Trancers (1984) - Review in 4K Ultra HD

      **Trancers, 1984**

      Directed by Charles Band.

      Cast: Tim Thomerson, Helen Hunt, Art LaFleur, Michael Stefani, Telma Hopkins, and Richard Herd.

      **SYNOPSIS:**

      A bounty hunter from a futuristic era travels back to 1980s Los Angeles to capture a crime lord capable of transforming individuals into aggressive zombies. Set in 1984 Los Angeles, Charles Band appears to have drawn inspiration from Blade Runner and possibly The Terminator, blending elements from these two legendary sci-fi action flicks but with a significantly smaller budget to create Trancers, one of the standout films produced by Empire Entertainment during a particularly successful period for the company.

      In 2247, a criminal genius known as Whistler (Michael Stefani) utilizes his psychic abilities to convert the weak-minded into zombie-like assassins known as trancers. Jack Deth (Tim Thomerson) is a police officer tasked with tracking down these trancers to reach Whistler. However, Whistler escapes Deth by using a substance that sends his consciousness back to 1985, allowing him to take over the body of an ancestor while his physical form remains in 2247. Deth kills Whistler's physical body and travels back in time, assuming the identity of his ancestor Phil Deth (also portrayed by Thomerson), and must persuade Phil’s girlfriend Leena (Helen Hunt) to aid him in finding his nemesis, who is now inhabiting the body of a police detective named Weisling.

      While Trancers may face criticism for its lack of originality and limitations in special effects and script intricacy, it compensates with energetic pacing and a fun atmosphere. Tim Thomerson delivers an impressive performance as the hardened Deth, exhibiting a believable 'cop-on-the-edge' persona that evokes aspects of Snake Plisskin and Mad Max (notably, when Thomerson's hair is dyed black for Jack, his resemblance to Mel Gibson is striking). He shares solid chemistry with Helen Hunt, whose performance here showcases a natural charm reminiscent of Linda Hamilton in The Terminator, contrasting with her more irritating roles in romantic comedies from earlier in her career. Solid supporting performances come from familiar faces, particularly the talented Art LaFleur, who is a natural fit for the role of a police captain.

      Any narrative involving time travel often invites plot inconsistencies, and Trancers falls victim to this as well. It’s best not to overthink the story (such as the inconsistency when LaFleur’s character time travels to what he refers to as “the only ancestor I could find”). However, if you're in the mood for sci-fi action without getting weighed down by the extensive mythology of Blade Runner or other lengthy fantasy tales, Trancers offers a quick fix of entertainment, featuring its charmingly low-budget optical effects and minimal trancer makeup, which has helped it age better than many other B-movies of the era.

      The film is packaged in a three-disc set (one UHD and two Blu-rays), which includes the 24-minute semi-sequel Trancers: City of Lost Angels, featuring several key cast members from Trancers—Tim Thomerson, Helen Hunt, and Art LaFleur—and set between the original film and its official sequel, Trancers II. Although the footage is in VHS quality and has not been remastered, it's enjoyable and serves as a fun addition to the main film. Additionally, the set includes new interviews with Charles Band and editor Ted Nicolau (who later directed the celebrated Subspecies series for Band’s Full Moon Pictures), as well as a collector’s booklet containing notes and essays on the film, alongside an archival audio commentary by Charles Band and Tim Thomerson, making this release quite comprehensive.

      Was a 4K UHD release necessary for Trancers, considering its low-budget production and B-movie classification? Perhaps not, and the UHD quality doesn't significantly surpass that of the Blu-ray. Nevertheless, having one of Empire/Full Moon’s flagship films available in the highest quality format, while other more notable Hollywood titles remain on standard HD, will surely delight a certain group of physical media collectors.

      **Flickering Myth Rating** – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★

      Chris Ward