Eraser

It’s hard watching Arnie try to emote after he’s almost been run over by a 727. That’s the big problem with Eraser. Arnold Schwarsa-whatever plays a Witness Protection agent trying to keep Vanessa Williams alive. She’s absconded from her weapons research lab employer with proof that they’ve been selling technology to terrorists. Eraser's high are stratospheric. Unfortunately, it’s lows are, well, really low. The film is essentially built around four action sequences – the first is ho-hum, but the latter three are enough to keep you wide awake. Arnie punches, Arnie shoots, Arnie blows stuff up…you know. The problem is in what happens after the action: Eraser goes from Warp 5 to a dead stop in nothing flat. While I was still reeling from watching Arnie do battle with an alligator, he’s on-screen trying to be tender with Vanessa. Within a few minutes I’ve settled into a gunfight-induced hangover, just in time for him to come bursting through the floor with a laser cannon in each hand. What’s worse is trying to pay attention to the plot when the action is so comic book, over-the-top-ish. If you don’t mind this, you’ll find Eraser is a gas. But after the get-it-up-and-keep-it-there action of The Rock and Twister, Eraser left me flat.

B-