I'll admit, when I first saw this film, in 1994, I thought it was sophomoric, with overripe performances, a brain-dead plot, and an extremely gratuitous sex scene tossed in to show off Erika Eleniak's considerable assets. However, seeing it again, recently, I came to realize this was actually a send-up of the 'good ol' boy' comedies of the seventies, the kind of 'B' movies Roger Corman produced, when he introduced directors like Ron Howard. As such, it's very enjoyable, and certainly worth another look!
The premise is that of an old-fashioned service comedy, with wheeler-dealer William McNamara and put-upon pal Crispen Glover pulling off one last big score before McNamara's discharge. Unfortunately, the scam goes awry as the young con artist is 'recruited' to assist grizzled vet 'Rock Reilly' (Tom Berenger, spitting out dialogue with a whiskey-soaked growl) in a prisoner transfer. The prisoner turns out to be the luscious Erika Eleniak, and as she quickly makes the first of several escape attempts, you get to see: a) exciting new uses for feminine hygiene products; b) the redneck charm of the countryside between Charleston and North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; c) some great cameos by Dean Stockwell, Seymour Cassel, Gary Busey, Marilu Henner, Fredric Forrest, and Hopper, himself (sporting a bulbous nose and a blow-up sex toy!); d) the famous Eleniak nude love scene, followed by McNamara chasing her, naked, after she runs, again (he shows more skin than she does); and e) the obligatory happy ending, as Berenger proves he has a 'heart of gold', and that 'love (or a healthy lust, anyway!) conquers all'.
Is this a classic? Are you kidding? Then again, neither were the Corman films...but as a tribute to the genre, 'Chasers' is fun, and a terrific 'kick off the shoes, pop some popcorn' flick!
