Before discussing the comic elements of the movie, let me just reinforce that Eraser is one of those action adventure movies that is very entertaining, but relies heavily on the use of gratuitous violence. In many ways this movie is so stereotypical and so violent that it is more like a cartoon.
Indeed, this movie is a lot like an episode of Road Runner. Arnold is like the Road Runner since he is too fast and nimble to ever be caught. But he is even more like the coyote. The coyote is seriously injured in every episode, something falls on him, he falls off a cliff, hešs run over by a truck, he is hit by an atomic blast or blown up by fifty pounds of dynamite. When the dust clears the coyote gets up, brushes himself off and goes on his way. Just like Arnie in Eraser.
You can be excused for thinking this is another Terminator movie. Arnie is as invincible as a cyborg, except he's human - supposedly. He is shot, gets a nail through his hand and a twelve inch knife through his leg, plus a building falls on him, but he comes through it all and manages to save the day.
Arnie is not a particularly versatile actor. He's had a few dabbles into the more traditional comedy genre - Twins and Nine Months were particularly painful, while Kindergarten Cop was actually quite good. But he mainly sticks to what he does well. He looks good, actually, he looks very good and his early inability to speak English established that idiosyncratic dialogue. He became famous for those short, sharp, glib and hysterically funny one liners.
Remember Commando and those superb lines "I lied" and "I let him go?" Well, they're back thick and fast in Eraser. My favorite was when he shoots an alligator saying "You're luggage". Of course, "You've been erased" is bantered around the movie. Its so corny you just have to laugh, and once you're in the pattern of laughing the movie gets funnier and funnier.
Like almost all the action adventure flicks this summer, the enemy is the government. Is America paranoid or what? Arnold is a U.S. Marshall in Eraser and he works alone. Just as well, too, since the only other good guys in the whole movie are the Italian mafia.
Vanessa Williams is adequate. She is a typical Arnold heroine. She is beautiful, professional, tough, smart, and ultimately totally reliant on Arnold for her life. I guess this is pretty much how Arnold sees the world. But you know, if ever I get into any serious trouble, I hope Arnold turns up on my doorstep.
In conclusion, I laughed long and hard in this movie; to enjoy it, you have to. The plot is far fetched. The special effects are ridiculous, and there are even editing problems. In the bar scene our Mafioso buddy can't decide whether he wants his vest on or off. So don't look for logic, normality or perfection in this movie, just go along as I did, enjoy Arnold's muscles and have a good laugh. It's well worth it.