Total Unnecessary

Sometimes I really wonder what is going on in Hollywood executives minds.
I really do. Last weekend they gave the world the unneeded, unwanted and baffling remake of “Total Recall.”
I have made my opinions known in past blog entries about movie remakes, but after seeing this 1990 sci-fi film being redone for no real reason at all, I feel like a little rant.
While I was not a huge fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s foray into mind-altering realities and trips to Mars, I was also a hater of the film. For what it was, it falls into my category of “Seen it, won’t watch again, but not terrible.”
So now, more than two decades later, we get some new version with younger actors and— from what I’ve read — watered-down action sequences. A film like “Total Recall” really needs the action because the plot, while somewhat interesting, doesn’t sustain a feature-length adaptation.
So what do we get? A watered-down remake with a PG-13 rating and a cast that would have been relevant in 2003 (Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel).
What baffles me even more is one of my favorite actors, Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad’s” Walter White), is in this mess.
We also have a remake of “Judge Dredd” coming up. The Stallone vehicle of the ’90s was pretty terrible and so, once again, Hollywood decides to try again. From the trailer I saw, it looks about as exciting as paint drying.
So, once again, Hollywood, please try to do something worth watching. I enjoyed “The Dark Knight Rises” and
“The Avengers,” but I can stand only some much comic book fodder. There are some great independent film makers around — why not give them a chance? They may produce something that does not insult peoples’ intelligence.