Today’s quick review: Erased. Security expert Ben Logan (Aaron Eckhart) lives in Antwerp with his teenage daughter Amy (Liana Liberato). Ben becomes the target of a cover-up when he learns that the company he works for has been using him to crack CIA security devices. With no record of his existence and trained killers gunning for him, Ben must figure out who set him up and why, all while keeping Amy out of harm’s way.
Erased is an action thriller with a father-daughter twist. The plot involves stolen CIA documents, a shady businessman with secrets to hide, and Ben Logan himself, an American expat who’s trying to patch up his relationship with his daughter. Erased offers a better plot than most budget thrillers, as well as a fair amount of action and a pair of simple but well-drawn leads. However, it’s missing the polish needed to really shine.
Erased’s best feature is its plot. The movie opens with a compelling hook: Ben learns his entire job is a lie, and now he’s been marked for death. From there, Erased gradually reveals pieces of the puzzle until Ben has the whole picture. The answers he finds aren’t anything special, but the plot progression is sensible and the film does a good job of turning its premise into a full, coherent story.
Beyond its plot, Erased is middle-of-the-road. The action is competent but never really the focus. Ben has a neat bag of tricks when it comes to evasion and survival, but he never tips over into a full-blown action hero. The father-daughter dynamic is strong enough to hold the movie together, but it’s not as moving as it might have been. In general, Erased avoids any major mistakes but never really does more than the basics.
Give Erased a watch when you’re in the mood for a cleanly executed thriller. It’s not the best choice for sheer action or true drama, but between its fine characters and its well-considered plot, it’s a decent popcorn watch. For a grittier action thriller, try Taken. For a thriller with more action and a more elaborate plot, try The Bourne Identity. For another action thriller with a father-daughter story and a similar budget, try 3 Days to Kill.
6.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for decent action and a solid plot.