‘Total Recall’ falls short of box-office expectations

McClatchy Newspapers

LOS ANGELES

Universal moved “The Bourne Legacy” off this past weekend, blinking in its box-office staring contest with Sony’s “Total Recall.” But the $125-million science-fiction action pic mustered just $26 million in domestic dollars.

For years, Hollywood has believed remakes work because they come with a marketing head-start. “Total Recall” is the latest example to disprove this way of thinking. Paul Verhoeven’s original, also loosely based on a Philip K. Dick story, was regarded as a classic, but of the pop kind.

Len Wiseman seemed ready for the big time when he stewarded “Live Free or Die Hard” to $380 million in 2007. Sony hired him to tackle this premium property. Yet the opening was disappointing.

Two attractive young female leads, Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale, offered no help at the box office.

Everyone praised the sharp effects in the new “Total Recall.” But a comparatively small number of people bought tickets to see them.

Colin Farrell had another studio-driven reboot, “Fright Night.” He couldn’t get us to see that either.