I couldn’t make it to the preview screening of the new Total Recall, but it looks like fun. While I don’t imagine it compares favorably to the 1990 original, one area where it should excel is visual effects.

The flying car chase is possibly the most impressive thing about the trailers and clips that I’ve seen. Here is an interesting video that made its way online yesterday that shows how the production team created the illusion. It’s pretty fascinating.

I would have assumed they did it all with computer-generated effects. But, no, they actually built the futuristic cars, then placed them on top of weird-looking vehicles with wheels. The driver of the top car can turn rock and weave independent of the car on the bottom.

Those were actual car changes that took place on the ground. Then the bottom cars were erased out of the scene.

But look at the video. Not only do they explain it better than I just did, but it’s pretty cool to see.

Total Recall opens Friday. It stars Colin Farrell, Bryan Cranston, Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel and was directed by Len Wiseman.