Total Recall Colin Farrell interview yields deep meaning for the sci-fi thriller

This past week Colin Farrell stepped up to the press bench with a deep explanation for what the 2012 version of Total Recall could mean for the audience. Total Recall is set to explode upon the entirety of the United States this weekend, and Farrell was certainly not shy about taking us deep into the inner-workings of the mind when it comes to this science fiction action extravaganza. Is it real, is it Rekall, or is it just the audience reading far too deep into the plot surrounding the action?

[Q] There's been some talk of how this film, with its plotline that partially centers around themes of big corporations and class warfare. Some early critics are suggesting that the film was made to reflect things like the Occupy Movement. Is there anything to that, or is it that they are all just reading far too much into the story?

[Colin Farrell] I think you have to experience relevance and significance where you experience it and where you find it. The audience will see what they want to see. Some people will come out and hopefully enjoy two hours of action. Some people will find themselves gravitating toward the emotional dynamic the characters find themselves in, or some people will see some layer of subversion to the storytelling or some aspect of poking a finger in judgement at some elements of government or – foreign invasion on false pretenses – I mean you can go wherever you want with it really.

It's not really the purpose of the film.

Above: Colin Farrell stands amid co-stars Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale at the LA press junket for Total Recall (from whens this interview segment came)

[aquote]Len's concern with the whole film was to have it as a narrative between the world of emotion verses the world of intellect.[/aquote]

[CF] But no matter what film you're telling, you're representing some element of reality. You're representing the idea of being a human being. You're always with humans, their fears, their shortcomings, their braveries, their doubts, their loves, their abilities, their brilliance. And those things inevitably lead to physical systems, into political systems, into foreign policy, and all that kind of stuff. Crime, religion, and – so you see what you want to see, man – the purpose of the film is not to take a stand against big government. It's an action film.

Len's particular concern with the whole film, I think, was to have it as a narrative between the world of emotion verses the world of intellect. The idea that you can suppress or subjugate a person's mind, and a person's memories, and a person's experiences – mentally, psychologically, intellectually – but that you can't quiet them completely to the point of dormancy.

The emotional light of a person, the heart. And what the heart remembers and what the heart experiences. And even that, it's not important if that comes across. It's another composite, if that's somewhere in how Quaid [the main character of the film, played by Farrell] can't figure out anything but begins to feel his love for Melina [Jessica Biel] be awokened to the person that he was and the person that he's becoming, then, that's cool.

But if it's not – its really what anyone wants to get out of it.

Stay tuned here at SlashGear in our Total Recall portal to see all the hot Rekall action as the film blows up starting this weekend. Make sure you also check the timeline below to follow our path through chats and interviews with the stars and the director of this 2012 action thriller, and see how deep this futuristic science fiction environment goes on the big screen!