By Maggie Trinkle

Arizona Daily Wildcat

Yeah, "Chasers" was realistic.

Erika Eleniak somehow causes William McNamara to rearrange his life and put his future on the line, all because Erika has a cute smile. That is all she does the whole movie, smiles and giggles at the two Navy men escorting her to prison.

"Chasers" turns into a formulaic, sexist, stereotypical movie that only succeeds in pissing off the viewer. The unoriginal "odd couple" pair of Tom Berenger and William McNamara tells the viewer from the beginning what kind of movie Dennis Hopper's "Chasers" is: stupid.

Of course the viewer knows that Edward Devane (McNamara) isn't really going to be discharged tomorrow and will get an assignment presently. Of course the viewer knows that Edward will never get to sit in the leather seats of his new sports car. Of course the viewer knows that underneath the gruff old Rock Reilly (Berenger) there is a soft man who just needs some lovin' Äwhich he finds in a hardened waitress who hikes her skirt up and refers to him as "darlin'" and says stuff like "a growin' boy needs his food."

Of course the viewer knows the convict Berenger and McNamara are transporting is not really a blonde. Erika Eleniak ("The Beverly Hillbillies" movie) plays another in the line of the controlled, intelligent beauties that she is famous for such as those from her Playboy appearance, and her stint on "Baywatch." Although Erika Eleniak's Toni is a bit more assertive, she still uses her beauty to get out of situations and not the brain that got her into the Navy.

Edward and Rock are assigned chaser duty Ä they have to escort the convict (Eleniak) to jail.

"Chasers" has no consistency. Eleniak is supposed to be this woman who has a secret and noble reason which caused her to get seven years in military jail, and will do anything to escape. Instead she escapes but lets herself get caught, when it is obvious that if she had just kept driving or running she would have gotten away.

Along the way, the viewer is suppose to believe that Toni and Edward fall in love. Right. There is no tension or love felt between the two characters. The viewer leaves the the-ater with an overwhelming feel of ambivalence and a regret that you blew an ATM visit of $20.

Erika Eleniak doesn't speak a whole lot. Yet, Hopper tries to make us believe that she is beyond noble in her reasoning for going AWOL and that she is a cunning little witch who uses her brain to get her out of situations. Instead, she just smiles innocently and giggles.

The tough Navy chasers just swoon over her throughout the entire film. McNamara begins the movie as a world-class jerk by stealing money from his friends and the Navy and caring only for himself. In the end he is made out to be the caring, sweet boy who is deeply in love with Eleniak.

Berenger gives them a little monetary assistance and they fly off to a tropical island. Like the Navy wouldn't catch them. The characters were incon-sistent and shallow. The plot was out of a channel 11 sitcom. The guys get to see Eleniak naked, which will make the film some money.

But please, don't go see this movie; Eleniak will be naked in other movies, rest assured. Century Gateway. For more information call 792-9000 Read Next Article