Wonderful character development!

That was an excellent one.

Best movie ever!

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Ten years previously Ray Quick and Ned Trent worked together; Ray rigged bombs and Ned triggered them. The worked for the CIA targeting some very dubious characters but had a falling out when Ned wouldn't abort a mission because there was a child in a drug dealer's car. Afterwards Ray sees to it that Ned no longer works for the CIA.When May Munro was a child she witnessed the murder of her parents at the hands of Tomas Leon, son of Miami drug lord Joe Leon, and two of his henchmen; now she want to hire Ray to take them out as he specialises in hits that only take out the target not innocent bystanders. Initially he declines but as he sees her putting herself in danger he accepts the job. It won't be that easy though; after the first target is taken out Joe Leon employs Ned to find the killer; he also bribes a corrupt police chief to make Ned lead the investigation into the killing. As Ray closes in on his targets it becomes apparent that May might not have been as trustworthy as first appeared; she may be using Ray to get her revenge but Ned is using her to draw Ray out so he can get his revenge.This might not be a classic of the genre but it contains enough enjoyable material to make it worth watching. The story is a bit cliché and there aren't too many surprises but the action is solid and there are plenty of impressive explosions which lead to some inventive deaths for the bad guys; most notable when an overhanging hotel room is blown up and collapses into the sea, landing on a thug who had already been blown through the window. We also get an entertaining fight scene early on where Ray deals with some yobs on a bus. While the cast aren't on top form they are certainly good enough; Stallone is solid as Ray and Sharon Stone brings some sexiness to the role of May. However it is James Woods who steals the show as Ned; he may be a bit of a pantomime villain but he is still entertaining in an over the top way. Overall I'd say that this is worth watching if you are a fan of the genre or of Stallone films.

This passable but alternatively forgettable action flick sees bomb expert (getting tired of this one already) Sylvester Stallone getting caught up with a load of femme fatales, revenge, double and triple crosses and a corrupt official, played by James Woods at his manic best. The main trouble with this film is that it relies on dialogue instead of action for impact - which is a shame, because the action, when it comes, is extremely impressive.One stunt sees a man's car explode - and the man, and his chair, fly up to hit the ceiling before falling back to earth, on fire. This is hands down one of the most show-stopping stunts I've ever seen but sadly there are only a handful in the film. Other bits to watch out for are the explosive finale, where just about everything blows up, and the short scene where Stallone takes on a number of bad guys in a kitchen (one guy gets chucked in the deep-fat fryer, I like it!). Or how about Stallone's incredibly over-the-top reaction to a punk sitting in a taken seat on a bus - he beats him up and chucks him outta the window.Stallone himself gets a chance to flex his muscles (and worryingly vein-lined physique) here but not his acting abilities - in fact, he's extremely wooden. Sharon Stone is quite alluring as the female lead, and predictably gets to shed her clothes in a ludicrously laughable sex scene which sees the naked pair romping around in the shower. However, the star of the show is the memorable James Woods, putting in a great psychotic performance in the tradition of Jack Nicholson and Joe Pesci - it's just a shame his role isn't a more interesting one and rather clichéd.There are remarkable moments here - a bomb causes an entire apartment block to fall into the sea - but half an hour could have been shorn off with little impact. There are far too many characters who come and go - Eric Roberts seems to be one of the major players until his sudden death halfway through - and as I said previously, too much plot and not enough on the action side. Still, basically this is a glossy, colourful and exciting thriller which passes the time and is worth watching for Woods alone - he's great!

The Specialist (1994) is the most underrated bashed hated Stallone action thriller flick from it's fans and critics! I grew up with the film and it is still one of my best favorite action Stallone films! People seriously,simply don't understand what the movie is about. It's an action thriller, revenge Flick! The film is misunderstood and it is different Stallone film than in any other action films he played. The Specialist is not a masterpiece, the greatest or the best action film, but it is solid and good. It is an Entertaining action thriller from the beginning to the end.Stallone plays an trained Ex CIA agent who kills accidentally in Bogota, Colombia a wife and a kid and the bombing goes awry. I loved it how a CIA agent went trough hell, than he leaves the business and becomes a gun for hire. I love the character Ray Quick, I even memorize Stallone's Character! He is a trained henchman an Ex Special Forces The Bomb Specialist expert and Ex CiA Agent turned mercenary for hire, I love that! In this movie Stallone doesn't use a hand gun or any machine guns trough whole film, but he uses his expatriate, high explosives and hand to hand combat to kill a mobster and corrupted cop who was once a promising CIA agent but killed an innocent people and set up Ray!Stallone's character is well done written, he has a heart. He refused to kill innocent people, women and children, when he set up the bomb in Miami to kill Tomas Leon, inside was May and the bomb explodes, Ray cared and run to stop the bomb but he was too late. Stallone goes to the funeral of the woman identified as May Munro, he mourns and he is filed with quilt with killing an innocent person again. On a bus ride, Ray gets out of his seat and offers it to a pregnant woman. The people haven't see that or noticed, how a good hearted person the character is. He even took a cat under his wing. I love Ray Quick I don't care what anyone says! This movie has always been flawed with it's screenplay, a powerful score, lush cinematography and a solid cast. It has plot holes, but I still love it. I love the twists, the action sequences, the erotic's sex scenes in the hot tub, this scene really never bothered me. The special effects were great, the bomb explosions. I absolutely love this movie. It is very stylish, sexy and explosive. Stallone and Stone were perfect together. The Miami scenery was awesome. The music score was amazing. And the action was intense. Sylvester Stallone is truly an amazing actor and a truly a great talent. Also James Woods gave a powerful performance as Ned Trent a vengeful a hired assassin and a corrupt cop! Sharon Stone did a wonderful performance as a drop-dead beauty! I love the bus ride scene! Ray Quick gets out of his seat and offers it to a pregnant woman, only to have a young hoodlum take the seat instead. Quick calmly beats the crap out of the hoodlum and all his friends, throwing one of them out a window (not open), and then re-offers the seat to the woman. This scene has no bearing on the plot, but helps us get to know Quick. It is awesome powerful scene! Why I love this movie? I love it because in this movie Stallone doesn't use gun or machine guns but he uses his expatriate, high explosives and hand to hand combat. The Specialist is the most Underrated Action Thriller. I love Sharon Stone from Basic Instinct to another action thriller The Specialist and I love James Woods playing a villain in this movie. This was the only action movie that Stallone made in 1994 it was success but it turned in to one of very underrated movie and honestly I don't care.This movie is, apart from the film music, as a whole a must-see for action movie lovers with erotic scenes, built in smoothly. The double role of May makes the movie richer: there IS a plot possible in these kind of movies!. Action abound and well distributed over the time. Eric Roberts and James Woods play their roles at the same high level as Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Stone. I see originality, in the sense of action: the highly developed explosive devices-do hey really exist? CIA will know.. A flaw ,which I do not understand up to now, is that the getaway boat from M&M seafood seemed to be so readily available. The goofy trick with the telephone in the Fontainebleau Hotel as well, but those are not disturbing details. The movie has a steady pace and ends with the Miami Sound Machine!. Best scene is of course , the intimate scene in the hotel. Superb entertainment! Two of Hollywood's biggest stars combine fiery action with steamy sensuality in The Specialist. Sharon Stone, a drop-dead beauty with a fatal past. She's sworn death to the mobsters who murdered her parents and she's decided the method of their disposal: blast 'em- one by one- to kingdom come. She also knows the right man for the job: cool-fire ex-CIA explosives expert Ray Quick (Sylvester Stallone). That is your basic plot! I am giving this film a 8, because what the hell, this film deserves it! I love this film it is my best Stallone fifth favorite film! The Specialist is a 1994 American action film directed by Luis Llosa, starring Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone and James Woods. 8/10 Grade: B Studio: Warner Bros Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone, James Woods, Rod Steiger, Eric Roberts Director: Luis Llosa Producer: Jerry Weintraub Screenplay: Alexandra Seros Based on The Specialist novels by John Shirley Rated: R Running Time: 1 Hr. 50 Mins. Budget: $57.000.000 Box Office: $159,055,768

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