Trance

Quirky thriller with great performance by Martin Kove!

If you are a fan of thrillers and magic you will love Trance.

Also stars Tane McClure and Bruce Abbott!

True story, I found myself watching Trance because it's advertised as a remake of The Mummy. Seriously! Now to be clear I didn't expect Egypt, I didn't expect a mummy I just expected some loose adaptation of the plot.

You know, like they've done with various Shakespeare tales. Brought it into modern day and adapted it accordingly.

Starring Karate Kids Martin Kove, the one chin that beats Bruce Campbells Mr Robert Z'Dar and Re-Animator star Martin Kove I can confidently say I don't get it.

Please explain to me how this even references The Mummy let alone is a remake of it?

Essentially it tells the story of a mafia guys girlfriend who finds herself drawn to a mysterious magician who may have ties to her magician father and yadadada.

It looks dated, looks like an early 90's action flick but contains very little action and the plot looks like its been through the blender repeatedly and has come out missing pieces.

Harmless but dumb ignore the advertising, this is not The Mummy in any shape or form.

The Good:

Some interesting characters

Martin Kove

The Bad:

Lead actress looks plastic

Plot is a mess

Who am I supposed to be rooting for?

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Can't........stop looking...........at the chin!

If you liked the mind bending style of "Momento" you will like "Trance". Martin Kove gives a colorful performance as Robert Leoni the mafia hit-man/singer and possessive husband to Catherine(Tane McClure)the grand- daughter of a famous magician. The plot thickens as Catherine becomes involved with Taylor Black (Bruce Abbott), a magician that claims to be able to perform real magic. The truly real magic in this film is not so much in the magicians magic and special effects but in the quirky humor and bazaar charactors that propel this story of magic versus reality.

I saw Trance recently at a private screening for cast and crew. I was really impressed with this little film. I loved Bruce Abbott's classic performance as the Svengali like magician Taylor Black. If you are a fan of Martin Kove from the "Karate Kid" days you will be intriqued by his broad and interesting performance as a deadly but oddly funny mafia hitman who is married to the tantalizing Catherine Santorini played by Tane McClure. If you are accustomed to seeing Tane McClure naked in one dimensional roles you may be surprized! McClure gives a solid, vulnerable and tormented performance as the abused wife unaware of her true powers. Definately not to be forgotten...is the charactor actor Wade Wallace who played Wally the Inn-keeper. He was hysterical! I hope to see more of him in the future. I give Trance an overall two thumbs up.

TRANCE , 2002. 87 MIN

Set at the Amargosa Opera House a run down but once famous magic house an hour out in the desert beyond Las Vegas. Operated by a guy .. Walt, who's probably half crazy, who sees and talks to ghosts, but reminds you of Renfield from Dracula chasing mice to kill them because their protein, and burying the deer departed beneath the desert sands, is sufficiently spooky.

In fact the entire old Opera House seems like it might be haunted with magic and memories of days gone by.

Katherine Santorini, -Tané McClure wants to rediscover Magic, especially levitation.

Bruce Abbott -Taylor Crow Black. Master magician believes that he can do it, and is at that the old Opera House to perform for the media and assure his status as world's greatest magician.

Martin Kove aka Robert Leoni a Mafia Hitman who wants to become a lounge singer is Catherine's husband, and a source of the impending evil about to happen, and some comic relief.

Tané sings opening song, and very capably because she's an Emmy award-winning singer-songwriter, as well as screenwriter, director, movie producer. (She comes from Hollywood royalty. Her father was Doug McClure of "The Virginian" fame and much more).

Plot: Henry Santorini world's greatest magician and Catherine's grandfather, long departed, knew the secrets of levitation using real magic.

Taylor Crow Black, Master magician is trying to discover the secret of real magic and in a nod to movie lore Taylor Black weaves a spell to levitate his assistant using the words of Merlin from the movie Excalibur, "Anál nathrach, orth' bháis's bethad, do chél dénmha" Sort of a nice touch, a real tip of the hat to magic in the movies.

Does Catherine find the magic she's looking for? Do all the old ghosts provide any help? You'll have to rent the movie to find out. I thought it was a charming way to spend an hour and a half.