Review of Eraser (1996) by Timothy S — 29 Apr 2012

"Eraser" is one of the better action pictures than Arnold Schwarzenegger turned out during the '90's because of a good script and sharp directing. Chuck Russell cut his teeth in low-budget but memorable horror films, and he makes the jump here to big-time action director seamlessly. Some of it is pretty standard, but there are some exciting and unique sequences here that make this better than the rest.

Schwarzenegger himself is a commanding presence once again, but he is playing a real character here. He has cut down considerably on the silly one-liners that he's known for (a few still slip in from time to time), and he's still basically a one-man army but he feels more three dimensional. The villains are pretty familiar, and even a talented, Oscar nominated actor like James Cann doesn't do a lot with his role. Anyone who's seen a movie before can tell you the second he appears on the screen that he's the bad guy. The screenwriters do not disappoint.

The ending is a basic Schwarzenegger shoot-out, but there are some great moments earlier in the film that stand out. CGI is used to create an amazing sequence in which Arnold jumps out of a plane sans parachute and a terrific scene involving alligators inside a zoo. They aren't 100% convincing computerized effects but they still are very impressive.

Vanessa Williams doesn't make much of an impression as an actress here, but it is refreshing to see that a romantic relationship doesn't develop between the two leads. They don't even kiss after a thrilling climax on top of a freight container. And those high-tech guns are pretty cool too. "Eraser" is a smart, fast-paced winner.