Woodyanders
A marked improvement over the strictly so-so first sequel, with a much darker tone, more (often grisly) violence, yet still retaining a nice line in frequently amusing sarcastic wit, and topped off by a spot on savage critique of military megalomania run dangerously amok, this third entry in the series finds rough'n'tumble ace trancer hunter Jack Deth (Tim Thomerson in splendidly sardonic form) traveling to 2005 to stop the fanatical Col. Daddy Muthuh (deliciously essayed with lip-smacking fiendish relish by Andrew Robinson) from succeeding with his trancer experiments on trainee soldiers. Writer/director C. Courtney Joyner largely downplays the light tongue-in-cheek sensibility of the prior pictures in favor of more gritty and hard-around-the-edges pulpy noir attitude (for example, Jack at the start of the film is eking out a living as a private detective). Moreover, Joyner keeps the pace snappy and nonstop throughout, stages the plentiful action set pieces with real flair, delivers a few startling outbursts of brutal violence, and concludes everything with a funny open ending that leaves room for more sequels. The sturdy acting from a capable cast helps matters a whole lot, with especially praiseworthy work by Melanie Smith as tough, perky deserter R.J., Tony Pierce as oily trouble shooter Jason, Megan Ward as the feisty Alice Stillwell, Dawn Ann Billings as Muthuh's fierce prize subject Jana, Stephen Macht as Jack's hard-bitten superior Harris, R.A. Mihailoff as hulking and intimidating robot Shark, and, in a regrettably minor role, Helen Hunt as Jack's fed-up wife Lena. Adolfo Bartoli's sharp cinematography makes neat occasional use of strenuous slow motion. The moody pulsating score by Phil Davies, Mark Ryder, and Richard Band likewise hits the spot. A worthy follow-up to the terrific original.
barnthebarn
Lacklustre third Trancer film from Full Moon. C. Courtney Joyner's direction really needs tightening up and the script here lacks the wit of the earlier films. Megan Ward and Helen Hunt both return as Deth's former wives and this time Megan Ward (who was due to be killed in upon returning home) has become one of the top characters there and is now part of the team ordering Deth around. There is a large mutant, Shark, a crystal powered cyborg actually who befriends Deth and helps him enter the heart of Trancerdom and rid the world of the evil blighter's. However this new addition simply rubbishes the story rather than enhancing it. Shame.
DVD_Connoisseur
Although "Trancers 3" is not as thoroughly entertaining as its predecessors, this straight-to-video production still delivers its fair share of cheesy fun.Tim Thomerson is on the way to becoming one of my favourite actors - the more I see of him, the more I appreciate his comic timing and film presence."Trancers 3" is worth seeing just for Andrew Robinson repeating his old "Hellraiser" line, "Come to Daddy"! Here it's in a whole new context and is sure to raise a smile (or grimace) with Clive Barker fans! A darker "Trancers" tale than normal, this is a great film to watch with a few cans and nibbles. Enjoy!
dr_foreman
The first "Trancers" was light-hearted fun. "Trancers III" plays up the dark film-noir aspects of the concept and adds a healthy dose of violence, not to mention a scathing attack on military "morality." Much ham acting and some tacky moments (including a dual trancing/sex scene) detract from what is, overall, a commendable attempt to make a serious science fiction film. On first viewing, I hated this one, but a few years later the social commentary sunk in. This does not rate high on my "fun" meter, but it is well made. Look for Helen Hunt in a teeny-tiny cameo, on the verge of stardom but still with one foot in the B-movie camp.
AD
