Eraser | | Cast : | Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Caan, Vanessa L. Williams, James Coburn | | Director : | Chuck Russell | | Studio : | Warner Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Widescreen | | Released Date : | June 21, 1996 | | DVD Released Date : | September 14, 2004 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Spanish (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 02, 2005 | | Summary | Dj Defprince! review on Eraser | Content
 | Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Governor ) proves in this high action drama that he is capable of protecting the state of terrorists. I on the other hand will protect your investment by advising you that this is a superb dvd for your action collection. Aronld's character John Kruger a U.S Marshal battles his tutor in a quest to prevent super weapons from getting in the wrong hands.This has got to be one of the best action movies I've seen.......I'ts a classic! |
| Rating | | | Date | June 14, 2005 | | Summary | I Work Alone | Content
| By the mid 90's, action mega-star Arnold Schwarzenegger's movies began to lose their punch. The big guy had more misses than hits. He could go from the failure of The Last Action Hero to the bullseye of True Lies, and then he would be saddled with drivel like End Of Days. One of the best films during this varied period is Eraser, helped in part by a lovely (yet tough) leading lady and a good 'N nasty villian.
John Kruger (Schwarzenegger) is employed by the Witness Protection Program as an "eraser." In other words, he wipes out a witness's identity in order to save him or her from potential harm. His latest "client" is the beautiful Lee Cullen (Vanessa L. Williams), who possesses vital information regarding super high-tech weapons -- and a government conspiracy connected to them. Krueger's job protecting Cullen will not be easy. The pair face plenty of gunmen, goons and even alligators, around every corner. Furthermore, a U.S. Marshal, Robert Deguerin (James Caan) working within the Witness Protection Program, has dark motives of his own that causes problems for the always on the run pair.
Coming off the success of The Mask, that put Jim Carrey on the movie map, director Chuck Russell filled the movie with plenty solid slam bang action sequences. Having Arnold in top form didn't hurt either. He also shares great screen chemistry with Williams who holds her own with him. She also keeps things as grounded as possible for a film gleefully over the top. Writers Tony Puryear and Walon Green also created a great villian for Caan to play. And to his credit he plays it pitch perfect, walking a fine line between someone having fun and a true menace.
I wish the DVD had more extras on it. Static cast/director bios are all you get. Special Edition anyone? Is Arnie that busy running the state of California? I'm sure he could take time out to talk about the film. Anyway, Eraser is a must see for action fans. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 26, 2005 | | Summary | The fun will NOT be erased | Content
| You're probably thinking that this is your typical Schwarzennegar vehicle, but "Eraser" is actually more fun than that. It's not spectacular, but then it doesn't overload you and overwhelm its thin story with a lot of expensive pyrotechnics, and best of all, it doesn't make you feel like an utter idiot for buying into its rapid-fire nonsense.
The Plot: our hero is John Krueger (which is easier to spell), a lone-wolf commando who handles high-risk participants in the Justice Department's witness protection program. He creates phony identities and lives for people who risked their lives by testifying for the government. When necessary (which proves often), he also stages brutal but effectively believable deaths for the witnesses themselves - anything to throw off the trail of their hunters. (We learn this watching Kruger take out a pair of hitmen sent to rub out a mob-informer played by the late Bob Pastorelli, better known as Murphy Brown's house painter.) He's so good erasing the lives of witnesses and their hunters that he's even known as...okay, you've probably figured out that part by now. "Eraser" kicks off when Kruger's latest charge is Lee (Vanessa Williams), a beautiful and brilliant programmer who can implicate her boss in a complex though clearly illegal arms deal. Cyrez, the defense contractor she works for, took billions in tax-dollars to develop rail-gun technology it openly declared impossible. (Rail-guns use electromagnetism to fire projectiles at near-light speeds and capable of punching holes in battleships). Lee stumbles onto evidence that Cyrez not only worked the bugs out, creating a handier version of the impossible weapon, but is now on the verge of selling a shipload of their guns to a thoroughly vile Russian arms dealer. Unlike the wiseguys Kruger normally deals with, Cyrez has enough at stake to pay for powerful friends, even some who work for John.
"Eraser" so faithfully follows the rules of action-thrillers, that it cheerfully surprises you with its lack of surprise. Will there be strings of lop-sided gun battles? Of course. Will our hero narrowly survive in various impossible to believe stunts (a free-fall from 10,000 feet, after being near-rammed by a 727)? Natch! Will the bad guys and other enemies suffer murderous one-liners? You bet! ("You're luggage" Kruger tells a wanton alligator during a shoot-out improbably set at NYC's Central Park Zoo). "Eraser" also throws in some good supporting players - especially Pastorelli, but James Caan as his mentor, Williams who holds her own as the damsel in not-so-much distress, and also Pastorelli's shady associates of the Baltimore docks ("Don't make me hurt you, Mikey!"). "Eraser" is perfect when you need something to help you decompress. I caught this blast-fest after taking the '96 NYS Bar exam, and it (almost) erased the previous two tension-filled months. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 08, 2005 | | Summary | you're still here you're just someone who doesn't know you | Content
| that's what I said to myself the first time I saw this on vhs. moving, funny, powerful, packed with enough action to saw open a can of worms. it's that powerful. saw it 3 times on tv. better and better it is every time I see it. this movie may be from the 90's but it will stay an action classic for the next 100 years. I"m serious. if you like Arnold then see Kindergarten Cop. his role as the teacher and good guy cop is hilarious and awesome. not to mention the kids are adorable, funny and very interesting with each one of their personalities. I love this movie Eraser. it's an interesting plot. keeps you hooked from start to end. and really is amazing overall. the direction and director are (is) genious. keep up the great work Arnold. I can see you making movies til you're about 88 or 98. you have a healthy body too so you will live a long long time. and hopefully a happy life with your beautiful and devoted wife Maria Shriver. I think that's how you spell her name. thanks for your time fellow movie watchers.
and I'm so glad I saw this and have it on dvd. I'll watch it again and again and still feel the thrills and action |
| Rating | | | Date | March 08, 2005 | | Summary | Lesser Schwarzenegger | Content
| Eraser features Arnold Schwarzenegger as a government operative who makes witnesses disappear or get "Erased" Unfortunately the only thing that needed to be "Erased" was the second half of the screenplay. Eraser devolves from an intriguing story about witness protection into a by the numbers action movie not worthy of Mr. Schwarzenegger's limited talents. This film belongs in the category of "Lesser Schwarzenegger, films those mediocre movies made after "True Lies" and before "Last action Hero"
I can't fault Arnold here. He plays his part of Jack the "Eraser" very well. The action in the opening scenes is tight. But Eraser's problems all come from the dull, by the numbers screenplay. It's so by-the predictable you have the whole movie figured out by the opening credits. The guy's name is Jack like every other action hero. He's a government agent. He's got to protect the pretty female who knows something that the bad guys don't want told. One of the guys Jack works with is a Rogue agent. Jack will spend the film trying to figure out who he is even though we knew a half hour ago. There will be explosions, deaths, and the top bad guy will get his in the end in a memorable fashion after Ah-nold spouts a cliché we're all supposed to remember.
There are some bright spots in this formulaic movie though. Vanessa Williams gives a solid performance as the witness Schwarzenegger is supposed to protect. She plays her part with intelligence and sophistication, making more out of her character than what was on the page. The former Miss America holds her own with Schwarzenegger, having great chemistry with him in all her scenes and keeps the film from falling apart. Robert Pastorelli from "Murphy Brown" is fun to watch as a mobster indebted to Jack. James Caan is well, James Caan. He's playing what he plays in most every movie he's in lately, the veteran government agent whose gone rogue. He's going to meet his in the end.
Eraser is an OK movie worth a rental on a rainy night. The actors keep this uninspired action movie from turning into Last Action Hero.
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