Sunday, August 5, 2012

Get your ass to Mars - Total Recall

I recently saw the new Total Recall movie this weekend, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not really seeing why it's received the negative reviews. Granted it's not the best movie ever to come out, but I didn't want my two hours back and I'll most likely buy it when it comes out on DVD.

After the matinee I went and rented the old "Classic" version of Total Recall. I've forgotten how cheesy it really is. It's campy, filled with classic one liners but overall not that great anymore. I don't think it's held up that well at all.

The new version, I feel, holds actually pretty close to the same story. Granted there's no Mars and no mutants, but thats the only really differences. It really adapted well without those. The acting is solid, but compared to Arnold that's not saying much.

There are those that are going to get there panties in a bunch when they watch the new one because they probably believe that they can't match the old one. But it's really wasn't that great to begin with.

I have a theory about this. People are going to love movies/tv shows/(insert favorite thing here) from there childhood and teenage years. For example, take the old G.I. Joe and Transformer cartoons. As a kid, you loved them. And if you want them to remember them with fondness and greatness, you should never, ever watch them again. Ever. Because they're awful. Truly. I watched a half a dozen of the old Transformers cartoon a few years ago, and I had trouble getting through them they were that bad. Nostalgia does weird things to you.

Granted some things from your past hold up and you can still watch/play/whatever with them on a frequent basis. And to be honest, usually when Hollywood execs remake an old movie it's just to make a quick buck and aren't that great. But sometimes the original movie isn't that great to begin with, that the new one can't help but BE better. So put your nostalgia aside and go see it.