Review of The Specialist (1994) by Anthony G — 31 Aug 2017

You can file this film under Enjoyably bad. It is oddly a pretty enjoyable movie warts and all.

This was made during the boom of erotic thrillers of the 90's and at the time Sharon Stone was at the top of the bill. Pairing her with Sly Stallone for an erotic thriller was a step too far for his fans and hers but nowadays it adds a bit of charm.

The tones of this film are all over the place and it uncomfortably jumps between cable TV eroticism to hitman movie and does neither particularly well.

James Woods saves the day with an over the top villain that is fun to watch for the brief scenes he has.

The main problem here is Stallone who is clearly out of his comfort zone and it shows. The film starts with teasing telephone conversations between himself and Stone, with the intent to build the sexual tension, It does not. We just get a series of embarrassing semi nude scenes that are more funny than sexy!

They both, very oddly are undressing while talking on the phone? The pair had no chemistry during these scenes and when they finally meet up for a shower room scene...my, oh my is it bad. Both of them look very uncomfortable and the scene is one of the worst love scenes you will ever see, cringe worthy.but a must.

Stone was at the the peak of her box office appeal when this was made but she is criminally underused. Her storyline about infiltrating the mob and plotting to kill them should have been the central focus of the movie but is pushed aside and she is reduced to eye candy.

She seduces the mob bosses son and slowly plots to kill them by hiring a hitman. Her motivation is clear as we see flashbacks involving the mobsters killing her family but the film moves its focus to Sly's "specialist".

He is a bomb expert who worked with James Woods but is now a contract killer that only kills bad guys, I presume!?

Woods his old partner, who went rogue on a mission, seen through more flashbacks is now a mercenary that does security for mobsters?! adding to a confused and convoluted plot.

The film eventually ditches the erotic thriller vehicle and moves into a cat and mouse game between Sly and James Woods that is pretty fun for the last hour of the movie.

Stone holds her own in her scenes with Woods and eventually they would both star in a better film, Casino.

Overall this film as I said is enjoyably bad due to the all star cast and some mind boggling scenes, one involving Stallone on a bus, apparently keeping the peace by throwing a man through a bus window?! bizarre choice.

They don't make films like this anymore but this is a guilty pleasure for 90s fans.