Eraser


Eraser is one of the better action movies I've seen this summer. The plot isn't as twisted as Mission: Impossible or as dumb as Twister, the suspension of disbelief required isn't as much either (compared to running in front of a tornado), and the weaponery they have beats sticking two pieces of different-coloured gum together.

Arnold Schwarzenneger is U.S. Marshal John Kruger, aka the Eraser. His main job is to protect crucial witnesses whose lives are threatened by people they are testifying against. He accomplishes this by erasing their identities. Lee Cullen (Vanessa Williams) is the latest witness to fall under Kruger's watchful eye in Eraser. The bad guys include a crooked FBI agent (James Caan), who is also Kruger's mentor, and the Under Secretary of Defense (James Cromwell). We watch as Kruger protects his witness, battles the bad guys single-handedly, and eventually triumps in a typically spectacular fashion.

The high-tech gadgetry, including a "rail" gun that fires alumimum bullets at the speed of light, and a grenade-like object that shoots drill bits from the air, is quite impressive. The action scenes are pretty cool. The scene where Schwarzenneger jumps out of the plane and catches a falling parachute is incredulous and amazing at the same time. The growling alligators were kinda cheesy, and I think Schwarzenneger should talk less. The reason Eraser works at all is because it stays true to the standard action fare that Hollywood produces, and that's the reason it's worth watching on the big screen.


Movie ram-blings || Ram Samudrala || me@ram.org