I have seen many of Arnold Schwarzenegger's movies over the years. I usually end up at least somewhat enjoying his movies even when they have some issues. I recently watched Eraser again for the first time in years.
U.S. Marshal John Kruger works for the Federal Witness Protection Program. He goes in and picks up witnesses in a way that makes it look like they have died and then sets them up in their new identities. Dr. Lee Cullen works for a company that designs and makes weapons for the military. She discovers that the company plans to sell a high tech electronic pulse rifle to a terrorist. John is assigned to protect her and he barely gets her away alive. After he gets her settled in her new location, he is contacted by Robert, another Marshall. It seems there is a mole who is killing high profile witnesses and Lee is a target.
Eraser begins by showing John in action, picking up a witness and making it seem like he had been killed before setting him up in another location. John is very good at his job and does seem to enjoy protecting people. He is called Eraser by some of his co-workers because of his method of picking up witnesses. He does use some rather extreme methods, but he gets the job done. Time is then taken to introduce Lee and set up her situation before John arrives to protect her. Most of the movie deals with what happens after he gets her away. One thing that doesn't seem accurate is that once she is in the program, nothing is done to try to change her appearance. That just doesn't seem right to me. One of John's other witnesses is shown and his appearance hasn't changed either even though he is set up with a new identity.
Some of what happens in Eraser is more complicated and it is harder to know exactly what is going on in some scenes. That does help to keep things from being completely predictable, though there are still several things that end up being predictable. Some mystery is added to what is going on since it isn't clear at first who the mole is. Even once the identity of the mole comes out, there are still questions tied to the mole and why they are doing what they are doing. I think a few twists are added in just to try to make things more complicated than they really needed to be.
Action turns several times throughout Eraser, something that is common for many of Schwarzenegger's movies. The first action scene happens during the first few minutes of the movie. When John goes to pick up Lee, he gets there just in time to get in the middle of an attack against her that involves a lot of shooting, some with the new high tech pulse gun. That sequence ends with a huge explosion. There are more fights and shootings throughout the movie that do help to keep things interesting. Some of the action that happens does stretch believability, like when John has to jump out of a plane. The pulse gun does seem futuristic, but I think it works for the most part. The violence really isn't overly excessive even though it is rated R, but it might be too much for some viewers. This really isn't a movie for children.
John has been a Marshal for a while when the movie begins and it is clear that he is good at his job. He takes keeping the witnesses safe seriously and he does go to more extreme measures at times to make sure they stay safe. Some of what he does while working isn't that believable, but the character is interesting. Arnold Schwarzenegger does fine with the part. Some of the other Marshalls are shown without them standing out that much. James Coburn is in a few scenes as Chief Beller, the man in charge of the Witness Protection Program. Robert is really the only other Marshall that receives much attention. He has had the job for a while as well and knows John. James Caan is fine in the part.
Lee works for a company that makes weapons for the military. She discovers that the company is planning to sell a high tech gun to a terrorist and she decides to act, which puts her life in danger. She seems like a nice enough woman, though not that much is really shared about her. Vanessa Williams handles the part well. James Cromwell is briefly in the movie as William Donohue, the man who is in charge of the company Lee works for. Johnny is another witness that John is protecting who turns up in a few scenes. Robert Pastorelli handles the part well.
Main Cast
James Caan - U.S. Marshall Robert Deguerin
James Coburn - Chief Beller
James Cromwell - William Donohue
Robert Pastorelli - Johnny
Arnold Schwarzenegger - John Kruger
Vanessa Williams - Lee
Chuck Russell - Director
When I watched Eraser again this time, it was an edited version. The edited version is tamer than the R rated version. Eraser has a few issues, but it works as an entertaining action movie. Fans of Schwarzenegger will probably find something to like about the movie.