memory tapes of the Mars secret agent recall program as well as his own subconscious mind therefore highlighting his reality as a fictional one. However fantasy and reality overlap a lot throughout the two records narrative as he believes that his fantasy is reality as in his reality he specified a certain type of girl which he met in his dreams which highlights the fact of it being part of his mind. This is further highlighted with the addition of Laurie being there and real or possibly part of Quaid’s superconscious mind. This scene is a very good job in highlighting the absurdity of it all as it is more probable that he is dreaming this at recall in his real life is that of a secret agent however the scene also demonstrates that this might also be reality as a bead of sweat on Dr Edgemar’s head symbolises in Quaid’s mind that this is reality therefore he shoots him starting a fight scene in which Quaid gets knocked out.

The fight between Lori and Melina symbolises Quaid’s two identities battling one another, as in the moment when Quaid kills Lori it’s symbolises his acceptance of this reality is there is no turning back now whether or not he dug made the right decision or not is left up to the viewer’s interpretation.

Richter could be argued to be shown as a somewhat sympathetic villain as in the scene that follows he cries emotionally over the Lord’s body showcasing that each early laughter which was further highlighted in a previous scene in which he was upset over the idea of her enjoying sex with Quaid more than with him. As they escaped through The Last Resort via a secret passage coping he conceals the area and cuts the air supply showcasing the power struggle of a human mutant classist division throughout the film which is further highlighted by the first mutant settlers being killed under Cohagen Andy reveal of Benny being a mutant. The film delved into Quaid’s superconscious mind via Kuato the psychic mutant inside the rebel leader. The idea of remembering yourself is a key theme throughout total recall. Quaid believes that memories make up humanity as a collection of what you have done forms the shape that has become yourself. However, Kuato believes that actions define a person as the choices you make in the decisions that you choose creates the overall character of yourself as stated by Kuato himself “a man is defined by his actions not his memories”. As they look inside Quaid’s subconscious, they find a plan to destroy the planet and mine it of his resources. Then the soldiers attack killing the rebels in the brilliant bait and switch as Benny kills George/Kuato revealing himself to be working for Cohagen. Then, in another brilliant twist it turns out that Hauser was on Cohagen inside this whole time and used Quaid as a ploy to get to Kosovo and wipe out the resistance. This further showcases the idea of the duality of human beings as from this Quaid has now lost his identity again he does not know who he is any more as in the form of Hauser he has tricked all of them in order to help Cohagen. Again, the duality of the mind is showcased here and poses the question what ultimately makes up a man is memories of his past or his actions.

Cohagen showcases an interesting idea in the film that being that everything up until this point was set up by them again asking the question what is real and what is not. This is further showcased when Hauser talks to Quaid who repeats this idea. Throughout total recall interesting themes are explored such as the idea of shaping and reprogramming of human subconscious against the backdrop of a classist division as demonstrated with the humans and mutants. Quaid and Melina get their brains reprogrammed into the supposedly reality however Quaid rejected this by freeing himself from the chair killing the doctor and freeing rep Melina. Quaid ultimately realises that what makes up humanity is more than just memories what makes a person is the actions you take and in breaking free of his bonds both literally and metaphorically he is rejecting the dystopian system of oppression that binds both him and the Martian people into becoming a true human. By fighting the doctors Quaid is fighting back against the fictional world is coping he can finally sides to kill Quaid at the delight of Victor. As this is going on, Benny comes back to kill Quaid and Melina in a mining machine before Quaid rose hole through the fuel line destroying it before pushing the drill through a panel killing Benny thereby accepting his reality. They find out that the reactor is down in the minds which can release oxygen through a glazier down there terraforming the atmosphere which is how Cohagen keeps the society under control. As they go to start the reactor Quaid outsmarts Victor and his men with the hologram tool before Quaid and Richter fight on the elevator is Quaid the knocks him off and dangled him from his arms in which the ceiling ripped his arms off making him full face death resulting in another classic Arnold line “see you at the party Richter”. Quaid and Cohagen are now as a stand-off over the reactor button as he plans to blow it up killing the more. Melina shoots Cohagen as he releases the bomb causing place to blow up as they hang on for dear life in the vacuum of a created. Quaid then escapes as Cohagen died through lack of oxygen showcasing incredible practical effects as Quaid ultimately gives the planet an atmosphere. They suffocate but luckily the area is turned back and just in time as the incredible practical effects of them suffocating our reverted back down to their normal faces is now, they can breathe again. On one hand this can all be seen as the typical happy ending for our heroes on the other it seems very much as if Quaid has acted through a simulation program of him saving the world is what happened is effectively what the people at recall promised him complete with a blue sky. As he saves the day and kisses the girl fade to white appears on one hand the end of the film but something that could also be his lobotomy as he lies dead back at recall.

Total recall is a film about the nature of reality and the existence of a truth. The film questions what is real and what is not as we dive into the centre of ourselves to discover who we are and whether we can ultimately change things for the better.