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Eraser
(1996)
Mindless drivel from Arnold Schwarzenegger who should
have known better than to get involved with the director
of Jim Carrey's "The Mask." We expect more from the
guy. The Austrian plays an American FBI agent (with
no explanation) who protects federal witnesses by "erasing"
their lives. (He burns down their houses with "John
Doe" bodies doubling for them, then switches their dental
records using Windows 95). Schwarzenegger takes on the
task of protecting Robert Pastorelli (TV's "Murphy Brown")
before moving on to keep an eye on former de-frocked
Miss America Vanessa Williams.
Williams is a much better actress than Whitney Houston
(although the latter puts out a better soundtrack album)
and we do enjoy watching her in the film. We just wish
she had a little more to do and a better film in which
to do it.
As for the stunts/special effects in the film, they
are laughable. Schwarzenegger always looks like he is
in front of a blue screen when he is supposedly jumping
without a parachute from a jet. Then, later in the film,
he takes on several obviously computer animated alligators
at a zoo while they devour other bit players and spew
computerized blood. Everything in this film looks phony.
James Caan plays a fellow FBI agent in the film but
it's obvious he's the villain from the beginning. At
least he has a character to play (badly) with. James
Coburn seems to have been trucked in just so that his
name can go on the publicity material. He does nothing
here.
"Eraser" isn't the worst action film ever made. But
it's pretty dull. Even fans of the star whose name eclipses
the title will be bored by it. Worse yet are the chuckles
the special effects will produce.
Note:
Produced and Directed by Charles Russell.
Music by Alan Silvestri. Story by Tony Puryear. Script
by Puryear and Walon Green. Frank Capra III acts as
Supervising Producer and 1st Assistant Director. Kyle
Cooper does the opening titles.
Songs by Dean Martin, Weather Girls, Trevor Rabin,
and star Vanessa Williams.
Review written in 1996
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