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Eraser

  • 1996
  • R
  • 1h 55m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
122K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,833
383
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Vanessa Williams in Eraser (1996)
Home Video Trailer from Warner Home Video
Play trailer2:10
1 Video
99+ Photos
Conspiracy ThrillerSpyActionCrimeThriller

A Witness Protection specialist becomes suspicious of his co-workers when dealing with a case involving high-tech weapons.A Witness Protection specialist becomes suspicious of his co-workers when dealing with a case involving high-tech weapons.A Witness Protection specialist becomes suspicious of his co-workers when dealing with a case involving high-tech weapons.

  • Director
    • Chuck Russell
  • Writers
    • Tony Puryear
    • Walon Green
    • Michael S. Chernuchin
  • Stars
    • Arnold Schwarzenegger
    • Vanessa Williams
    • James Caan
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    122K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,833
    383
    • Director
      • Chuck Russell
    • Writers
      • Tony Puryear
      • Walon Green
      • Michael S. Chernuchin
    • Stars
      • Arnold Schwarzenegger
      • Vanessa Williams
      • James Caan
    • 180User reviews
    • 96Critic reviews
    • 56Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 3 wins & 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Eraser
    Trailer 2:10
    Eraser

    Photos177

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    Top cast90

    Edit
    Arnold Schwarzenegger
    Arnold Schwarzenegger
    • Eraser
    Vanessa Williams
    Vanessa Williams
    • Lee
    James Caan
    James Caan
    • DeGuerin
    James Coburn
    James Coburn
    • Beller
    Robert Pastorelli
    Robert Pastorelli
    • Johnny C
    James Cromwell
    James Cromwell
    • Donahue
    Danny Nucci
    Danny Nucci
    • Monroe
    Andy Romano
    Andy Romano
    • Harper
    Nick Chinlund
    Nick Chinlund
    • Calderon
    Michael Papajohn
    Michael Papajohn
    • Schiff
    Joe Viterelli
    Joe Viterelli
    • Tony
    Mark Rolston
    Mark Rolston
    • J. Scar
    John Slattery
    John Slattery
    • Corman
    Robert Miranda
    Robert Miranda
    • Frediano
    Roma Maffia
    Roma Maffia
    • Claire
    Tony Longo
    Tony Longo
    • Little Mike
    Gerry Becker
    Gerry Becker
    • Morehart
    John Snyder
    John Snyder
    • Sal
    • Director
      • Chuck Russell
    • Writers
      • Tony Puryear
      • Walon Green
      • Michael S. Chernuchin
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews180

    6.2122.4K
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    Featured reviews

    7jeff7540

    Another good Arnold Schwarzenegger movie

    the story goes as follows Lee Cullen a worker for Cyrez Corporation which develops top secret weapons stumbles upon illegal arms deals and acquires the information and barley escapes with help from the F.B.I and is then placed under the protection of U.S Marshell John Kruger who erases the past of witnesses under Witness Protection to give them a future Lee however has been targeted by terrorists to cover up the scam and John Kruger is being targeted by some of his fellow US Marshells and is framed for murder now he has to protect Lee prove his innocence and exposes the illegal arms deal before it happens. I give Eraser seven out of ten because its one of Arnolds best movies of the late 1990's just see it for yourself to believe it.
    8monkeysgalore

    One of Arnie's Most Underrated Action Vehicles

    I again want to give this the full five, but not sure. I don't get why more people don't like this. It's so underrated, and yet it's everything people love about Arnold and his movies. Loud, big, violent action, cheesy one-liners, a good villain, and this time it even has entertainingly bad CGI an Vanessa Williams, which are two things I'm always down with watching. Mm

    Arnold takes himself more seriously here it seems, at least until the second act. He delivers a great, movie-carrying performance as usual, and is compliment by the weirdly good Vanessa Williams, who ends up not being annoying. James Caan is a great villain, and definitely helps elevate it.

    The action is exactly as you'd expect. With a plot involving big, hi-tech "chainguns", you know this is gonna be good. The opening house scene, the cabin scene, the plane scene, the zoo shootout, and the lab shootout are all cool, along with other scenes. The plane scene defies any logic or realism, and is lots of fun. The CGI is bad, but whatever. There's also a scene with a bad CGI crocodile that rips a dude's arm off, and attacks Arnold, who makes up for the effects by kicking it in the face and shooting it. The final battle though, is just perfect. It's total balls-out action, with Arnold becoming a one-man army as usual, and shooting tons of people with two chainguns before fighting James Caan on top of a giant metal container.

    I really love this and recommend it. It needs more attention and is as good as most of Arnold's other films.
    6Leofwine_draca

    The dodgy effect here and there, but this Schwarzenegger vehicle is good fun

    A super-slick slice of action, starring the reliable Arnie. This fast-paced flick has a lot bigger budget than Arnie's '80s offerings but it's not quite as enjoyable, despite an eye-popping array of visual effects and non-stop action sequences. There's a clinical detachment to this film, mainly due to the 'seen it all before' feel, as nothing really proves memorable or fresh.

    However there are lots of reasons to watch. Arnie may look a little old these days but he's still as tough as ever, even more so than before as he has his hands and legs impaled by flying shrapnel (great scenes) and rips them out. Lots of baddies are killed and shot by Schwarzenegger, and it's great to see him return to a solid action role after the rather nauseating comedies like JUNIOR and JINGLE ALL THE WAY. Vanessa Williams is the female lead and remains competent, but being female she isn't really given much to do. James Caan enjoys himself in an over-the-top role as a sneering villain, much like Michael Caine in ON DEADLY GROUND. He makes a good adversary.

    The special effects are all outstanding in this film, the super guns being most memorable as they leave plasma rings in the air after a bullet (an effect used more extensively in THE MATRIX). There are also a number of outrageous stunts and action sequences, set pieces including Arnie jumping out of a plane to get his parachute and a fight in a zoo, where crocodiles eat a number of bad guys in a hilarious moment: just a shame about the extremely dodgy nature of the CGI effects. The BBFC outrageously cut close to four minutes of the violence on this film's UK release, and it's definitely worth tracking down the uncut version. The violence in this is pleasingly hard-hitting and old school, as Schwarzenegger doesn't shy away from taking out the bad guys – and some good guys too, if need be.
    7SnoopyStyle

    good action, fair body count but needs better wisecracks

    US Marshal John Kruger (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is an expert at erasing identities at WITSEC. Chief Beller (James Coburn) assigns Lee Cullen (Vanessa Williams) to him. She's a whistle-blower at defense contractor Cyrez Corporation. After getting the evidence for the government, she is resistant to WITSEC and killers come after her with high-tech weapons. Fellow Marshal Robert DeGuerin (James Caan) tells Kruger that someone is killing witnesses.

    It's a nice action thriller. There are lots of gun action. The body count is pretty good. Arnold gets to hang out of a plane and battle some crocodiles. It probably needs a few more wisecracks to be as fun as some of Arnold's best. The one-liners aren't quite as good. I like it but people may be tired of his big action movies by that point.
    7Bogey Man

    Exciting action with Arnold

    Chuck Russel's Eraser is exploding and intense action film starring Arnold Scwarzenegger as secret government officer, who "erases" people i.e. destroys their past in order to save their future. He gets to erase an important witness (Vanessa Williams) who knows about her company's illegal activities as it sells guns to foreigners. The film is full of action and mayhem, which is great since hardboiled action films are not made too often in Hollywood anymore.

    There are hardly any stops throughout the movie and the viewer should not be bored, at least I wasn't now that I watched the movie for the second time. It looks fantastic in its original widescreen format, and this is definitely among Arnold's more noteworthy performances and proves the talent of director Chuck (Scorpion King, Elm Street 3) Russell.

    There are many effects that look pretty realistic and the crocodile shoot out is one memorable scene, and maybe that is the screenwriters' comment on zoos' that don't feed their animals sufficiently as the crocodiles are VERY hungry and fierce for food! Also, there is one over the top airplane scene, that really grabs an attention. The actors are great throughout the film and James Caan doesn't make an exception. The finale is perhaps little too familiar and relies on gun fights and explosions, but still, as a whole, I found this film very pleasant experience in its own genre. It is not the greatest action film ever made in Hollywood, but it is one of the most interesting US action films of the 90's.

    7/10

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    Related interests

    Gene Hackman in The Conversation (1974)
    Conspiracy Thriller
    Daniel Craig in Skyfall (2012)
    Spy
    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The John Kruger role was originally offered to Sylvester Stallone. He absolutely hated the script, turned the offer down and instead starred in Cop Land (1997).
    • Goofs
      Lee claims that she doesn't know what is on the encrypted disc. But she obviously does know as she was there when she herself copied it and saw the 3D schematic of the rail gun on the screen.
    • Quotes

      Father Rodriguez: The police have returned to the safety of their doughnut shops.

    • Alternate versions
      In later versions of the movie, the reference of UBS meaning "Union de Bank Swiss" is changed to "United Bank of Syria."
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: The Cable Guy/Stealing Beauty/Moll Flanders/Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD/The Switchblade Sisters/Madame Butterfly (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      Where Do We Go From Here
      Written by Linda Thompson, David Foster, Evan Kopelson and Douglas Pashley

      Produced and arranged by David Foster

      Performed by Vanessa Williams

      Courtesy of Mercury Records

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    FAQ28

    • How long is Eraser?Powered by Alexa
    • Why did Donahue review the surveillance tape that showed Lee? Did he routinely watch everybody who went in there? If not, then why just her?
    • What is 'Eraser' about?
    • Is 'Eraser' based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 21, 1996 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Warner Bros. (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Russian
    • Also known as
      • El protector
    • Filming locations
      • Brooklyn Borough Hall - Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Kopelson Entertainment
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $100,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $101,295,562
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $24,566,446
      • Jun 23, 1996
    • Gross worldwide
      • $242,295,562
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 55m(115 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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