The Specialist

It's one of the best 90s action thrillers out there. Stallone does sleepwalk his way through the movie, but that's still miles better than most actors. James Woods steals the show despite being present for considerably less than the two leads. Stone is ultra sexy in the movie.

A

Hands down one of the worst Stallone films ever. This from a guy who really likes most of his 90s stuff. James Woods is the sole bright spot in this film, he is batshit crazy at times and that's fun to watch. Stone and Stallone aren't bad, but both characters are boring as shit. A few moments of cool action barely bring this above DTV. Still not as bad as the one two punch of Cobra and Over the Top though.

C-

I love it how Rod Steiger says explosive expert. "Esplosivespert"

This feels like a film stuck in the 80's and the pacing isn't too great, but it's a fantastic showcase for Woods and Stone. I last saw this when I was teenager and remember it as one of the lesser Stallone films, and this re-watch affirms it for me because Stallone has actually not enough to do, but I also found out that the film has so much more to it. Woods wins every scene he's in with his maniacal character and sarcastic lines. And Stone is just so sexy and appealing that you can't keep your eyes of the screen. The story is neat too, and there's plenty of great scenes and bomb explosions deaths worth seeing it for. Bonus to the film are nice roles for Eric Roberts and Rod Steiger in supporting roles and its lovable Miami setting. It ends perfectly with Gloria Estefan's Turn the Beat Around as well.

A-

This one felt pretty tame and lame and boring and not up to par and unexciting and bland and several other THINGS even when I watched lots of contemporary American action movies. It stuck out as a lesser specimen when compared to most others, including the likes of Assassins or Cliffhanger, and I have therefore never revisited it. It also felt more like watching some gala evening or Modenschau rather than an action movie due to the characters that St(all)one played.

I guess that's because it's more of an erotic thriller with action than an outright "action movie".

Well, RTL marketed as a typical Stallone action movie and you called it an action thriller. No wonder I ended up being disappointed after getting caught up in such an intense and tight web of lies, deceit, mania, rape and death.