The 1990 Total Recall is an absolute gem and I never thought twice about lots of violence and dead bodies in it - usual for a film with Arnold.

But now I think Verhoeven did this very deliberately to show a totalitarian society of the future where special governmental forces can kill civilians left and right without any consequences or reprimands. There’s a lot going on in the film, and it is a charged vehicle constantly going forward, but if you pay attention to the uniforms of the special forces, they are stereotypic of a totalitarian regime depiction - almost storm trooper like if you must.

Not to mention a few years later Verhoeven went full on with Starship Troopers where he didn’t even try to hide the nazi like government of the future Earth.

Also a masterpiece of a film.