10 Movies & Shows Similar to Total Recall (1990)

Description: Like Total Recall, Blade Runner is a sci-fi classic directed by Ridley Scott, featuring a dystopian future, existential themes, and a protagonist questioning his own reality. Both films explore the nature of humanity and identity, with a noir-inspired visual style.

Fact: Blade Runner is based on Philip K. Dick's novel 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?', just as Total Recall is based on his short story 'We Can Remember It for You Wholesale'. The film initially underperformed at the box office but later became a cult classic. There are seven different versions of the film, with the Final Cut being the most definitive.

Description: Like Total Recall, The Terminator features a relentless pursuit through a sci-fi landscape, with themes of fate and identity. Both films established Arnold Schwarzenegger as a sci-fi action icon.

Fact: The film was made for just $

Description: RoboCop shares Total Recall's satirical take on corporate control and media manipulation in a dystopian future. Both films blend intense action with social commentary, featuring protagonists who undergo radical physical transformations.

Fact: The suit was so uncomfortable actors could only wear it for 30 minutes at a time. The film was originally rated X for violence before cuts. Director Paul Verhoeven also directed Total Recall.

Description: Like Total Recall, Dark City features a protagonist who discovers his memories may be false, in a reality controlled by mysterious forces. Both films combine noir elements with sci-fi existentialism.

Fact: The director's cut removes the opening narration that gave away key plot points. The entire city was built on a soundstage. The film was a box office failure but gained a strong cult following.

Description: This Luc Besson film shares Total Recall's blend of sci-fi action and quirky humor, set in a vibrant, over-the-top future world. Both feature ordinary men caught up in extraordinary interplanetary conspiracies.

Fact: Bruce Willis initially turned down the role three times. The film's costumes were designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier. The alien language was created by linguists and has a complete grammar.

Description: The Matrix shares with Total Recall the theme of reality being manipulated or false, with protagonists who discover their world isn't what it seems. Both films feature intense action sequences and explore philosophical questions about perception and existence.

Fact: The Matrix's iconic bullet-dodging effect was achieved through a combination of still cameras and computer manipulation. Keanu Reeves trained for four months in martial arts for his role. The film's green color palette was inspired by early computer monitors.

Description: Another Philip K. Dick adaptation, Minority Report shares Total Recall's themes of memory manipulation and precrime. Both films feature protagonists on the run in futuristic settings, questioning their own perceptions while uncovering conspiracies.

Fact: Steven Spielberg consulted with numerous futurists to create a believable 205Tom Cruise performed many of his own stunts. The film's gesture-based interface technology predicted real-world developments like touchscreens.

Description: Another Philip K. Dick adaptation, this film shares Total Recall's themes of fractured identity and surveillance. Both explore the psychological effects of living in a controlled, deceptive reality.

Fact: The unique animation style took 18 months to complete. Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder previously starred in another Dick adaptation, 'The Devil's Advocate'. The film's title comes from a biblical passage.

Description: Looper shares Total Recall's themes of memory and identity, with a time-travel twist. Both films feature protagonists confronting versions of themselves in complex, mind-bending narratives.

Fact: Joseph Gordon-Levitt wore prosthetics to resemble a young Bruce Willis. The film's time travel rules were deliberately kept vague. The farm scenes were inspired by Terrence Malick films.

Description: Inception explores layered realities much like Total Recall's memory implantation concept. Both films deal with the manipulation of the mind and feature protagonists whose grasp on reality becomes increasingly uncertain.

Fact: Christopher Nolan spent nearly 10 years developing the script. The spinning top at the end wasn't meant to be the focus - the real clue is his children's clothing. The hallway fight scene took three weeks to film using practical effects.