I like to think it was real and not implanted memories

I always found the Mars reactor turn-on sequence and transformation of the Mars atmosphere to be the highlight of the movie, but it apparently happens far too quickly to be defined as real "terraforming".

But is it, though? How many movies have terraforming scenes like this? Did this set the benchmark?

It would seem that it could only have been implanted memories that would have a fictional scene like this, and another thing is that Quaid and Melina both suffer the same decompression as Cohaagen did (but fatally) and are both fine afterwards when the oxygen blasts over them.

Anyway, it's still a fine action movie and a fine Arnie movie.