Trancers (1985) Review

Science fiction in the 1980s had changed rapidly from what the genre had been before in the medium of film. From the slower, more intellectual films like 2001: A Space Odyssey in the ’60s to more genre-blending films like Blade Runner in the ’80s. Charles Band capitalized on the genre’s growing popularity and made the film Trancers.

Now the best way to describe Trancers is as a B-movie, low-budget rip-off of Blade Runner and The Terminator. It doesn’t attempt to hide the fact that it is essentially a low-budget Blade Runner film. The main character is dressed and cast like Harrison Ford, the plot deals with non-human entities pretending to be humans, and it’s set in a dystopian future. The sets and costumes, it wears its influences on its sleeve. It also takes the time travel plot point from The Terminator, traveling to the past to prevent the death of a character’s ancestor. It doesn’t really hide its inspiration. However, if you can get past the fact that you are watching a B-movie that is ripping off films that are tons more clever, innovative, and important than it, and just take it for what it is, I think there is some enjoyment to be derived from it.

The film is only an hour and sixteen minutes long, so it doesn’t overstay its welcome. The plot moves so quickly that it’s hard to ever get bored. The cast does a good job despite what they’re working with. It’s just a fun little science fiction film that is also a throwback to a very different era in cinema. So, as far as B-movie sci-fi films go, this isn’t bad.

The film clearly operated on a tight budget. The effects, sets, and wardrobe look cheap, yet they also have their own charm that makes me overlook the quality. The problem I found is that the film was so clearly inspired by Blade Runner that it tried too hard to match its style. But Band is no Ridley Scott, and trying to emulate Scott’s style too much keeps the film from having its own distinct identity. When you’re operating on a budget that low, trying to copy Ridley Scott is not the smartest strategy.

While the plot works for me (given the context), I found the writing in other aspects to be heavily flawed. First, the film races so quickly from plot point to plot point that the character moments get swept under the rug because of the film’s rush. But the dialogue is what I really found to be awful. The characters just don’t talk like normal people and deliver exposition in weird ways. It made everyone come off as robotic. That said, Helen Hunt and Tim Thomerson give performances that almost make their characters seem not robotic, but the overwhelming rigidity of the dialogue prevails over the human performances.

Overall, this is a film where you really need to know what you’re getting into before you watch it to be able to handle it. If a 1980s science fiction B-movie that rips off Blade Runner and The Terminator sounds awful to you, then you will not like this movie. But if that sounds like something you could enjoy, then this is a film you may like. It’s definitely not a must-watch for proper science fiction fans, but if film history and the genre’s place in the decade pique your interest, then this is perhaps a piece of the larger puzzle worth taking a look at.

Score: 5.3/10