Current Events > So, what actually happened in Total Recall? *Spoilers*

(+) Yeah! (+)

I watched this film for the first time recently then watched the RLM Review where they gave their theories. Now I am curious was CE's theories are.

I don't RECALL anything not explained by the end.

Quaid was Howser but the deep cover life he lived as part of the plot to destroy the resistance was more real and true to him than his past, so his brain and body resisted all attempts to turn him back.

He became his true self whether he knew why or not

BuzzKilljoy posted...

Quaid was Howser but the deep cover life he lived as part of the plot to destroy the resistance was more real and true to him than his past, so his brain and body resisted all attempts to turn him back.

He became his true self whether he knew why or not

What was the point of sending him to Earth?

I believe he went through a psychotic break and imagined it all.

The walls literally came crashing down after the therapist told him they would.

Thermador446 posted...

I don't RECALL anything not explained by the end.

Oh, what happened?

I know a watched a good video about this, but it doesn't seem to show up on my already watched videos. Maybe I read about it in forums instead.

So instead, have Shax's dream finally come true.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak5r6H0fka8

Dakimakura posted...

What was the point of sending him to Earth?

So he could travel back to Mars with no "real" memories, only the implanted ones and infiltrate the resistance

Forgot, because the resistance had a psychic mutant that would have sensed an infiltration if it was deliberate

They do leave it open to interpretation, i love when movies do that and leave you thinking when it's over. I always leaned toward the entire thing being the experience he paid for. The girl being the exact girl that was built from his choices before he drifts off. 5 minutes after the final scene, he wakes up at recall.

Which version are we talking about?

Looks like the original. Good, since it's the better version. The events of the film actually happened, and were not simply the vacation Quaid paid for. He started the reactor, as Kuato wanted.

It's real.

Basically Arnold kills everyone the end

You blew my cover!!

He stroked out on the table, from the Recall vacation.

It was all real. There are scenes with Arnold not in it where the doctors literally say something like we didnt even implant the memories yet.

They left clues for both options and decided that it was up to the viewers to decide.