“RoboCop” and “Total Recall” have lost none of their fascination even after more than 30 years. Even though one or two special effects may seem a bit outdated from today’s perspective, Paul Verhoeven’s dark visions of the future are not only incredibly poignant and brutal, but also quite clever and timeless. So it’s no wonder that there are now remakes of the two science fiction milestones.
But neither 2014’s ‘RoboCop’ nor 2012’s ‘Total Recall’ could keep up with the great originals. Not only do many fans and critics agree on this, Paul Verhoeven himself also agrees. This was recently discussed in a detailed interview with Eric Kohn from about the new editions of “Robocop” and “Total Recall”.
Paul Verhoeven has these problems with the remakes
Verhoeven explained his difficulties with José Padilha’s ‘Robocop’, in which Joel Kinnaman played the leading role of the same name, as follows:
“The problem, in my opinion, was that he was aware that he had lost all his legs and arms. He knows it from the beginning. The great thing about the original RoboCop, what makes it more than just a tragedy or whatever, is that he really doesn’t know anymore. As he heads to his old house, some vague memories flash back, but RoboCop is not a tragic figure. […] In the new one he is much more tragic because he remembers everything. […] In my opinion, making him more tragic is a problem.”
About “Total Recall,” which stars Colin Farrell in the shoes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Paul Verhoeven explained, “I felt like he had a lot of special effects, but this mystery – is it true or is it not true? I just didn’t feel it anymore. The interesting thing about the original is that it is at the end […] I don’t know if it’s real.”
There are undoubtedly valid points that Verhoeven makes here. Many fans of the originals will certainly agree. It remains to be seen whether the now 85-year-old veteran will return to the science fiction genre. In the conversation with In any case, he has expressed his willingness to direct another big-budget blockbuster, assuming the script is right.