The hitman who wants out is a character and plot device bordering on a cliché. In Chase, writer/director Michael Matteo Rossi (Misogynist, Shadows) gives us a somewhat different take on it. One that, despite a few issues, is actually quite enjoyable.
Chase (Damien Puckler, Grimm, Redwood Massacre: Annihilation) is a killer for hire. He loves his work and he’s damn good at it. He gets his jobs from Miles (Aries Spears, Hood of Horror) his oldest and closest friend. But this killing machine has a softer side, he’s a loving boyfriend to Blair (Jessica Morris, Evil Bong 777, The 6th Friend) and father to their adopted son Micah (Eli Michael Kaplan). The fact he needed adopting because Chase killed his parents is another matter.
Miles is worried that Chase’s family life will become a problem, especially since Blair hates him. So, he makes it a self-fulfilling prophecy with bloody results.
Chase is enjoyable as an action film, but it suffers from a problem so many films like it suffer from. I had a hard time giving a shit about its leads. Chase is a hired killer who loves to kill. Yes he’s raising a kid he orphaned, but he’ll still kill a child. For three times his usual rate. The same for Blair. She knows what Chase does for a living. Granted, she’s convinced herself he only kills those who deserve it. But she still knows he’s a killer for hire, and he’s happy about it.
If you can get past that though Chase is a well-done film. The budget wasn’t going to allow for elaborate John Wick style action scenes, but what we do get here is plenty of well-choreographed small-scale fights, stabbings, and shootings. It delivers a lot more in this department than most low-budget films of its kind.
Chase also has a solid cast that includes Rachel Alig (The Cleaning Lady, Bikini Spring Break), Richard Riehle (3 From Hell, West Of Hell), Paul Duke (Extraction, Mad Cowgirl), and Devanny Pinn (Crossbreed, Bus Party To Hell). Most of them are in small roles, but their talent helps sell some of the script’s weaker moments.
Despite my issues with the leads I still found Chase to be a good film. Given the success of Dexter, Hannibal, etc there are a lot of people that won’t be bothered by that. If you’re one of them then you should enjoy it even more than I did.
Chase is available on VOD and streaming platforms from Vertical Entertainment.