The Chase

Directed by Adam Rifkin, The Chase follows an escaped convict (Charlie Sheen’s Jack Hammond) as he abducts a woman (Kristy Swanson’s Natalie) and makes a run for the Mexican border. Filmmaker Rifkin, armed with his own screenplay, delivers a frenetic (yet decidedly erratic) endeavor that opens with a fair amount of promise, as the picture kicks off with an exciting sequence detailing the aforementioned kidnapping and the wild pursuit that naturally ensues – with the engaging, entertaining atmosphere heightened by Rifkin’s go-for-broke visual sensibilities and a whole mess of appealing performances. (Sheen’s charming turn is certainly matched by an eclectic supporting cast that includes, among others, Henry Rollins, Ray Wise, and Josh Mostel.) And although Rifkin has packed the proceedings with several agreeably broad sequences and set-pieces, including a fun interlude in which Jack and Natalie are pursued by a couple of goofy hicks (Anthony Kiedis’ Will and Flea’s Dale), The Chase‘s thin storyline does pave the way for a hit-and-miss midsection that admittedly wreaks havoc on the picture’s forward momentum – which, despite a satisfying (if almost incongruously upbeat) finale, ultimately confirms the movie’s place as a perpetually watchable piece of work that never quite adds up to much.

**1/2 out of ****