Review 1: Total Recall

So, here we are. The first film review, and I don't know about you, but I am quite excited. I decided to go with a film I had seen fairly recently to kick start the process, and what better than Total Recall?

Upon seeing the advert for this film, my initial impression was that it was going to be very similar to the Matrix. Douglas Quaid (Colin Farrell) is a man whose life is being controlled by some higher power, who then finds out he is some important figure. How does he find out, you ask? By being drawn to one word, ReKall. - seeing similarities yet? But as I got into the film after some er.. interesting facts about planet Earth, I started to realise it was just on the cusp of individuality. It has impactful music, great graphics and brilliant stunts, allowing for some edge-of-your-seat moments. Although it has elements of romance, it seems to be more of a male's choice.

Kate Beckinsale, who plays Lori Quaid, managed to pull off a brilliant change in accent, and played both her parts of loving wife and superspy bad girl with such ease. I had no idea that she could ever have been betraying him, giving the element of surprise.

The character of Melina (Jessica Biel) was the character that just turned up without any real purpose. Her dialogue doesn't really explain anything, and after a while you seem to wonder what she was even doing there. No offence to her, she played it well and looked good in the process, but all she does is put him in her car, and then take him on a train to meet Matthias (Bill Nighy). After her getting captured a couple of times you realise that she doesn't really seem to have as big a part as you first thought, which I suppose allows the film to concentrate on the action rather than the romance.The film involves a lot of chases, fight scenes and new age technology, which surprisingly wasn't as in-your-face as you would think. It has a subtle tone to it, allowing you to be sucked into the story and the characters. And of course I have to mention the legend that is Bill Nighy, who once again gets into his character brilliantly, producing a believable and noteworthy performance.

The only thing that would possibly put a dampener on things was the dialogue. Yes, it worked with the film. No, it wasn't as engaging as it could have been, but that's reality. My overall IMDb rating was 7 stars out of 10, meaning a solid, if not slightly hesitant, thumbs up from me.