Shoutout to the 2012 Total Recall remake for finally making me see the light on remakes

I used to be one of those people who said 'just watch the original' every time a remake came out. But last Tuesday I caught the 2012 Total Recall on cable at 2am because I couldn't sleep, and man I gotta admit it changed my mind a little. The original Schwarzenegger one is a classic sure but this version had this weird gritty feel to the colony setting that actually made the story hit different for me. Colin Farrell isn't Arnold but he brought this desperate regular guy energy that worked. My buddy Mike who runs a crew in Tacoma texted me after I told him I watched it and he said I was crazy. But I dunno maybe some remakes are worth a second look even if they flopped. Has anyone else had a remake that surprised you after years of hating on remakes?

3 comments

3 Comments

reesemoore2mo ago

Got to love a 2am cable discovery that flips your whole take on something. Colin Farrell really sold that desperate everyman vibe way better than I expected.

thea_mitchell202mo ago

Oh wow I just read he gained like 50 pounds for that role!

jenny_coleman28d agoProlific Poster

Thea's got a point about that weight gain but it was more than just the physical change for me. Farrell brought this bone tired desperation that Arnold never could because Arnold is literally an unstoppable action hero. What got me was how the colony setting felt like a real working class struggle, like you could smell the sweat and grime through the screen. That whole sequence where he's running through the tube system trying to get back to his wife hit different because of that gritty atmosphere. It made the story feel more human than the original even though the original is still a better movie overall. Sometimes a remake just needs to find its own angle instead of trying to beat the original at its own game.