As others have mentioned, James Woods is the only really entertaining asset this film has. Even a good dosage of Sharon Stone in the nude cannot elevate this film above the level of crappola.
The plot isn't worth commenting on. You just have a vengeful woman (Stone) hiring Sly Stallone to blow up a crime family who killed her parents when she was a child. By the way, does anyone else find it totally ridiculous that Stone's character is a child when her parents are killed by Eric Roberts & co., but now she's supposed to be all grown up and he still looks the same? Totally laughable.
Anyway, just watch James Woods do what he does best. He goes way over the top with his portrayal of a former colleague of Stallone (in the CIA I think) now trying to help mob boss Rod Steiger hunt him down. Woods easily steals every scene he's in. He looks like he's having a blast with the corny dialogue.
My favorite scene:
Woods and some hit men are on their way up to Sly's hotel room to waste him. About four of them jump on an elevator, and just before the door is about to close, a couple of senior citizens try to get on with them. The man is wearing a god-awful brightly colored shirt, and woods not only tells him and his wife to get lost, but also insults him about his shirt! You can just tell Woods ad-libbed the line about the shirt just as the doors were closing on the old couple. Truly hilarious!
The rest of the film besides Woods is terrible. Stallone never knew how to say no to a bad film, and that is why his career has bottomed out. Stone bounced back with a big role in Casino the following year. Woods is also in that one, and once again, he steals every scene. At least Casino was good, though!
The Specialist is worth about 4 of 10 stars.
So sayeth the Hound.
The plot isn't worth commenting on. You just have a vengeful woman (Stone) hiring Sly Stallone to blow up a crime family who killed her parents when she was a child. By the way, does anyone else find it totally ridiculous that Stone's character is a child when her parents are killed by Eric Roberts & co., but now she's supposed to be all grown up and he still looks the same? Totally laughable.
Anyway, just watch James Woods do what he does best. He goes way over the top with his portrayal of a former colleague of Stallone (in the CIA I think) now trying to help mob boss Rod Steiger hunt him down. Woods easily steals every scene he's in. He looks like he's having a blast with the corny dialogue.
My favorite scene:
Woods and some hit men are on their way up to Sly's hotel room to waste him. About four of them jump on an elevator, and just before the door is about to close, a couple of senior citizens try to get on with them. The man is wearing a god-awful brightly colored shirt, and woods not only tells him and his wife to get lost, but also insults him about his shirt! You can just tell Woods ad-libbed the line about the shirt just as the doors were closing on the old couple. Truly hilarious!
The rest of the film besides Woods is terrible. Stallone never knew how to say no to a bad film, and that is why his career has bottomed out. Stone bounced back with a big role in Casino the following year. Woods is also in that one, and once again, he steals every scene. At least Casino was good, though!
The Specialist is worth about 4 of 10 stars.
So sayeth the Hound.