The Specialist

Directed by Luis Llosa, The Specialist follows explosives expert (and assassin for hire) Ray Quick (Sylvester Stallone) as he reluctantly agrees to help a woman (Sharon Stone’s May Munro) avenge the murder of her parents years earlier – with Ray’s efforts eventually stymied by a former colleague (James Woods’ Ned Trent) holding a serious grudge. Filmmaker Llosa, working from Alexandra Seros’ screenplay, does a terrific job of initially luring the viewer into the erratic narrative, as The Specialist kicks off with a tense, exciting pre-credits sequence that effectively establishes the strained (to put it mildly) relationship between Ray and Ned – with the picture, beyond that point, seguing into a somewhat hit-and-miss narrative that flounders whenever it focuses on Stone’s less-than-engrossing figure. It’s worth noting, however, that the movie remains watchable enough from start to finish due mostly to a smattering of compelling set-pieces and Woods’ perpetually spellbinding performance, with, in terms of the latter, the actor turning scenery-chewing, gleefully over-the-top work that elevates the proceedings on a recurring basis. (There is, for example, a fantastic interlude in which Ned completely loses his cool after Ray taunts him during a telephone call.) By the time the predictably larger-than-life climax rolls around, The Specialist has cemented its place as a decent thriller that could’ve benefited from a more streamlined approach (and a shorter running time).

**1/2 out of ****