Eraser MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +3 1/2 Content: -2 1/2

After playing comparatively mild characters in his last two films, Arnold Schwarzenegger is back in his full Terminator mode, pumping up the action, violence and wit as the title hero in this highly charged thriller. He plays federal marshal John Kruger, who works for a clandestine agency that protects the lives of government witnesses by erasing all evidence of their existence. Lee Cullen (Vanessa Williams), an executive for a defense contractor, discovers a scheme to sell an advanced super-weapon to foreign buyers and agrees to help the FBI get the necessary evidence to stop the plot. But the conspiracy includes people she thought were on her side, and Cullen realizes the only man she can trust to protect her is Kruger. Kruger is framed as a mole in his agency, and he and Cullen must break into the contractor's computers in order to get the necessary evidence to incriminate the true culprits, ensure Cullen's safety and clear Kruger's name. The film has impressive stunts, including one where Schwarzenegger must leap out of an airplane and catch up with a falling parachute, and fierce confrontations with corrupt characters. With those action scenes, explosive energy, abundant humor and Schwarzenegger's playful but determined heroism, ERASER is bound to be a big hit with summer audiences.

More cautious viewers won't be quite as excited, however. The film features incessant violence, with brutal killings often used to set up a funny tag line from Schwarzenegger. There are several shootings and stabbings, along with lengthy shoot-outs where many are injured or killed. A character commits suicide by firing a gun in his mouth. The high-tech weapon, used both by bad guys and Schwarzenegger, literally throws victims across a room. One gruesome scene shows three men being dismembered by crocodiles. There is no sexual content except when Schwarzenegger recruits an accomplice at a gay bar that features transvestite dancers. Most of the offensive language is spoken by villains, but numerous obscenities and profanities are prevalent throughout the film. A Catholic priest is shown in a positive light. Schwarzenegger's fans may be rushing out to see ERASER, but its violence and language may encourage you to erase it from your viewing list.

Preview Reviewer: Mark Perry
Distributor: Warner Bros., 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91522