The Specialist (1994)

The specialist is no citizen Kane, in fact it isn't even in the same ballpark as the great action movies of the 90s, but it is a serviceable movie with a dashing lead and a gorgeous femme fatale of a leading lady in Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Stone respectively. Shot deftly by Peruvian director Luis Llosa the film falters if you try to think too much- which is what the critics at the time did. Stallone is beefy enough and still in his prime to run around Miami and the likes with Stone in tow. You should watch the Specialist if you happen to belong in the following two categories: a.) Fans of Sylvester Stallone; b.) Nostalgic need for older action films.

This is one of those movies I know I shouldn't like but (secretly) really do. Its a revenge thriller from the early nineties and watches like a sexy, slightly crazy mob movie with over the top bad guys, lots of (unique) explosions and one hell of a sexy shower scene after we've finished with all the foreplay over the phone.Sylvester Stallone plays Ray Quick, an ex-bomb specialist who works for hire. Ray is tortured about his past, living off the grid and riding the bus. After several breathy phone calls he agrees to take that one last job before retiring. He's been contacted by May Munro (Sharon Stone), a woman seeking revenge against the Leon crime family who murdered her parents when she was a girl. For some reason she still finds it necessary to sleep with the head mobster's son, (Eric Roberts) which in turn makes her character pretty annoying throughout, as she slinks around showing side boob, acting bitchy and looking miserable.There are a few twists, lots of big explosions, -the one with the front part of the hotel falling into the water is great and of course the scene in the shower which showcases Stallone in his prime and yeah, he looks fantastic, Stone does too.I enjoyed the entire cast; Eric Roberts is also perfect as the spoilt, privileged and brutal son of mob boss Rod Steiger who I also enjoyed and James "get a better shirt" Woods is awesome, manically over the top as the bad guy. His character really grew on me by the end, kinda fun in his increasingly frustrating mission to hunt Ray down. This one is definitely a guilty favourite.One question: why doesn't Ray ever drive? He rides the bus even takes out some hooligans in a ultra cheesy scene. He manages to navigate a speed a boat fine.

Continuing my plan to watch every Sly Stallone movie in order, I come to 1994's The Specialist.Plot In A Paragraph: Sylvester Stallone is Ray Quick, a freelance bomb expert who lives off the grid. (Don't worry he is a good guy underneath, it is Stallone after all, he won't kill innocent people, takes in stray cats and gives up his seat to pregnant women on buses) May Munro (Sharon Stone) contacts him and wants him to kill the three men who killed her family years ago, who work for the Leon crime family, headed by Joe (Rod Steiger) and his son Tomas (a fun Eric Roberts) Their head of security Ned (A brilliant scene stealing turn by James Woods) Just happens to be Ray's former partner.Ray Quick has to be the blandest and dullest character had played at this point. I'm not sure if he was bored in the role, but he sleep walks his way through the movie. Like with 'Cobra' we get shots of Sly looking mean and moody behind his shades, or intense and moody as he works on a bomb. Lots of posing as he listens to Stones voice over and over as he stalks her. Lots of posing not much actual acting. Sharon Stone does, what Sharon Stone did at that point of her career, look good and take her clothes off. Eric Roberts (how did this man not have a bigger career?? I'd much rather watch him on screen than his sister) is a lot of fun, and actually under used. Steiger is surprisingly under whelming, which is a shame. But it's James Woods who this movie belongs too!! He is simply fantastic, and the movie is s lot poorer when he is not on screen. So once again, for the second movie in a row, Stallone is completely overshadowed by his costar. Like Wesley Snipes in 'Demolition Man', James Woods not only steals every scene he is in, he walks away with the full movie!! You could argue three with John Lithgow in CliffhangerAs with Nighthawks and Demolition Man, Stallone had scenes cut featuring the villain (This time Woods) and more shot with himself (the scene with the thugs on the bus, and the one where Roberts threatens Sly with a knife) at the last minute. It made no difference, Woods still stole the movie. Despite a relatively short running time, it actually feels a lot longer than it is. An interesting note on this is David Fincher was set to direct this at one stage. Stallone liked Fincher, and wanted him, but he was overruled by the producers, because of the failure of Alien 3. Instead they went with Luis Llosa, who had directed the straight to video 'Fire On The Amazon' with a Sandra Bullock and Sniper with Tom Berenger in 1993. Whilst Llosa's career went nowhere (he only directed 2 more movies after this) whilst Fincher made the mega hit Se7en a year later.

With a few tweaks, THE SPECIALIST could've been a jewel in the "so bad it's good" category. But in this sullen and sweaty snoozefest, it's James Woods who walks off with the whole thing. He seemed to know what kind of trainwreck he signed up for because it's a shamelessly unhinged performance. He's letting it all hang out, gnashing up the scenery. It's really out of place in (I'm guessing what was supposed to be) a sultry noir flick, but he makes the whole morose thing (almost) watchable. What's hard to fathom is how they set a movie in Miami, feature a toned and nude Stallone and Stone, and came up with a spectacularly unsexy affair.It's not offensively bad, just kind of a waste.4/10