A Present for Santa

Dan Casper, aka Dante Cappacino, ran a profitable courier service for the syndicate until a bomb put an end to his unwelcome plans for expansion. His premature demise on the eve of a $2 million deal proves an irresistible temptation to one ambitious employee, known only as ""Santa'' to the Mafia. Santa walks off with the cash and a wealth of incriminating documents, covering his trail by using contacts and skills he gained while part of an elite government antiterrorist squad. The mobsters who come after him in full force are a curiously mixed bunch. One group is represented by an old-style, growling hit man, and the other by a clean-cut recent recruit who applies management tactics worthy of IBM. After a violent shakedown within the organization, a trap for Santa is baited with a beautiful woman whose allegiance comes quickly into question when she's smitten by his charm. Although the requisite elements of a good chase are in place, this putative thriller falls flat, a victim of wooden dialogue and overworked chiches. (December 15)