Rating: 3.5/5
Cult Movie Challenge 2024 | 36/52 | Full Moon Features
It’s the 23rd century. LA is mostly underwater. Jack Deth has taken down Martin Whistler; now, all that’s left is to take down Whistler’s cult, the Trancers. The Trancers are walking Manchurian candidates, ready to be triggered into action at any time.
Deth learns Whistler is still alive and in LA. But not the LA Deth knows — the LA of 300 years ago, in 1985. Whistler intends to kill the ancestors of several prominent politicians and Deth to ensure they’ll never be born.
So, Deth travels back in time to occupy the body of his ancestor, Phil, while Whistler occupies the body of his ancestor, Detective Weisling.
If you’re wondering if there’s a Whistler’s Mother joke, you bet your ass there is.
I came into this movie expecting the Charles Band I know from Gingerdead Man and Evil Bong. But this movie has actual production value and a pretty funny script (for the 80s). The movie winks at its influences, never claiming to be as serious in its intentions, allowing for a fun and breezy story.
The movie’s opening promises a tremendous send-up of Blade Runner, but once we travel back in time, we lose the 23rd-century neon sheen for the 1985 neon sheen.
Helen Hunt plays the love interest. I forgot she didn’t make it big until Mad About You. She’s way too good for this role in the classic action flick “ Woman Dragged Around by the Hero” routine.
If those things don’t sell you, we get bullet time 15 years before The Matrix and a horrible punk cover of Jingle Bells.
What a silly movie — I had a blast.