Minority Report vs. Total Recall

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10 comments

Oooh, battle of the PKD adaptations! MINORITY REPORT was sensational for the first hour, but the tacked-on happy ending is always Spielberg's undoing. TOTAL RECALL isn't terribly sophisticated, but it IS a lot funnier and consistent. That said: BLADE RUNNER > A SCANNER DARKLY > MINORITY REPORT > TOTAL RECALL is my final ranking.

"Consider that a divohrce." Clincher.

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Minority Report was more engaging and unique.

Two PKD story adaptations, both pretty good, but I'll have to go with Total Recall. I've always enjoyed that movie, like most of Verhoeven's movies, even if it isn't a faithful adaptation of the original short story.

Minority Report was more thought provoking.

Minority Report by an inch for me, though Total Recall was pretty impressive too. Spielberg + Cruise + Awesome SFX + Original Plot + Thought Provoking? You've got to be kidding me!

Total Recall it is. Not by a large margin by any means...but enough in my eyes...

Minority Report. Spielberg film will become a classic in time. You'll see.

Total Recall wins every single day of the week.

Speaking as someone who has not read either of the Philip K. Dick works on which these films are based, I'm going to have to go purely on which one I enjoy more rather than which one I think is a better Sci-Fi film. While I am a huge Spielberg fan, Minority Report was one of his films which I never really sat down to watch. I only ever caught segments of it, but never viewed it as a full product, thus my impression of it is skewered. In contrast, I have viewed Total Recall on numerous occasions, and I still enjoy it enormously. I'll be willing to give Minority Report another viewing to re-assess it, but for now I have to hand this one to Total Recall.

I've always seen Cruise as one of the best action stars of his time and it's because of films like Minority Report. He brings both, the agility and physical presence of someone like Arnie, and sensibility of traditional dramatic actors. Total Recall is more fun and amusing but it's not as thrilling or intrinsically disconcerting as Minority Report. Spielberg's most impressive work and a personal favorite of mine.

I love both how do I choose?Total recall I guess its the cult sci-fi classic Minority will get better in time.

love Total Recall its classic cult fun smart and action packed with great weird effects but overall in tone message and adaptation the better film is Minority Report.

Surprised I haven't ran across this matchup before now. Fairly close one in my opinion. I prefer Total Recall for its ambiguity regarding dream versus reality. Just my sort of thing I guess.

Philip K. Dick showdown right here. The story to Minority Report is just awesome and the execution is very good, but Total Recall is just more fun.

Cool matchup. Total Recall for me.

Both are great films, but I feel the presence of Schwarzenegger, while fun, makes Total Recall ultimately just a bit silly. Are you seriously trying to sell me the idea of Conan the Barbarian being a regular day schlub? And his acting, as everyone knows, isn't the greatest. Not that Minority Report is flawless by any means, as the happy ending does feel a bit tacked on and unconvincing as a whole(I don't buy how the events of the film changes the world entirely) but to me, it's better cast, better directed, and overall has a more engaging story whereas Total Recall is just fight after fight on the surface.