HOT PURSUIT

US, 1987, 93 minutes, Colour.
John Cusack, Robert Loggia, Jerry Stiller, Wendy Gazelle, Monte Markham, Ben Stiller, Shelly Fabares.
Directed by Steven Lisberger.

Hot Pursuit is a moderately entertaining youth movie - it starts like a campus film and turns into an Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone spoof. One expects the whole thing to be the dream of the hero - but it is not. John Cusack seems too melancholic a character to carry off this particular role. He was seen to better advantage in such films as The Sure Thing, One Crazy Summer, The Journey of Natty Gann, Better Off Dead. Robert Loggia enjoys himself as a sea-captain. There is a good supporting cast, Caribbean locations - and a sense of not taking the whole thing too seriously.

1. Enjoyable youth comedy? Campus? Imaginative adventure?

2. The American style of campus living, relationships? The opening with Lori as a cat-burglar? Dan and his study? The failing of the exam? The possibility of the holiday? His reprieve and it just being too late?

3. American locations, Caribbean locations? Sea adventure? Special effects and stunts? The score?

4. Dan as the American student? Study, relationship with Lori, wary of her parents and family? The reprieve, his missing the plane, missing taxi, the encounter with Cleon and company? Chasing the boat and the drink? Going aboard and the storm? Saving the Captain? Going overboard, prison, the explosion and the eluding capture? The plane and the hijack? The boat, the Captain, Chris? The dead man, the capturing of the drug ring? The rescue and chase? The happy ending? The fantasy and reality?

5. Lori as heroine, her wealthy parents, going on holiday, the rest of the family? Continually missing Dan? The eventual catch-up? The involvement in the imprisonment, the chase and the rescue?

6. The captain, his taking on Dan, the bonds between the two, saving his life, going overboard, the escape from the prison? The irony of the ending?

7. The satire on American tourists abroad? The irony of the criminals? Victor and Chris? Their place on the boat, the murders, the dead Captain? Their come-uppance?

8. Exuberant youthful adventure? Comedy?