Trancers series, any good?

[Scotty Xtreme]

I happened to see the series of these movies in the local video store, and was wondering if they were worth renting.  I heard the title mentioned a couple of times, but never much about whether there good or not.  I know they are done by Full Moon, which will either mean they are really bizzare but entertaining, or just really bad and boring.  Help please?

[akiratubo]

It gets worse as it goes on.  The first is the only one worth watching, really.

[Creepozoid]

Actually. it's starts off a little lame and then peaks with parts 2 and 3.  4, 5, and 6 are good as well.

[Haze]

Part 1 is entertaining

Part 2 is worth watching for the exploding ham comment

Parts 3,4, and 5 I have not seen

Part 6 was on the low end of okay

the Peturbed Platapi

http://www.geocities.com/doctoritsabadmovie

"Yeah, the hotel of amercia sucks, so we put a mint on the pillow."

[Fearless Freep]

Part 1 was pretty good entertainment, part 2 was ok.

What I really disliked as the series went further on was that they kept changing the definiftion of what a Trancer really was.  I the first one, they were weak minded people who were being mind controlled (strong minded people could resist).  So Jack's derision of the Trancers seemed a bit hard but not unfounded.  In the later movies, Trancers were pretty much another species, so Jack's attitude against Trancers starts looking almost racist

[Scotty Xtreme]

just finished the first Trancers movie, and it was pretty entertaining.  For a movie made by Charles Band, it really suprised me.  ***&1/2  out of 5.

Things I liked about this film:

1.  Leena(Helen Hunt's character)  didn't take long to figure out Death wasn't a crazy man.  It seems in most movies when a guy has a crazy story, no one wants to believe him until the movie is close to the end, even though there a numerous flashing neon signs telling them this guy is onto something.

2.  Jack Death, that is just a cool, yet slightly cheesey, name.

3.  The Long Second watch.  Neat idea, the slowing of the bullets seemed very reminisent of a more recent, and more popular movie.  Oh, and the time slowing watches also were blantantly ripped off in the Nickelodeon movie Clockstoppers.

4.  The part where Death's superior, whose name escapes me right now, comes to the past in the 8 yr. old girls body.  Slightly disturbing though when the girl makes a comment on Leena's looks though.

Well on to part 2 of the series, which should be enjoyable (Jeffrey Combs, B-movie god, is in it.  Part one came on a Double Feature Disc which also includes part 6.  Watched the trailor for it and, cringe, didn't look so hot.  Where the Hell is Jack Death in this one.  Ah well.

[JohnL]

>2. Jack Death, that is just a cool, yet slightly cheesey, name.

Jack Deth.

>3. The Long Second watch. Neat idea, the slowing of the bullets seemed very
>reminisent of a more recent, and more popular movie. Oh, and the time slowing
>watches also were blantantly ripped off in the Nickelodeon movie
>Clockstoppers.

Actually, the idea of a watch that slows or stops time goes as far back as The Twilight Zone, possibly even further.

>4. The part where Death's superior, whose name escapes me right now, comes

McNulty.

>to the past in the 8 yr. old girls body. Slightly disturbing though when the girl
>makes a comment on Leena's looks though.

The same part is played by the same actress in part 2, only now she's a teenager. I thought that was a nice bit of continuity.

Parts 1 & 2 were the best. Part 3 was ok, but strayed too far from the original formula, it also marks the last appearance of Helen Hunt and Megan Ward. Parts 4 & 5 are like one movie broken up into 2 parts. Jack ends up in a parallel universe with vampire-like people who Jack just considers like Trancers. I haven't seen part 6, but it's my understanding that since they could no longer afford Tim Thomerson, they used the idea of sending his mind back in time where it landed in the body of a female ancestor, just like his boss ended up in the body of a girl.

[Fearless Freep]

Nathan covers Trancers 6 at Cold Fusion Video.  He also has the first Trancers movie reviewed on his site

Stomp Tokyo covers 1 through 5 (Trancers 2, from here you can reach the rest)

it also marks the last appearance of Helen Hunt and Megan Ward.

Tim Thomerson's quip in the VideoZone segment after 4 about Helen Hunt's career versus his own his funny.

[raj]

Fearless Freep wrote:
> Tim Thomerson's quip in the VideoZone segment after 4 about
> Helen Hunt's career versus his own his funny.


Yeah, whatever happened to her anyway.  I don't see her any movies that I watch anymore.

[Haze]

This brings up an interesting point, what exactly makes a Trancer anymore? Are there multiple types or something?

Movie one- Freep describes perfectly

Movie 4- the "trancers" are vampire like creatures... what?

Movie six- the Trancers are people who are mind controlled by some freaking meteor that hypnotises them... I tell you it's true.

[Scotty Xtreme]

Finished part 2, and it wasn't bad.  I'd say that this was on par with the first.  Had some cool lines from Jack Deth such as:

"Don't worry ladies, they're biodegradable."
His  1st wife realizes who he is and states he is the only man she had sex with then falls asleep.  "It wasn't that bad."
And of course the exploding ham line mentioned earlier.

Only complaint was the complete waste of Jeffrey Combs.  Probably the most boring role I've seen him in.

***&1/2 outta 5

[Fearless Freep]

ARgh...I've been waiting for Trancers 6 to get off the "New Release" shelf at Hollywood Video ($4 is a bit much to shell out for this one) but it seems I'm going to have to revist the rest of the series in the meantime

[nshumate]

The good news about the Trancers 6 DVD is that the original Trancers is included as a second feature.  So it's not so expensive when you realize it's two, two, two flicks in one!

[Fearless Freep]

The good news about the Trancers 6 DVD

I'm still stuck in the 90s with my VHS player :)

[slax]

"1. Leena(Helen Hunt's character) didn't take long to figure out Death wasn't a crazy man. "

I always find a bit of humor when Helen Hunt's character says to Jack "What are you skitzo" when they get to the mall and then about 10-15 minutes later their at the Tanning Salon and Helen's character calls Jack "Richard" the name of the relative who's body he took over,the dialogue goes something like this

This may not be exact but it's close

Helen:Richard
Jack:Jack
Helen:Huh?
Jack:Jack,Richard stepped out for a bit

Always gives me a chuckle

Def gonna have to say 1st is the best with the sequels getting worse and worse as they went along although I always kind of liked the one where I think a rich guy is creating a small army of genetic trancers or something