Compare or Contrast Essay

Total Recall (2012) vs Upside Down

English 2 (ENGL 0205) Class ssign!ent 2

Edwa"d Cheng #$n %it (0&1&'(()

)N*E +UL, 201& - ENGL 0205 English 2

Total Recall (2012) vs Upside Down Watching movie in the cinema has become a leisure trend, especially among the teenagers. However, every individual follows the trend with different intentions, such as companionship, relaxation, supporting their favorite actor, updating themselves with current movie and so on. Individual from all age groups will unconsciously analyze the movie from different angles, either from the aspects of plot development, the way director portraying the characters, the setting of the movie or identify the key message hidden throughout the story. Additionally, there are also a list of movie genre available in the market targeting different segments of audience, for instances action genre, horror genre, fantasy genre, romance genre and others. I prefer science fiction genre as compared to the others because in this category of the movie distinguishes its fictional worlds to one degree or another from the world in which we actual live! "Adam #oberts, $%%&'. I find sci(fi movies attractive because it explains the universe using uni)ue scientific understanding that triggers its audiences to think beyond rationale sense. *he movies that I choose to analyze are *otal #ecall "$%+$' directed by ,en Wiseman and also a film that directed by -uan .olanas, the /pside 0own. *otal #ecall "$%+$' is about *he /nited 1ederation of 2ritain and the 3olony, being the only two nations that are left over after the nuclear war in the $+ st century. A factory worker, 0ouglas 4uaid, grew tired of his dead(end 5ob and almost un(existent presence, decides to visit #ekall, a virtual entertainment company that implants artificial memories. 2ob 6c3lane, a #ekall salesman, convinces 4uaid to be implanted with the memories of a secret agent. However, 4uaid discovers that he has a secret identity later on and
)N*E +UL, 201& - ENGL 0205 English 2

he 5oins forces with 6elina, the woman from his dream on a mission to track down the resistance leader, 6atthias. 4uaid triggers his own memory and discovers that his actual identity is actually 3arl Hauser, an /12 3hancellor 7llos 3ohaagen agent. 8n the other side, the /pside 0own portrays two worlds that are separated by different direction of gravity forces, which are the upper world that is rich and prosperous, and the lower world that is poor and rural. *he story is about a man named Adam who is kept apart from 9den, a girl that he loves. He must take risk of everything to access the forbidden world of affluence that exists literally above him while manipulating the gravitational force that physically pulls him back to his world. *his research attempts to compare the differences between the two movies in term of their setting, theme and also its main character. 1irstly, I would like to analyze the settings in the two movies. In *otal #ecall, the story sets in the future $+ st century in a world that has been mostly destroyed by war. 8nly two territories are left, namely the /nited 1ederation of 2ritain and the colony. *he social backdrop of this movie is special, where /12 is resided by mostly the upper class citizens whereas the colony has the lower class residents. 8n the other hand, /pside 0own sets in an imaginary world where two different direction of gravity force exist in the same planet. *he social backdrop of this movie is somewhat similar to the *otal #ecall, where two divided worlds are separated distinctively in the richness of the population. *he upper world in /pside 0own is a high(class place where the aristocrats reside: the lower world is a dull place where the poor roam.

)N*E +UL, 201& - ENGL 0205 English 2

;ext, I would like to compare the themes of the both movies. In *otal #ecall, the director wishes to discuss the power and vulnerability of the mind. 4uaid is manipulated into believing a made(up version of his past, which suggests that in the future, mind manipulation is achievable via technology. However, after collecting pieces of memory, he successfully recovered his true memory and carried on with his true agenda. *his shows that with enough determination, one could easily see through lies and find strength in doing what he really wants to. 8n the other hand, /pside 0own considers the strength of love that could con)uer any obstacle, even if it is in the form of gravity. In the movie, driven by love, Adam overcame many challenges in order to get together with a girl he loved, by the name of 9den. *his suggested that love is the greatest force that could prevail despite differences in cultures, races or gender. *he final aspect that I would compare is the main character in the two movies. *otal #ecall features 4uaid, a mentally manipulated man who happen to be a physically strong, skillful in combat and diligent man. *hese could be seen when he combated through a gang of pursuer at the beginning of the movie. In /pside 0own, Adam is a sensitive and romantic person. *his is proven when Adam is willing to overcome obstacles to get the girl he loves. He persevered through when people mock on his love towards a girl living in the other side of the world. In a nutshell, *otal #ecall "$%+$' is set in a future $+ st century world while /pside 0own is feature in an imaginary world. 8n the other side, both movies also differ in the way of *otal #ecall "$%+$' portraying about the power and vulnerability of the mind: and /pside 0own considers the strength of love that could con)uer any obstacle. ,astly, the
)N*E +UL, 201& - ENGL 0205 English 2

character in both movie also play differ roles and personality. 4uaid featuring a mentally manipulated man who happen to be a physically strong, skillful in combat and diligent man in the *otal #ecall movie: while Adam is a sensitive and romantic person in the /pside 0own. *herefore, I strongly recommend both movies as it being rated over & from metacritic score as well as I have gained different values from each of them. "<=> words'

)N*E +UL, 201& - ENGL 0205 English 2

Reference List : ,angan, -. "$%%?'. College Writing Skills with Readings. ;ew @ork, ;@A 6cBraw(Hil. #obert, A. "$%%&'. Science Fiction. /.A C 3anadaA #outledge. 32. Interactive Inc. "$%+D'. Metacritic. #etrieved from httpAEEwww.metacritic.comEmovieEtotal(recall($%+$FfullGsummaryH+ IAccesses on $J .eptember $%+DK I60b.com, Inc. "$%+D'. IMDb. #etrieved from httpAEEwww.imdb.comEtitleEtt+D=><<$E*otal #ecall "$%+$' IAccesses on $J .eptember $%+DK 6icrosoft. "$%+D'. Msn Entertainment. #etrieved from httpAEEmovies.msn.comEmoviesEmovie(synopsisEtotal(recall.DE IAccesses on $J .eptember $%+DK

)N*E +UL, 201& - ENGL 0205 English 2