This unjustly obscure relic from the late, but ever-great 80s VHS-era certainly starts enigmatically enough in a distinctly thrilling cross-cultured manner, perhaps referencing 'Ghost Warrior', as we see a Samurai Warrior in a deadly battle with a no less skilled Caucasian man in an especially bellicose-looking duel! as the film moves on with pleasing alacrity, gradually revealing that the American combatant is not only a bit nifty with the cutlery, he is also an immortal, apparently becoming deathless by appropriating ancient magic his master strictly forbade him to make use of, thereby dishonouring his sensei so egregiously he is promptly banished to wend his aimless way through myriads of time like some shiftless Californian Ronin.
The Master (Gerald Okamura) has long been a person of interest to a shady, black-hatted group of pseudo feds calling themselves 'The Agency', cheap-suited, pistol-happy nerks who mostly race around town in a grubby van hoping to bundle their quarry into the back of it. This isn't exactly top ten material, but it certainly isn't without some degree of modest intrigue; throw in some kooky magic tablet razzamajazz pizazz, deadly ninjas, the not infrequent gunfights and the entirely beautiful and exquisitely exotic-looking presence of agent Jane (Michico) this mos def has goodly stuff going on, and by adding a zestfully fragrant dash of 'Highlander' outlandishness 'Time Burst' proves itself to be a briskly entertaining, time-warping adventure, long trapped in video rental history, perhaps one day to be unearthed and lovingly upscaled to digital versatile disc or beyond!!!!!
The film has additional cult movie kudos by having Jay Richardson as the slimy agent man, who plays it a little more low key than his terrifically unsubtle turn in Fred Olen Ray's iconic 'Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers' and Gerald 'Samurai Cop' Okamura is a legitimate Kung Fu treasure, while 'Time Burst: The Final Alliance' isn't quite on the same giddy level as 'Trancers' it can't be faulted by that fact since all too few sf actioners reach such an elevated state of B-Movie majesty!
