Eraser terminates movie competition

Arnold Schwarzenegger is back and better than ever in the shoot-em-first-and-don't-ask-questions-later flick Eraser.

Superstar singer Vanessa Williams turns in a believable performance as a senior executive of a secret defense weapons company. She is working with the FBI, helping to uncover a coverup of illegal arms deals with international terrorists. Her company, Cyrez, is responsible for the creation of a frightening supergun called the Rail Gun, which is capable of shooting projectiles of aluminum at the speed of light.

When Williams is caught trying to blow the whistle on her company, her life is immediately endangered. Enter Schwarzenegger as the "eraser" -- a federal marshal working with the Witness Protection Program who "erases" any vestiges of the person's former life and helps to establish the identity of a new life.

Not only is Cyrez's henchmen after Williams but so is James Caan, Schwarzenegger's boss and former mentor. Caan is the facilitator of the illegal arms deals, helping the undersecretary of defense to secure the arms deals.

In a more comic relief role is Robert Pastorelli of Murphy Brown. Pastorelli is one of the eraser's protected witnesses with mob ties and helps Schwarzenegger and Williams at the movie's end.

As with any of Schwarzenegger's films, Eraser showcases some of the most spectacular edge-of-your-seat, white-knuckled action to date. The action is fast and loud, and Schwarzenegger has more than his share of comic one-liners. Although the viewer has to suspend a lot of belief during some of these action sequences, even the unbelievable seems believable. That's what makes Schwarzenegger's films so fun, especially at the end when he and Williams go ... well, I'll let you see it.

Eraser is rated R for language and strong violence and is playing at the Commons 6, Farragut Towne Square, East Towne Crossing 8 and Halls Cinemas.