[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference bookie::movies

Title:Movie Reviews and Discussion
Notice:Please do DIR/TITLE before starting a new topic on a movie!
Moderator:VAXCPU::michaudo.dec.com::tamara::eppes
Created:Thu Jan 28 1993
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1249
Total number of notes:16012

1079.0. "Eraser" by SHOGUN::LYONS () Tue May 14 1996 20:55

    
    
    This stars Arnold Schwarzenagger and Vanessa Williams.
    
    About an elite federal marshall (AS) who "erases" witnesses(VW) identities
    and then relocates and protects them.
    
    Don't know much else about it.  Wondering if this will be Arnie's
    comeback, goodness knows he needs a real solid movie under his belt to
    make up for Junior and Last Action Hero ( alhtough, I admit I liked the
    concept of this movie, just not what happened on screen, but alas,
    that's another note.)
    
    Does anyone have further details or a release date?
    
    Thanks in advance.
    
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
1079.1BUSY::SLABOUNTYDon't get even ... get odd!!Tue May 14 1996 21:3113
                             Release Dates for
                               Eraser (1996)

USA
     21 June 1996
Israel
     9 August 1996
UK
     9 August 1996
Germany
     22 August 1996

1079.2BUSY::SLABOUNTYDon't get even ... get odd!!Tue May 14 1996 21:3236
                               Eraser (1996)

                              USA 1996 Color

Produced by: Warner Brothers
Sound Mix: SDDS
Genre(s)/keyword(s): Action

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
Directed by
     Chuck Russell

Cast (in credits order)
    
     Arnold Schwarzenegger .... John Kruger, the Eraser
     James Caan
     Vanessa Williams
     James Coburn
     Robert Pastorelli
     rest of cast listed alphabetically
     Camryn Manheim .... Nurse

Written by
     Tony Puryear

Cinematography by
     Adam Greenberg

Produced by
     Anne Kopelson
     Arnold Kopelson
     Chuck Russell (executive)
     Michael Tadross (executive)

1079.3BAD TIMING!VYGER::GIBSONJSundays papers on a Saturday?Thu May 16 1996 11:385
    Bad timing for a release date in the UK, 9th August is the sme day that
    Independance Day gets released and I think I'd rather see the latter.
    
    						Steve
    
1079.4ERASERWMOIS::TARDUGNOMon Jun 03 1996 22:174
    I think from what previews I've seen, that Eraser will be a good
    flick.....I think Independance Day will have some awsome explosions
    and special effects but  might  not be as good as all the hype...
    I guess we'll have to see...
1079.5SCAMP::FORTIN_CWorked the Bars & Sideshows....Thu Jun 06 1996 21:028
    
    You gotta love the part in the preview where Ahh-nulld blows
    up the giant tank and then has to shoot the alligator in the
    mouth when it comes after him.
    
    Nice scene, I thought.
    
    CF
1079.6AhhnoldWMOIS::TARDUGNOTue Jun 11 1996 23:288
    The scene i liked was Ahhnold hanging from a plane, with one
    of the planes engines behind him ready suck him in.. slice 
    and dice.....then he lets go~~  and does  a Free Dive right by
    the engine and the black cloud of smoKe....
    YEOW  that was incredible....chills ran down my spine...
    I have my popcorn ready and waiting to see this one!!!!!!
    
    Nobody does it like Ahhnold!!!
1079.7Thumbs upSTAR::65320::RIVERSNo commentMon Jun 24 1996 12:2234
    This was a fun one, although I really think Mr. S. needs to tell his
    writers to try harder with the witty one-liners.  They made me wince.
    
    On the other hand, I liked this even more than I liked "The Rock",
    although there wasn't quite the fun repartee betwixt the lead
    characters.  On the other-OTHER hand, since Arnie was supposed to be
    saving Vanessa Williams half the time, it wasn't quite the same
    relationship as Msrs. Cage and Connery.
    
    "Eraser" also gave us the kinder, gentler Arnold S. hero in that while
    he was (of course) the Best At What He Did, in between killing bad guys
    and crocodiles, he took time to *care*.  :)
    
    More sensitive of a man or not one gets what one would expect from a
    typical Arnold S. summer movie -- planes, trains and automobiles
    blowing up, people falling out of planes, really, really cool railguns,
    really, really cool X-ray sighting mechanisms, people getting shot,
    blow up, betrayed, saved, and gosh dern just about everything but a
    Harrier jet hovering outside a big corporate building.  However, we do
    get a vault like corporate building, along with amusing bad guys, mean
    bad guys, a lovely heroine, a Terminator-esque scene with big
    guns blazing away, CGI rendered limbs (in both senses of the word),
    aforementioned large amphibians, angry Union men, and even the Russian
    Mafia thrown in.  Plus James Caan and James Coburn.  And those really,
    really cool guns. :)
    
    I had a lot of fun even with the requisite "Sure yeah, like THAT would
    happen" moments.  Probably the best of the summer movie bunch, at
    least within it's genre.
    
    *** out of ****
    
    kim
    
1079.8YES!!!SCAMP::FORTIN_CWorked the Bars & Sideshows....Mon Jun 24 1996 14:2212
    
    I saw this last night and thought it was vintage Ah-nuld!  It was
    really exciting and fast paced - a must see for any Ah-nuld fan.
    The scenes with the alligators was excellent and the Italian guys
    down at the docks were hilarious!!
    
    Really action-packed, better than True Lies IMO.
    
    
    Definite thumbs way-up!
    
    CF
1079.9STRWRS::KOCH_PIt never hurts to ask...Mon Jun 24 1996 21:586
    
    What was impressive were the CGI cuts from the real alligators to the
    CGI alligators. You could see it, but it really adds to the action and
    the ferocity of the alligators when they try to make it seamless and
    don't cut too many times to allow them to go from real to fake
    alligators.
1079.10Is it worth $7? Yep!ODIXIE::LOWERWhat fools these mortals be!Wed Jun 26 1996 09:438
    A must see not just for Schwarzenegger fans, but for anyone who likes
    fast-paced action drama.
    
    Biggest laugh of the film:  "This is Earth.  Welcome!"
    
    Easily a Thumbs-up, 3-star (outta four) flick!
    
    Rick
1079.11"Great Action Film Wannabe"GUMSHU::S_COLLINSThu Jun 27 1996 05:2917
    
    Arnold looked bored throughout the film. Vanessa Williams seemed to be
    trying her hardest in a wasted role. James Caan(or is it Cahn)overacted
    to the point that it became annoying. 
    
    For Arnold fans, this was a letdown. But, the sound effects we keep you
    awake. That is the only thing, this "Great Action Film Wannabe" has
    going for it.  
    
                        But that just my opinion.
    
                            I could be right.
    
                
                           S(CAPS-ON)_Collins  
    
                                                
1079.12OK for an 11 year old to see?LUDWIG::SSHEAFri Jun 28 1996 19:5512
    Sounds like this will be my type of movie but I have one question...
    how would you rate it for an 11 year old to see? My son has seen the 
    Terminator movies and True Lies (as far as Ahnuld movies go) and he
    likes them and I have no objection to him seeing them. Eraser is rated
    R for something but not having seen it yet I don't know why. Is it
    language, nudity, violence (all the above)?
    
    I know everyone has an opinion and they all differ but give it your
    best shot.
    
    Thanks in advance,
    Shawn
1079.13My two centsSTAR::MDNITE::RIVERSNo commentFri Jun 28 1996 20:335
    If you don't mind him seeing the Terminator movies or True Lies, then I
    don't think Eraser has anything to worry about.
    
    
    kim
1079.14ODIXIE::LOWERWhat fools these mortals be!Mon Jul 01 1996 05:123
    RE: .12
    
    Language is pretty heavy. Standard violence.
1079.15Thumbs up POLAR::LYLEslam dance cosmopolisMon Jul 08 1996 07:1612
    
    Caught this over the weekend. Good flick. Typical Arnold action movie.
    Interesting little weapon that the bad guys had. The effects were
    pretty much standard. Nothing too spectacular, but groovy none the
    less.
    It's too bad James Coburn didn't have a bigger part. He's a great
    actor. I thought Vanessa Williams did pretty good. 
    
    The best line was 'Welcome to Earth' as was stated in an earlier note.
    
    Dave
    
1079.16KERNEL::PLANTCThe Truth is out there.....Mon Jul 08 1996 09:038
    
    
    Is James Caan in this film too? ( The actor from For the Boys)
    Maybe I'm getting my actors mixed up but I thought I saw him in
    the previews. The movie hasn't been released in the UK yet.
    
    Chris
    :)
1079.17POLAR::LYLEwhere's the cream filling?!?!?Mon Jul 08 1996 09:285
    
    Yup, and he was pretty good too.
    
    Dave
    
1079.18KERNEL::PLANTCThe Truth is out there.....Mon Jul 08 1996 09:398
    
    
    so both James Caan and James Coburn are in it then?
    
    Thanks for the info.
    
    Chris
    :)
1079.19I couldn't stay for "Twister" though!POLAR::TYSICKClose my eyes I become the sky!'Mon Jul 08 1996 13:3618
    I was in the noisy Jeep next to Davey at the drive-in and I'd have to
    say the flick was pretty good too!  
    
    	Lots of action, good little one liners and fairly believable
    characters.  Very typical Arnie flick!
    
    Action - 8
    Acting - 7.5
    F/X    - 8 (gators were real cool)
    Story  - 6
    ----------
    Ovrall - 7.2???????
    
    
    Possible spoiler:
    
    Was it just me or did Arnie look way cooler holding that arm cannon or
    what?
1079.20BUSY::SLABOUNTYAntisocialMon Jul 08 1996 15:205
    
    	Your "overall" rating averages out to 7.4.
    
    	8^)
    
1079.21A word from the British correspondentCOMICS::MILLSS"I have always been here" ...Ambassador KoshTue Aug 27 1996 10:1218
I liked it. I liked it a lot. I liked The Rock more, though, and I'd put ID4 on
a par with Eraser for sheer "no brain necessary" escapism.

I must be in the minority here, but I *didn't* like the alligator scene. I think
it could've worked just as well without the CGI stuff.

The funniest line in the film was *definitely* "This is earth. Welcome." The
timing and delivery were spot-on !

Great performances from Caan (definitely OTT) and Coburn (wish we'd seen more of
him). Vanessa Williams was OK. Arnie was...well...Arnie !

I noticed a definite lack of the trademark one-liners, and those that were in
evidence made me wince. Drop it, Arnie - Its not so funny anymore.

Overall 3 out of 5.

Simes %^)
1079.22You just hef to bull the drigger !CHEFS::BEATON_SI just loooooooook innocent !Wed Aug 28 1996 12:1526
    I saw this over the weekend, and out of the 4 big blockbusters this
    summer (The Rock, Twister, ID4 and Eraser) I liked this the least.
    
    For me, I enjoyed Vanessa Williams singing the title song the most, and I
    thought James Caan stole every scene that he appeared in.
    
    I was pretty much left with a feeling of deja vu at the end of the
    movie. 
    
    If it's anything to go by, when I got home after seeing Eraser,
    "Predator" was on one of the movie channels. I joined it just at the
    big "face-off", towards the end of the movie. This got me to thinking 
    "would I sit down and watch the end of Eraser in 8 years time" (or
    however long it is since Predator was made)... And the answer is
    "Nope"... Though I would try and time it so that I could flich back on
    to the end credits for VW singing the title song 8-)
    
    Stephen
    
    Ps: I noticed somebody commenting earlier on the release date clashing
    with ID4 in the UK. The Marketing bods with Eraser really screwed up
    here. The film had to be premiered in... erm North Finchley.... None to
    special burb' of London. Arnie attended the premiere and tried to cover
    for this gaffe, by saying that he had wanted to see more of Britain and
    meet the British people with the release of his new movie. Right load
    of old horlicks for sure. 
1079.23CHEFS::KEIR_MWed Sep 04 1996 09:3921
    Saw this last night and all I can say is - WOW!!!!!!
    
    It was just ffaaaantaaastic!!! Absolutely loved it!! Mega loadsa
    action, great acting (ok - so it was a bit OTT - but that all added to
    it!), super pace, nice bit of light humour (Italian guys), good
    storyline (for an Arnie film!) and just....WOW!!
    
    If you are an Arnie fan - you MUST see it!!  If all you want is a
    typical Arnie film then - this is it!! I enjoyed True Lies, but this
    was much better - just as far-fetched and - ok, leave ya brain at home,
    but so what? It's all just a bit of fun!!
    
    I saw ID4 on Saturday and that no way near matches up to the
    enjoyment/entertainment factor of Eraser!!
    
    I was still buzzing by the time I got into bed and I'm sure I was
    fighting those baddies in my sleep!!!!
    
    Definate **** out of *****  for enjoyment/entertainment!
    
    S..x
1079.24COMICS::MILLSS"I have always been here" ...Ambassador KoshWed Sep 04 1996 13:087
re .23

So you liked it, then ?

Simes %^)

p.s. What does "S..x" actually stand for/mean ? Just curious...
1079.25KERNEL::PLANTCThe Truth is out there.....Wed Sep 04 1996 13:1411
    
    
    re S..x
    
    
    now now Simon...that would be telling!!! :))))
    
    Use your imagination!! :)))
    
    Chris
    :)
1079.26CHEFS::KEIR_MWed Sep 04 1996 13:565
    Yup Simon!! you're right!! I certainly did!!
    
    And yes - re S..x - I'll keep ya guessing!! (thanks Chris!)
    
    S..x
1079.24Not as good as "True Lies"HOTLNE::SHIELDSMon Jan 20 1997 05:5515