What is the iRankMovies score for Total Recall?

Name: Total Recall
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Genre: action, adventure, science-fiction
Released: 1990
Duration: 1 h 53 min
Rating: 7.5

Total Recall has an iRankMovies score of 73.4/100, based on a weighted combination of IMDb (×3.0), Rotten Tomatoes (×2.0), Metacritic (×1.5), and TMDb (×1.0).

Total Recall (1990)

They stole his mind. Now, he wants it back.

Release:1990

Runtime:1h 53m

Country:United States

Director:Paul Verhoeven

Language:English

Genre

ActionAdventureScience Fiction

See the best action movies →

Keywords

Double LifePlanet MarsBased On Novel Or BookOxygenResistanceTelepathyFalsely Accuseddystopia

iRank73

Total Recall rating: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic

IMDb7.5/10· 378K votes

Rotten Tomatoes81%

Metacritic60%

TMDb7.321/10· 6K votes

With 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, backed by 7.5/10 on IMDb and 60/100 on Metacritic, critical reception of this film has been positive.

About Total Recall

Construction worker Douglas Quaid's obsession with the planet Mars leads him to visit Rekall, a virtual vacation company that manufactures memories. When something goes wrong during Quaid's memory implant procedure, his life turns upside down, leading him to question what is reality and what isn't.

Cast of Total Recall

Arnold Schwarzenegger
as Douglas Quaid / Hauser
Rachel Ticotin
as Melina
Sharon Stone
as Lori Quaid
Ronny Cox
as Vilos Cohaagen
Michael Ironside
as Richter
Marshall Bell
as George / Kuato
Mel Johnson Jr.
as Benny
Michael Champion
as Helm
Roy Brocksmith
as Dr. Edgemar
Ray Baker
as Bob McClane
Rosemary Dunsmore
as Dr. Lull
David Knell
as Ernie

Total Recall facts

Budget: $65M
Box office: $261.3M

Our take on Total Recall

Paul Verhoeven's 1990 science-fiction thriller follows construction worker Douglas Quaid, whose fixation on Mars leads him to Rekall, a company that implants artificial vacation memories. When the procedure goes wrong, his ordinary life collapses and he can no longer tell what's real from what's been planted in his head. Verhoeven turns that premise into a paranoid, violent action ride that keeps pulling the rug out from under both Quaid and the viewer. It's pulpy and hard-edged, more interested in destabilizing certainty than resolving it neatly. Ideal for fans of provocative, twist-driven sci-fi who enjoy chewing on what's genuine versus manufactured, and don't mind an aggressive, satirical streak throughout.

Ranked by the iRankMovies editorial teamUpdated August 2026Methodology Data sources

Audience opinions

What the audience liked

•Action-packed sci-fi thrills combine visceral practical effects with conceptual ambition
•Verhoeven's satirical edge adds intelligent social commentary beneath spectacular surfaces
•Identity-bending mystery creates intriguing philosophical questions amid explosive sequences

What the audience disliked

•Dated special effects and 1990 aesthetics limit immersion for modern viewers somewhat
•Plot complexity sometimes obscures narrative clarity in pursuit of conceptual ambition