Total Recall is a 2012 American dystopian science-fiction action film directed by Len Wiseman. The screenplay by Kurt Wimmer and Mark Bomback was based on the 1990 film of the same name, which was inspired by the 1966 short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" by Philip K. Dick. The film stars Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, Bokeem Woodbine, John Cho, and Bill Nighy. Unlike the first film, the setting is on a dystopian Earth, not Mars, and has more political themes.[1] The film blends American and Asian influences, notably in the settings and dominant populations of the two nation-states in the story: the United Federation of Britain (Western Europe) and the Colony (Australia).
The film was first announced in 2009[2] and was released in North America on August 3, 2012, grossing over $198 million worldwide.[3][4] The film received generally negative reviews from critics. It received praise for its action sequences and acting, but the lack of humor, emotional subtlety, and character development drew some criticism.