Time Chasers Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A guy builds a time machine in a plane using an old computer, sells the tech to an obviously evil CEO in a mall, then has to chase himself through time to fix his own ridiculously bad choices.

🍿 Time Chasers: Detailed Plot Synopsis

A Professor’s Incredible Discovery

Nick Miller, a seemingly average college professor based in Vermont, achieves the impossible: he invents a working time machine. Using a small airplane and surprisingly outdated computer technology (a Commodore-64 and 5.25″ floppy disks), he transforms his aircraft into a “time transport.” To demonstrate his breakthrough, Nick takes a journalist, Lisa Henson, and a representative from a local company, Matthew Paul of GenCorp, on an inaugural flight fifty years into the future.

Selling the Future, Inviting Danger

Hoping to secure funding for his invention, Nick decides to sell the time transport technology to GenCorp, led by the eccentric and seemingly benevolent CEO, J.K. Robertson. Despite warnings from Lisa that associating with GenCorp might be a bad idea, Nick proceeds with the deal. He soon finds that GenCorp’s intentions are far from scientific; Robertson plans to exploit the technology for nefarious purposes, leading to unforeseen and chaotic consequences for the future.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Nick Miller (Matthew Bruch): The earnest college professor and inventor who must stop his own time machine from being abused by a corrupt corporation.
• Lisa Henson (Bonnie Pritchard): A newspaper reporter who becomes involved with Nick and his time travel adventures.
• J.K. Robertson (George Woodard): The evil CEO of GenCorp who seeks to steal and misuse Nick’s time travel technology.
• Matthew Paul (Peter Harrington): A GenCorp employee who initially introduces Nick to Robertson, inadvertently triggering the main conflict.
• Marty (Martin Guigui): Nick’s loyal mechanic and friend who gets caught up in the time travel scheme.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Marty/Nick: “Whoa, minutemen! Correction, they are pissed minutemen!” – Exchanged upon unexpectedly encountering Revolutionary War reenactors who react hostilely to their sudden arrival in the past.
• Nick: “Food courts of the future!” – Said with forced enthusiasm when first arriving in the year 2041, highlighting a mundane and disappointing aspect of the future setting.
• J.K. Robertson: “It’s time to decide if you’re going to be one of my team players or not.” – A line delivered by the villain to one of his subordinates, illustrating his ruthless corporate mentality.
• Lisa: “What about the flying grandma?” – Lisa, a reporter, asks this upon being redirected from covering a story about a claimed skydiving grandmother to investigate a mysterious plane crash, which sets the plot in motion.
• Nick: “At least he didn’t shoot you this time.” – Spoken to Matthew Paul in the altered timeline ending, referencing the previous, more violent timeline where Robertson had killed him.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $150,000
• Domestic Gross: N/A
• Worldwide Gross: N/A

💥 Time Chasers Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so I first saw this because of that one TV show, and honestly, that’s the best way to watch it. But even without the jokes, there’s a weird charm to ‘Time Chasers.’ It’s like watching your friends make a movie in their backyard with spare parts, and you gotta admire the sheer ‘can-do’ spirit. The plot makes absolutely no sense if you think about it for more than five seconds, and the effects look like they were made on a Commodore 64 (which, plot twist, they actually used!). But the awkward acting and hilariously cheap sets (that mall office!) give it this unique, cheesy vibe that just sticks with you. I mean, the hero can’t drive but flies a plane? The evil CEO has an office that looks like a library mezzanine? The future is just… people in weird clothes in a food court? It’s baffling, but in a way that’s strangely entertaining. You find yourself laughing *at* it, but also kind of *with* it because everyone seems to be trying so hard. It’s definitely not a ‘good’ movie by traditional standards, but it’s a fantastic time watching it.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’ and ‘Rifftrax'”
  • “Viewers who enjoy ‘so bad it’s good’ movies”
  • “Enthusiasts of low-budget, independent sci-fi films”
  • “People interested in cinematic oddities and cult classics”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “PG-13 rating”
  • “Sci-fi violence (crashes, implied gun violence)”
  • “Thematic elements (time paradoxes, corporate greed)”

Professional Reviews

• Synthesized from user reviews: “Time Chasers boasts ambition it simply cannot afford, resulting in laughable special effects, wooden acting, and a plot held together by time paradoxes and prayer. The future looks like a shopping mall, the past features inaccurate flags, and the hero can’t even drive. Essential viewing only with comedic commentary.
• Synthesized from user reviews: “Low-budget filmmaking at its most earnest and inept. While the premise of a Cessna-turned-time-machine is novel, the execution is plagued by inexplicable character decisions, jarring continuity errors, and visuals that were dated even for the ’90s. Best experienced through the lens of ironic appreciation.
• Synthesized from user reviews: “This sci-fi misfire features unforgettable characters for all the wrong reasons, from the aggressively average hero with a prominent chin to the bizarrely accented villain. The story attempts complex time travel but gets lost in its own holes. A fascinating case study in cinematic shortcomings.

Audience Reactions

The movie is widely beloved for its unintentional comedy, especially when viewed with commentary.: Most viewers appreciate the movie’s earnest ambition despite its obvious technical and budgetary limitations, often citing it as a prime example of ‘so bad it’s good’ filmmaking.

The bizarre plot holes and character decisions are a frequent source of amusement and discussion.: The low-fi special effects, dated fashion, and quirky characters (like the hero’s chin or the villain’s office) are consistently highlighted as memorable, often hilarious, aspects.

Overall Consensus: Widely regarded as a technically poor but charmingly ambitious low-budget sci-fi film, primarily enjoyed for its unintentional comedy and cult status, especially through its association with comedic commentary shows.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Filmed primarily in and around Burlington, Vermont, utilizing local resources including Castleton State College (which provided t-shirts featured in the film) and Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc. (which provided ice cream for the crew).”
• “Director David Giancola was only in his early twenties when he made the film and has publicly embraced its cult status, particularly its notoriety from being featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000.”
• “The main antagonist J.K. Robertson’s corporate headquarters was filmed in the mezzanine of a shopping mall in Rutland, Vermont, a distinctive location choice necessitated by the film’s low budget.”
• “The film uses outdated technology like a Commodore 64 and 5.25-inch floppy disks for the time machine’s programming, which was notably anachronistic even at the time of the film’s release in 1994.”

🖥️ How to Watch Time Chasers?

Finding ‘Time Chasers’ (also known as ‘Tangents’) primarily involves seeking out digital platforms where it might be available for purchase or rent, often through services like Amazon (as indicated in source data). Due to its cult status popularized by ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’ and ‘Rifftrax’, it is frequently found included in collections or streaming libraries that feature content from those shows, such as Shout! Factory TV or Tubi, depending on licensing at any given time. Check major digital movie stores and free streaming services known for classic or cult cinema.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Time Chasers, you might like these similar films:

• Back to the Future (1985): A highly successful and iconic time travel film against which low-budget attempts like Time Chasers are often unfavorably compared, serving as a benchmark for the genre. A poster for it even appears in Time Chasers.
• Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966): An infamous cult classic known for its extremely low budget, production issues, and earnest failure, similar to Time Chasers’ reputation, and also heavily featured on MST3K.
• Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996): As Time Chasers is best known through its appearance on MST3K, watching the show’s feature film provides the core experience of riffing on low-budget sci-fi, which is its primary legacy for many viewers.
• Robot Monster (1953): Another example of ambitious, low-budget science fiction from an earlier era, often cited for its bizarre concept, limited resources, and unintentional comedy, appealing to fans of earnest schlock.
• Primer (2004): A modern, highly complex, and acclaimed indie sci-fi film made on a famously low budget, offering a contrasting but appealing look at serious time travel concepts for viewers interested in the genre’s possibilities.

🛒 Time Chasers Related Products

• MST3K: Time Chasers (Digital or DVD): Experience Time Chasers as intended by many fans – with hilarious running commentary from your favorite robots and human. This episode is a fan favorite for a reason!
• The Official MST3K Guide: Dive deeper into the world of Mystery Science Theater 3000, featuring episode guides, show history, and insights into the making of the beloved series that gave Time Chasers its cult following.
• Time Chasers (Fan-Inspired T-Shirt): Wear your love (or ironic appreciation) for Time Chasers with a fan-designed t-shirt featuring inside jokes or iconic imagery from the movie, like Nick’s chin, Lisa’s plaid, or the Cessna.
• Schlock Therapy: Essays on Bad Film: A collection of essays exploring the art and appeal of notoriously bad movies. Provides context for why films like Time Chasers capture the attention and affection of audiences worldwide.

🎧 Soundtrack

Time Chasers features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Opening Theme (Generic Synth)” – performed by Stock Music Library
• “Tense Moment Cue” – performed by Production Music Co.
• “Future Montage (Upbeat but dated)” – performed by Library Composer
• “Sentimental Travel Scene” – performed by Stock Music Library

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

The Best of Rifftrax – Time Chasers

If you’ve ever wanted to watch ‘Time Chasers’ but thought it needed a little extra *something*, the RiffTrax crew is here to help! They hilariously roast the movie, making it a whole new, much funnier experience.

MST3K – Favorite Moments – Time Chasers

Oh man, you HAVE to see what Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo have to say about ‘Time Chasers’! This clip gives you the best bites from the famous MST3K episode that tackled this flick, guaranteeing some laughs at its expense.

✨ Rate