Total Recall (1990)

This is an imperfect-but-creditable movie. In 2084, Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a construction worker married to his wife Lori (Sharon Stone). He wants to visit Mars for a vacation, but he constantly has nightmares about it and his wife says they should visit another space destination instead. His co-worker tells me about a company that can give you a realistic virtual vacation. Before the technique fully takes effect, Quaid wakes up and claims to be a secret agent. He is pursued by several men, but finds a message he had previously recorded telling him to visit Mars to find out the truth about his life.

The movie is based on the 1966 story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" written by Philip Dick. Much of the filming took place in Mexico City. The film was initially given an X rating. The only CGI in the entire film was a 42-second sequence, showing the X-rayed skeletons of commuters and their concealed weapons. The film won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. A game version was released for the NES. Total Recall 2070 is a television series based on the film and ran for 22 episodes in 1999. A remake of the movie starring Colin Farrell and Kate Beckinsale is scheduled to be released later this year.