The Specialist
Encyclopedia
The Specialist is a 1994 American action film
from Warner Bros. Pictures. It is directed by Luis Llosa
, produced by Jerry Weintraub
, and written by Alexandra Seros. It stars Sylvester Stallone
, Sharon Stone
, James Woods
, Eric Roberts
, and Rod Steiger
.
Years later, in Miami, Ray is now available for hire as a freelance hit man. Desperate people contact him via the Internet and he only takes the cases that interest him. Ray specializes in "shaping" his explosions, building and planting bombs that blow up only the intended target, leaving innocent bystanders unharmed.
He answers ads placed by May Munro and speaks to her often to decide if he should take the job or not. During the talks he becomes intrigued by her story coupled with the fact that he sees how attractive she is while following her. She is the only child of parents who were killed by Tomas Leon and his men. Against his better judgment and pushed by her insistence that she will infiltrate the gang with or without him, Ray is persuaded to do the job for her. Even though he has agreed, May ingratiates herself into Tomas' world as Adrienne Hastings.
Ned now works for Joe Leon, Tomas' father and head of their crime organization. Once the hits on their lower level guys begin, they contact the chief of police to place Ned in their bomb squad. May tolerates Tomas and plays along as his girlfriend so she can watch the hits one by one. It is revealed after the second target is killed that May has actually been forced into a partnership with Ned, whose goal was to coax Ray out of hiding. After the job in South America went wrong, Ned lost his job with the CIA.
When the trap for Tomas is set, May is in the room. When Tomas is killed, it appears that May was killed as well. When Ned goes to pay his respects, he is left alive only to find Ray and bring him to Joe before Tomas is buried. Both Ray and Ned believe that May is dead, yet Ray still responds to the bulletin board messages. Once he responds to one, he finds is the one set up by Ned and the bomb squad. When Ray realizes it, he taunts Ned.
When he goes to the funeral of Adrienne Hastings, Ray finds that May is alive. She went to the funeral to see if Ray would attend. They go to the Fontainebleau Hotel
where they have intense sex. In the shower, she reveals that she wanted to look at Tomas' face while he died. Meanwhile, Ned has gone to the church and learns that the person in the casket is not May. She runs into Ned in the lobby and makes an excuse as to why she did not tell him that she as alive. A henchman is ordered to take her to the car and on the way she asks to use the restroom. Once there, she uses a cell phone to warn Ray. He rigs the hotel room to explode, and when Ned's henchmen enter the room, it detonates, breaking the entire room off into the ocean.
In a final showdown, Ray and May are cornered in his own booby-trapped warehouse. Ned pursues them, but is done in by his own hubris when he steps on a bomb. After the entire warehouse goes up due to the chain of bombs exploding, it appears that all inside have been killed.
The next day Joe reads about the incident at the warehouse. He then opens the mail brought to him and finds a necklace. It contains a picture of May's parents and then explodes. After hearing the blast and knowing all responsible for her parents' death are dead, Ray asks how she feels. To which she responds, "Better"
. Based on 23 reviews, The Specialist gathered a 3/10 on average.
Roger Ebert
gave it 2 stars out of 4, stating that "The Specialist is one of those films that forces the characters through torturous mazes of dialogue and action, to explain a plot that is so unlikely it's not worth the effort. You know a movie's in trouble when the people in line at the parking garage afterward are trying to figure out what the heroine's motivations were. Gene Siskel
did not care for the movie either, citing Stallone's performance as "So solemn, it's laughable."
James Berardinelli
gave it 1 out of 4, claiming that "The Specialist attempts to be an atmospheric, dramatic thriller. On the other hand, if I wanted to be truthful, I could note that this film has two obvious assets (both of which are used to maximum advantage): Sylvester Stallone's biceps and Sharon Stone's breasts. Everything else, ultimately, is superfluous, as becomes apparent the moment you actually start to think about the story line".
.
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
from Warner Bros. Pictures. It is directed by Luis Llosa
Luis Llosa
Luis Llosa is a Peruvian film director. He is the cousin of the Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa.-Selected filmography:* Crime Zone * Sniper * Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon * Fire on the Amazon...
, produced by Jerry Weintraub
Jerry Weintraub
Jerry Weintraub is an American film producer and former chairman and CEO of United Artists. He now lives in Palm Desert, California.-Life and career:...
, and written by Alexandra Seros. It stars Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
, Sharon Stone
Sharon Stone
Sharon Vonne Stone is an American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She achieved international recognition for her role in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct...
, James Woods
James Woods
James Howard Woods is an American film, stage and television actor. Woods is known for starring in critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and in the television legal drama Shark. He has won three Emmy Awards, and has gained...
, Eric Roberts
Eric Roberts
Eric Anthony Roberts is an American actor. His career began with King of the Gypsies , earning a Golden Globe nomination for best actor debut. He starred as the protagonist in the 1980 dramatisation of Willa Cather's 1905 short story, Paul's Case...
, and Rod Steiger
Rod Steiger
Rodney Stephen "Rod" Steiger was an Academy Award-winning American actor known for his performances in such films as On the Waterfront, The Big Knife, Oklahoma!, The Harder They Fall, Across the Bridge, The Pawnbroker, Doctor Zhivago, In the Heat of the Night, and Waterloo as well as the...
.
Plot
In 1984, CIA explosives experts Ray Quick and Ned Trent, are on a mission to blow up a car transporting a South American drug dealer. But when the dealer's car appears, a little girl is inside. Ray insists they abort the mission but Ned intends to see it through and allows the explosion to happen. Angered by the girl's wrongful death, Ray beats Ned up savagely and their partnership ends.Years later, in Miami, Ray is now available for hire as a freelance hit man. Desperate people contact him via the Internet and he only takes the cases that interest him. Ray specializes in "shaping" his explosions, building and planting bombs that blow up only the intended target, leaving innocent bystanders unharmed.
He answers ads placed by May Munro and speaks to her often to decide if he should take the job or not. During the talks he becomes intrigued by her story coupled with the fact that he sees how attractive she is while following her. She is the only child of parents who were killed by Tomas Leon and his men. Against his better judgment and pushed by her insistence that she will infiltrate the gang with or without him, Ray is persuaded to do the job for her. Even though he has agreed, May ingratiates herself into Tomas' world as Adrienne Hastings.
Ned now works for Joe Leon, Tomas' father and head of their crime organization. Once the hits on their lower level guys begin, they contact the chief of police to place Ned in their bomb squad. May tolerates Tomas and plays along as his girlfriend so she can watch the hits one by one. It is revealed after the second target is killed that May has actually been forced into a partnership with Ned, whose goal was to coax Ray out of hiding. After the job in South America went wrong, Ned lost his job with the CIA.
When the trap for Tomas is set, May is in the room. When Tomas is killed, it appears that May was killed as well. When Ned goes to pay his respects, he is left alive only to find Ray and bring him to Joe before Tomas is buried. Both Ray and Ned believe that May is dead, yet Ray still responds to the bulletin board messages. Once he responds to one, he finds is the one set up by Ned and the bomb squad. When Ray realizes it, he taunts Ned.
When he goes to the funeral of Adrienne Hastings, Ray finds that May is alive. She went to the funeral to see if Ray would attend. They go to the Fontainebleau Hotel
Fontainebleau Hotel
The Fontainebleau Miami Beach or the Fontainebleau Hotel is one of the most historically and architecturally significant hotels on Miami Beach. Opened in 1954 and designed by Morris Lapidus, it was considered the most luxurious hotel on Miami Beach, and is thought to be the most significant...
where they have intense sex. In the shower, she reveals that she wanted to look at Tomas' face while he died. Meanwhile, Ned has gone to the church and learns that the person in the casket is not May. She runs into Ned in the lobby and makes an excuse as to why she did not tell him that she as alive. A henchman is ordered to take her to the car and on the way she asks to use the restroom. Once there, she uses a cell phone to warn Ray. He rigs the hotel room to explode, and when Ned's henchmen enter the room, it detonates, breaking the entire room off into the ocean.
In a final showdown, Ray and May are cornered in his own booby-trapped warehouse. Ned pursues them, but is done in by his own hubris when he steps on a bomb. After the entire warehouse goes up due to the chain of bombs exploding, it appears that all inside have been killed.
The next day Joe reads about the incident at the warehouse. He then opens the mail brought to him and finds a necklace. It contains a picture of May's parents and then explodes. After hearing the blast and knowing all responsible for her parents' death are dead, Ray asks how she feels. To which she responds, "Better"
Cast
- Sylvester StalloneSylvester StalloneMichael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
as Ray Quick - Sharon StoneSharon StoneSharon Vonne Stone is an American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She achieved international recognition for her role in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct...
as May Munro - James WoodsJames WoodsJames Howard Woods is an American film, stage and television actor. Woods is known for starring in critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and in the television legal drama Shark. He has won three Emmy Awards, and has gained...
as Ned Trent - Eric RobertsEric RobertsEric Anthony Roberts is an American actor. His career began with King of the Gypsies , earning a Golden Globe nomination for best actor debut. He starred as the protagonist in the 1980 dramatisation of Willa Cather's 1905 short story, Paul's Case...
as Tomas Leon - Rod SteigerRod SteigerRodney Stephen "Rod" Steiger was an Academy Award-winning American actor known for his performances in such films as On the Waterfront, The Big Knife, Oklahoma!, The Harder They Fall, Across the Bridge, The Pawnbroker, Doctor Zhivago, In the Heat of the Night, and Waterloo as well as the...
as Joe Leon
Critical reception
Despite being a box office hit, critical reception was overwhelmingly negative as it has a 4% approval rating on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
. Based on 23 reviews, The Specialist gathered a 3/10 on average.
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave it 2 stars out of 4, stating that "The Specialist is one of those films that forces the characters through torturous mazes of dialogue and action, to explain a plot that is so unlikely it's not worth the effort. You know a movie's in trouble when the people in line at the parking garage afterward are trying to figure out what the heroine's motivations were. Gene Siskel
Gene Siskel
Eugene Kal "Gene" Siskel was an American film critic and journalist for the Chicago Tribune. Along with colleague Roger Ebert, he hosted the popular review show Siskel & Ebert At the Movies from 1975 until his death....
did not care for the movie either, citing Stallone's performance as "So solemn, it's laughable."
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli is an American online film critic.-Personal life:Berardinelli was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and spent his early childhood in Morristown, New Jersey. At the age of nine years, he relocated to the township of Cherry Hill, New Jersey...
gave it 1 out of 4, claiming that "The Specialist attempts to be an atmospheric, dramatic thriller. On the other hand, if I wanted to be truthful, I could note that this film has two obvious assets (both of which are used to maximum advantage): Sylvester Stallone's biceps and Sharon Stone's breasts. Everything else, ultimately, is superfluous, as becomes apparent the moment you actually start to think about the story line".
Box office performance
The Specialist opened in the U.S. on October 7, 1994 and was one of Stallone's few box office hits in the 1990s. It opened to $14,317,765 in its opening weekend and ended up making back its budget with $57,362,582 at the box office while making another $113,000,000 overseas, giving it a worldwide gross of $170,362,582. It was Stallone's third highest grossing movie at the box office in the 1990s and the second highest overall gross next to CliffhangerCliffhanger (film)
Cliffhanger is a 1993 American action film directed by Renny Harlin and starring Sylvester Stallone and John Lithgow. Stallone plays a mountain climber, who becomes embroiled in a failed heist set in a U.S. Treasury plane flying through the Rocky Mountains...
.
Accolades
At the 15th Golden Raspberry Awards, the film was nominated in five categories and won two of them.- Worst Picture - Nominated
- Worst Actor (Sylvester Stallone) - Nominated
- Worst Actress (Sharon Stone, also for IntersectionIntersection (film)Intersection is a 1994 film, directed by Mark Rydell and starring Richard Gere, Sharon Stone, and Lolita Davidovich.A remake of the French film Les choses de la vie by Claude Sautet, the story — set in Vancouver, British Columbia — concerns an architect who, as his classic Mercedes 280SL roadster...
) - Winner - Worst Supporting Actor (Rod Steiger) - Nominated
- Worst Screen Couple (Stallone and Stone) - Winner (tied with Tom CruiseTom CruiseThomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
and Brad PittBrad PittWilliam Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
for Interview with the VampireInterview with the Vampire: The Vampire ChroniclesInterview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles is a 1994 American drama and horror film directed by Neil Jordan, based on the 1976 novel Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. The film focuses on Lestat and Louis, beginning with Louis' transformation into a vampire by Lestat in 1791...
)