I just viewed "The Mechanik/Russian Specialist". It was a better movie than I expected. The basic plot has been done multiple times and I rate it favorably with other comparable movies. The action was good though in some instances a bit over the top. I would have liked to have seen more character development from the character Nick and the young kidnapped lady. Nick's character was too one dimensional. There were missed opportunities to develop these characters, (especially when they stayed overnight with the family in the countryside. (by the way, Bulgaria seems like it is a beautiful country). I think that the actors that portrayed that family did a superb job. The only real problem I had was during the Early scenes in the movie. The lighting was poor. I could barely see the actors. Overall, I was pleased with this movie.
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target-1025 April 2006
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bronsonskull7215 February 2006Dolph Lundgren stars as Nikolai a Russian special forces officer who takes vengeance on the (russian) mobsters who killed his family, assuming that the killer is dead, he works as a mechanic however when he is asked to help a European heiress, Nikolai needs little convincing when he finds out that the man who took her is the same man who killed his family in this fairly engaging straight to DVD release.
Dolph Lundgren has always been one of the more engaging action stars in the market and he certainly crafts excellent action scenes (Especially the climax) but where as The Defender had more twists and satisfying punch,this one is let down by a screenplay that is too mediocre to really work.
Still this is above average for the genre and despite a few silly moments, The Russian Specialist works fairly well. Also fans of Lundgren who wanted a sequel to Red Scorpion, here you go.
Matt Bronson 2.5/5 -
eksellentz19 April 2007This is actually one of the few western movies about Russia and Russians that is not following official propaganda lines like "Russians-are-bad-people" or "bears-walking-in-the-streets-of-Moscow". More modern are for sure something like "no-freedom-of-speech" or "Putin-killed-that-London-spy" :)
Anyway, this flick is NOT anything of that mentioned above. This is a story about crime, that's sure, but the movie is very objective with quite OK script and even not that bad acting. And it's actually filmed in Russia, not Prague or other places that would "look-like-Russia" for western viewers. :) There is just one major miss - once again Hollywood failed to find some Russians to play the parts of Russians :) - but hiring Bulgarians is still better that just having Americans pronouncing something completely ridiculous that should sound like "Russian" :)
Funny, once more "The Big Swedish" - Dolph - is playing a Russian guy. :) :) Only this time a good one :) -
wolfenstein-114 December 2011This move should never have been made. The plot is nothing original, just recycled justified revenge violence. And the shoots just scream amateur, at completely random the films is in slow motion. You don't add slow motion of a person walking (unless big bouncy boobies are involved). Slow motion is something you use on critical action sequences so the audience don't miss any of the details of why the things that happened turned out the way they did. If you add it in random places it gets boring the second time you do it. You may also use slow motion do imply happiness but that falls completely flat in this case due to bad timing.
The stunts glow with their absence. I don't know if he did it intentionally or by accident from low budget, but the lack of anything extraordinary made the extended people-shooting-at-everyone scene at the end seem almost realistic because there was nothing special about it. It was just people shooting at each other and hiding behind brick walls in intervals. -
Haze88823 April 2006The Mechanik is a solid bare-bones action movie. If amazing special effects and an all-star cast are required to enjoy a movie, look elsewhere.
Nick Cherenko (Lundgren) previously of the Russian special forces, has his family brutally killed by Russian Mobsters. Now he is offered a reward to recover the daughter of a millionaire, forced into prostitution by the same men. The plot is a no-brainer, its a simple revenge story which has been done a thousand times. While the acting varies, the locations give a real presence in the film. Wide soviet countryside and wartorn villages help thicken the atmosphere.
Action is paced, with some nicely executed shootouts. The violence is depicted as gritty - bricks chip and windows shatter as mercenaries fall. Deaths come with an abundance of blood and gore.
Overall, an entertaining flick with nice camera work and solid action. One of the better Dolph movies. -
chris54321314 February 2006I'm at a total loss when I read the other reviews about this movie. I'm seriously wondering if we all watched the same movie.
Now, what in particular was the points which dragged the movie down?
1) The tempo was god-awful slow.
2) The plot was as original as the 174:th western flick in late 1979.
3) The acting was horrible with the exception of Ben Cross which was the only real actor in this debacle.
4) Dolph had as many (and well thought out) lines in this flick as he did as Drago in Rocky IV.
5) The budget was almost non-existent which means that this film did not even have the normal cushion to fall back on like it's fellow titles in the trash bin, a $50 million effects and props budget.
In short, the director of this movie seem to have aspired to reach the grandeur of an Uwe Boll production. Really says it all, doesn't it? -
fmarkland3219 September 2006Dolph Lundgren stars as Nick Cherinko, a former Russian super soldier (I think it is the same character in Red Scorpion!) who this time uses his special skills for vengeance when his family is wiped out by Russian mobsters however this is just the first fifteen minutes as Lundgren wastes literally no time in delivering payback and it is when he finds out that the mobster lived that it becomes apparent that he must return back to Russia and even the score. Rescuing a girl in the process is just secondary to satisfying his blood thirsty rage. I must admit that I enjoy a certain style of actioner, mainly the type in which the action is big, brutal and solid. Of course I was mildly surprised by Lundgren's last movie The Defender due to it's good action and solid story however I generally don't rent straight to video movies because I got burned way too many times, however when this came on TV I saw it and was VERY impressed with it. The Russian Specialist is a throw back to the Charles Bronson days when the heroes dispensed ruthless justice and walked away with an ending that was happy for everyone but them. Certainly there are some minor flaws and the main one being that Lundgren has softened his accent so much he no longer can pull off that great of a Russian accent. Also Ben Cross (Best known from Chariots Of Fire) is somewhat out of place in this movie but i'd be lying if I didn't enjoy this brutal throwback to the classic revenge actioner. So this one is worthy of a rental. In fact I may go onto Amazon and see if I can find a cheap DVD of this to add in my collection. (The last Lundgren movie I bought on DVD was Bridge Of Dragons)
* * * out of 4-(Good) -
Autlan7 April 2006His family killed dead by the Mafia in a drug deal gone bad, Dolph returns to Russia from a stateside sabbatical to finish the job he failed six years earlier. With the added goal of rescuing a pimped Americenne as moral ammunition.
The acting leaves you expecting a sudden plot twist where it's revealed you were duped and you are watching a cheap porno. While the whole time you're wondering what kind of sicko gives a bunch of Russian kids guns and tells them to watch Dolph's back. Naturally they pass the Mechanik's pop sweep test, but as time passes and bullets bounce through him into his comrades it's apparent they won't last the journey.
Fortunately for progression's sake the Mafioso had the sense to read the script the night before. While the good guys favour plenty of pit stops to slow their escape in a clapped-out van the bad guys take a laid-back approach arriving comfortably in stylish executive saloons. Interrogating discarded support actors until the general direction of the next set is revealed.
The showdown redefines the term 'tactical weapons' with bullet-strider Dolph picking an over and under shotgun to irritate the opposition into submission while his rag-tag troupe make every attempt to get themselves shot. In a moment of climactic tension the drop off driver reverses a front-wheel drive into a shallow ditch and is righteously executed for his lack of skills. Giddy from the acquisition of a suitcase full of dollars the boss trips headfirst into hostage soup. Dolph fishes him out only to put him back with both barrels.
Thankfully, after a brief tear-jerking mother daughter reunion you can switch off, go to sleep and repress all that trauma. -
This standard-issue revenge, abduction thriller with rugged Dolph Lundgren in the lead is pretty sturdy stuff with lots of gunfire and gritty characters. Not only did Lundgren pen the story but he also staged the action and he's a rather capable action director based on the opening sequence that establishes him as a widower who loses both his son and wife in a deadly gunfight. "The Russian Specialist" is nothing but a B-movie with a menacing villain and surprise of surprises--Ben Cross playing a sympathetic good guy for a change. This is Dolph's second picture to helm and he does a good job keeping everybody straight and the action coherent. A tough former tank commander during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, Nick Cherenko wipes out most of the thugs that gunned down his wife and son and relocates illegally to Los Angeles. Seven years of quiet, peaceful living elapse and then he finds himself put in the awful position of having to return to mother Russia to rescue a kidnapped girl of a wealthy family from the slimy likes of the man who destroyed his family. Russian mobster Aleksandr 'Sasha' Popov (Ivan Petrushinov of "The Bride with the Most Beautiful Eyes") has abducted Julia Abramoff (newcomer Olivia Lee) and demands $5-million ransom. The catch is that the kidnapper is the same dastard that killed his family. Reluctantly, Nick leaves his job as a mechanic in L.A. to take care of this predicament. This low-budget but action-packed straight-to-video release is nothing sensational, but it accomplishes what it sets out to do: provide enough thrills and chills during its spare 94 minute running time to keep you engaged and cheering for the heroes.
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kosmasp22 July 2007But shot in the new millennium. Of course Dolph Lundgren does know, what his fans want (and some did enjoy it very much as can be seen here in the comments section, so if you're a Dolph Lundgren fan, read those other reviews for your enjoyment)!
Still that doesn't make a good movie though! A man on a mission one could say (the character in the movie, but maybe that describes Dolph as man too) then. And the action scenes are shot in a really good way (for a B-Action-Movie). But the continuous cliché that pops up, is just too much to bare. Especially if there is no surprise in the story that awaits you. It's very straight forward. And even if Mr. Lundgren has an academic graduation, this doesn't make him a great actor ... not at all! Like 80s action movies and Dolph Lundgren? If so, then watch it, but even if your answer is yes, it might disappoint you! -
supertom-317 October 2005Dolph Lundgren made his directorial debut with the Defender. A great little action movie that was really what his fans could have hoped for, a triumphant return to his best. Now his second film shows that it wasn't merely a flash in the pan, or a fluke. Yes people Dolph Lundgren, never considered much kop in the acting department has now proved he is a more than capable director, even suggesting that his new role deserves him a shot at the big time.
The Mechanik's plot is thus: Nick Cherenko (Lundgren) is an ex-spetznaz, parachutist, who served in Afghanistan. He now lives in his homeland of Russia, with his wife and son working as a mechanic (hence the title.). During a drug deal involving Russian mobster Sasha, his wife and child are killed in the crossfire, Sasha gunning down Nick's wife. Nick later hunts down Sasha and his men, wiping them out and leaving Sasha assumed dead, with a nasty bullet hole in the face. Seven years later Nick is working in LA, illegally, as a mechanic when he is approached to do a job. He is to retrieve the kidnapped Julia, daughter of a wealthy businesswoman. Nick refuse until he discovers who kidnapped her, Sasha. He travels to Russia and meets with Burton (Ben Cross) who will supply him with weapon's and assembles a team of mercs to help Nick get back Julia, while at the same time finishing what he did 7 years previously, killing Sasha. The plot is simple yet writer Bryan Hill allows more focus on characters, clearly in the style of directors like Michael Mann. There are great character moments here, and some superbly played out scenes in amongst the action scenes focusing on character. it's the sort of quiet moments never seen in DTV action films, including a great dinner sequence where Nick and his men relax and unwind, a kind of calm before the storm. The dialogue is also engaging.
The film looks fantastic. The washed out colours, make this reminiscent of brutal 70's revenge flicks like Death Wish and Get Carter. Cinematographer Ross Clarkson has made sure this looks far beyond it's small budget. Similarly Dolph's visual style has developed even more since his exciting debut. He shoots the film with conviction, stylistically picking little apples from different orchards, not simply, as many directors do, picking from merely John Woo's orchard (that guy has no apples left on his trees I can tell you), but Dolph gives reference to a varied group, from Woo, to Mann, to Peter Yates and to modern indie directors like the Bourne films' Doug Liman and Peter Greengrass.
The action is excellent, a step up from the Defender. Again it's plentiful, yet the action is different in style. This time as opposed to a siege movie, this is an ass battering revenge flick so the action consists of bloody and violent shootouts, where like so rarely in his previous movies, every bullet has it's own bullet hole. Windows shatter, splinters fly, chest cavities burst open and things blow up. The fights scenes are brilliantly paced and use martial arts realistically. it's all done in one or two moves. No flashy Van Damme kicks, it's arm breaks, shoulder tosses and neck breaks. Also the film has some vehicular chases that impress too.
The music from Elia Cmirel is atmospheric, and delightfully reminiscent of his work in Ronin, simple, low key and effective. He doesn't go through the motions here, he creates a score, as if proud to be scoring this movie. This is possibly Dolph's best score, particularly in the context of it being a genuinely good little film. In terms of the sound mix, this, like Defender, is pure class. The use of sound is excellent, while the general editing of the film is slick, well paced and never goes overboard.
The cast are good. Dolph Lundgren gives probably his best performance. He doesn't over-stretch himself as many action stars have been prone too, yet he raises his level of performance and does well. Olivia Lee is a rising up and comer who does well as Julia. The remainder of the cast are also excellent. Real class is also added by Ben Cross. He is given a good role as drunk Brit, Burton. Burton is in love with a hooker, who helps get them into Sasha's club to retrieve Julia. Cross is excellent in a role more significant than I thought it would be. He is comical and shows conviction in the dramatic scenes and his presence is a real bonus to an already quality piece.
This film really does show the future to be bright for Lundgren, should he carry on directing his own movies. His cash cow power allows him to get his way on how he wants to film his action, meaning every last penny is spent, and time is taken for more elaborate set-ups. Lundgren shows himself worthy of another shot at the big time in a film Van Damme and Seagal could only dream of having on their CV's. In a generally great year for films, Dolph has produced that rare thing, a decent, well made, DTV movie. Not only that but he has done it twice! This is Lundgren's best by some way! **** -
Vomitron_G16 September 2009As for my "Catching Up With Dolph" initiative I started last week, THE MECHANIK was my third pick. I ended up enjoying/appreciating this one the most, surprisingly also a film directed by Dolph himself. And he does a good job, honestly. Now I am by far not an expert on all things Dolph, but I can appreciate a decent effort when I see one. THE MECHANIK has a bare-bones story - fairly big on the clichés, I might add, though thankfully not including a tired re-found love angle - but it's put together with a consistent style (you'll have to dig the contemporary look & editing, though) and the cinematography looks fine, using faded, stained colors with hard contrasts. It's all about Dolph being on a mission (again) and getting revenge (again) while at it. But it's executed in a proper fashion. What really made the film pay off, was it promising a decent shout-out climax and even coming through on that promise. Western fans might even dig this film. Lots of violent kills and bloodshed, and it all looks pretty damn good & realistic on screen. A job well done, Dolph. I applaud you, and I will be checking out MISSIONARY MAN next and I hope it'll score as high on the Dolph-scale. Either way, nice to see you're doing well!
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manwell-facciol19 February 2006Honestly guys this movie the Mechanik has to be one of the most boring and pathetic movies i have seen in a while. I don not know how other people can rate this as a great revenge movie, it's cheap the acting just was so bad, i think the Wiggles could have done better!!!! This movie could have been so damn good only if the acting was better and had a lot more action. I must admit though that it had a good tag line but that's about it. I think only one man could have changed this movie around would be John Woo for the Action!!!! Beyond all honesty i would not recommend this movie to anyone, for the simple fact on how bad the acting and action scenes were. You would think that by reading other users comments that this sounds like a great movie but believe you me it's not. Better wait until it comes out on TV and then watch it.
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StevinTasker8 May 2006I had read some encouraging reviews but still watched this with some trepidation (you can't always tell if some reviewers have seen more than one film!). After just watching a depressing B&W French movie called '13' I was in the mood for a good old action fest. I am happy to report that Dolph didn't disappoint. I found the plot to be fairly well structured, not perfect, but it has engaging characters and the straight forward revenge plot suited the mood I was in.
After the fight scenes and chases the action ends with a shootout reminiscent of the "OK Coral". This encounter is set up quite well and the final gunshot is very creative whilst giving some satisfactory closure to the viewer. The scene is very effectively shot, rather like the bad guy actually! I understand that the film is released as either "The Russian Specialist" or "The Mechanik". Incidentally the term Mechanic used to be a slang reference for a hit man; although you don't hear it much now.
Make no mistake, this movie isn't Oscar worthy but I do appreciate it for what it is. I found this a better viewing experience than other DTV fodder being put out by faded 80's action stars. I look forward to his next project and in the mean time I will re visit some of his earlier work such as Man of War and Red Scorpion. -
damianphelps3 March 2021The is a really enjoyable Dolph movie, one of the better ones he has ever made that come under the B movie umbrella.
The action is straight up, no hiding behind stuntmen or 'exciting' camera work.
The story has 2 layers which is twice as many for a lot of Dolph films.
Nice support cast.
Better than expectations :) -
kyrat19 September 2006I saw this on TV the other night, I knew it wasn't going to be an Oscar worthy movie, but I like action movies (especially John Woo) - so I don't' mind a lot of fighting/violence and I don't need it sanitized or stylized and I like seeing things set in Russia.
However this was just one dark, brutal unoriginal movie with no redeeming value.
I've only seen a few other of Dolph's earlier films and I think he's a solid actor, but he's just barely adequate as a director.
The plot was completely unoriginal. The pacing was a little off. Too many long traveling scenes (was that just to enhance the bleakness of life?). The usual bad guys shoot directly at the good guys & can never hit them problem.
The final drawback for me was the one-dimensional portrayal of the women. We had the pathetic victim (thank you for at least not having her fall for Dolph & try to do a happy ending!!!). Then we had the moneygrubbing prostitute. And of course the gratuitous whorehouse scenes.
That final scene where the Englishman stands over the body of the woman he professed to care about and just pour alcohol (presumably a repentance of his drinking?) on her body and then walk away from her corpse to let it just rot there was disgusting.
IMO: While I've seen worse, this was still not worth watching. -
Maziun6 September 2013This is a debut for Dolph Lundgren as a movie director. It's the best from all movies directed by him (others are "The Defender" , "Missionary man" , "Command performance" , "Diamond dogs" , "Icarus"). It's almost a decent movie. Almost.
The screenplay gives some depth to the characters . I liked the British guy from Lundgren's team. The "steal anything you want" scene is hilarious. I also like the fact that "Mechanic" tries to tell something to the audience about the modern slavery – prostitution. The final shootout in the village is quite entertaining and it's the best action scene of the movie. It feels like a western.
Unfortunately , Lundgren's lack of experience as director doesn't help the movie . The movie is too often too dark. And I mean DARK . You can barely see anything. It makes the movie visually ugly. Also Lundgren fails to make an emotional connection between his character an audience. The flashy flashbacks aren't too subtle and fail. He should work on pacing , because the first half of movie is rather boring. When it comes to action scenes Dolph decided for quick cut montage . It's badly done . Also the shootouts look rather poor. The final shootout in the village is exception , because it was done in more old school style. Old school rules. The writers could also expand the other members on Lundgren's team. If we are supposed to care about them , w should get to know them. This is not the case here. Only Lundgren and Brit are introduced. The others well , they just are.
With a much better direction and a little better screenplay this could be a decent movie. I give it 1/10. -
markadmoore21 July 2019How?!
Rubbish acting. Predictable from go to wo.
It's downhill, gaining momentum from the hero ie professional killer, fails to double-tap the one guy that needs double-tapping!
Just stupid. -
buckforris9 October 2006I've never been much of a Lundgren fan, with my preferred viewing being Norris and Seagal, with also Van Damme too. But to my surprise, during a DTV rampage of these guys (The Hard Corps, Shadow Man and also the Cutter too) Dolph's film the Mechanik was by a long, long, way the best of the bunch. I've fallen by the wayside a little in recent years, and haven't kept up to much with the action boys, but when your in the mood, your in the mood. Anyway The Mechanik was fantastic. It's a simple storyline, and a simply delivered film, but it promises something, and delivers. The result is a violent, dirty and damn fun action movie. It's a great little regression to 70's and 80's action films. I also understand it was shot on a fraciton of the budgets of Chuck's, Stevens and Jean Claudes, movies and still manages to look the most expensive too.
Lundgren too gives a solid performance and looks in great shape. In fact dare I say it the other guys like either old, tired or overweight (all three in Seagal's case). Lundgren looks fresh and in great shape. Ben Cross was really good. That guy should have been a bigger star, a really good actor if anyone's seen his earlier work.
On the negative side, the girl in the movie seems little more than a pointless inclusion to aid the bloodshed, and the bad guy is a little too "hey look at me I'm the bad guy!" After all though, it's expected from this sort of film so it's not a big problem. I also wasn't too sure what was with all the dissolves either, but on the most part this film is directed with assurance and a great sense of pace, and of course directed by Dolph himself! This film really acts as a showcase for Dolph Lundgren. It's the Dolph show, and it's a good show. It brought back fond memories of cool Peckinpah movies. Good work Dolph! -
Leofwine_draca20 January 2019THE RUSSIAN SPECIALIST is a typical Dolph Lundgren vehicle, low budget and undistinguished, shot in Bulgaria to give it some Eastern European appeal. Lundgren directs the picture too, but sadly he does it in that gritty/grimy early 2000s style (similar to the Tony Scott picture MAN OF FIRE) which I feel has really dated in recent years. It's a typical revenge story in which Lundgren plays an unlikely mechanic who gets caught up with some gangsters after his family is slaughtered. Ben Cross randomly plays a crucial ally. There's not a great deal of action here, but the scenes that do take place are satisfyingly violent.
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callanvass19 June 2015Nikolai Cherenko's family is killed in a gunfight by a drug-lord, "Sasha Popov" He stays away for a while and starts working as a mechanic. When he is offered a bunch of money to rescue somebody's daughter, Nikolai jumps at the chance when he learns Sasha is involved. This is another STV dud from Lundgren. The storyline is actually interesting, but it's executed poorly and I was pretty bored for a lot of the duration. There is action, but not nearly enough of it. It's dreary and cheap looking as well. Dolph actually plays a pretty badass character. He excels at anti-heroes, but will somebody please give him a decent script? I only recommend this to die-hard Dolph fans
3.5/10 -
shaftnuts20 January 2006I saw this film for rent and although it's not the sort of film I'd usually go for, being a Dolph Lundgren movie, I was intrigued by the cool looking front cover. I read up some reviews, courtesy of IMDb, the only ones I could find. It did seem a popular movie.
Anyways I hired it and I must say the IMDb rating doesn't do this film justice. It is really a surprise because it has some great little moments in it. Also it packs a punch in the more violent scenes and doesn't hold back, and I mean I was really wincing in some moments.
It didn't occur to me until the film opened and credited Lundgren himself as director. He did a fantastic job and his portrayal of violence really hits home like my favorite director Mr Paul Verhoeven. Lundgren I know is someone critics always mock, like Schwarzenegger, but Lundgren really shows talent as a director. I will have to watch his other film the Defender. In regards to the acting, Lundgren also did a good job. Ben Cross is a good actor too and he does well in this film.
This is overall a quality piece, well worth watching. -
Dolph has really done it. The Mechanik is an action movie at it best. It has everything an action flick needs. A good guy, a bad guy, shooting, close combat, blood and broken bones and a huge death count at the (happy) end. The story is very simple. Nikolai Cherenko (Lundgren) is a former spetznas (Russian special forces) who, after his family was killed by a mafia boss, went to the US to work as a mechanic. After 7 years a lady comes to him and wants to hire him to save here daughter which was kidnapped by the same gangster. Nick finally takes the job but of course it is not about the money but all about vengeance. He gets a backup team and from here on the story and the end is quite predictable. But it is not the story that makes this movie a must see. It is the details, and mostly it is what the movie leaves out. You won't find long dialogs about morale and ethics, heroism in terms of "leave me behind I'm just slowing you down!" and then the obligatory "never I'd rather die!". There are also no long man on man fights. What do you do if a black belt attacks you? Well if it would bee any other movie, such a situation would develop into a 1 hour bare hands fight. But not here. Take your gun and shoot him. It is that simple. A very similar situation, the bad guy falls to the ground and loses his gun. Wait till he gets up? Continue the fight without weapons? Bah! You are standing, he is on the ground, you've got a gun, he hasn't. Shoot him! Not very honorable, but very fast and effective. After all he is there to get the girl not to win a karate tournament. At the end, The Mechanik is not your typical action flick. The hero is not as heroic as you would perhaps like to have him. He is not doing all this because it is the right thing, but because he wants to see blood. The Mechanik is a great action movie, just like in the good old times when action didn't try to bee anything else, but simply action. It is simple, violent, direct and pure as the best Russian vodka! A must see!
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anghart2 March 2006Dolph's first directing effort, The Defender, was a nice little action piece. Granted, the movie was low budget, but there was enough enthusiasm and excitement to make it worthwhile.
The Russian Specialist,aka The Mechanik, as it should be called; is a distinct step UP for Dolph. His direction is incredibly assured for someone who's only directed one other movie.
I won't go into story specifics here because everybody already knows what this about. However, I will go into the production and performances.
Dolph has changed as an actor. He's matured, he's confident in his skin. That is half the battle, and he wins bigtime.
Ben Cross is the comedy relief/dramatic Brit. He's one of the film's better assets.
The rest of the performers are more than adequate. The villains in particular, are slimy and nasty. It's a good thing they're slaughtered in such a brutal fashion!!! The script for this film, while hardly original, is pretty good for low budget fare like this. It pushes all the right buttons at the right time. The dialog is also quite good.
Dolph, the director, is in very good form. His style is loose and fluid. Think Tony Scott meets John Woo and you're on the right track.
The score by Elia Cmiral is haunting when it needs to be and tense when the crap hits the fan. Which brings us to the action set pieces.
Although they're not numerous, the action scenes are well done and VIOLENT! Dolph pulls no punches with this flick. The deaths come fast, hard and furious! Overall, this little film is quite good. I eagerly await the next Dolph film. To those who have not checked out this film and The Defender, I recommend you do so. -
italian_angel_8221 March 2009Action superstar Dolph Lundgren directs and stars in this explosive and fast-paced action-thriller as a retired Special Forces soldier on a mission of revenge.
The Russian Specialist is terrific and surprisingly intense, it makes you wonder, how did Dolph managed to make such a low budget movie look like a high class movie with a big budget.
Dolph makes the violence in this movie realistic, you will hear bones crack, necks snap and bullets fly causing damage to whatever it hits. Dolph as a great vision as a director and captures the scenes very well in the movie. The locations are very well chosen for the movie and the scenery is breathtaking, especially the overhead shoots throughout the movie.
The cast for this movie is the best i have ever seen in a low budget movie, everyone plays out their role nicely done, Ben Cross does an amazing job with his character and Dolph does a great performance as a very well believable Russian character. This movies belongs on the A-list of movies and deserved a chance in a theatrical release.