The Expert

My main critique of this film is twofold: 1) 80's/90's action films like this tended to be reactionary in some way, but the message this one hammers home even silly for its genre, and 2) Jeff Speakman, while a good martial artist, is a charisma vacuum as an actor. First, however, what the film does have in its favor. As previously stated, Jeff Speakman is quite convincing as a martial artist and, in general, as a physical presence. I certainly wouldn't want to mess with him in real life (contrary to whatever Steven Seagal's beef with him was). The plot is also quite efficient, if rudimentary, in the way it sets up the characters and moves the action forward. The first scene in particular establishes Speakman's character as the no-bs "expert" that the title indicated he would be. The action scenes were also well-choreographed and there was some decent camera-work in the slower portions of the film. I also thought that James Brolin and Jim Varney (in a one-scene cameo) did respectable acting work. However, just about everyone else, Speakman included, was halfway decent at best. The writing also wasn't anything to be proud of either. My biggest issue with the film is the "message," if one can call it that. THE EXPERT delivers yet another right-wing fantasy about a lone "hero" who takes on an ineffectual justice system by doling out his own version of justice against the violent criminal who killed his sister. Of course violent criminals should be punished, but the negative way it portrays a female psychologist involved with the case very unsubtly clues the viewer onto what the film's stance is. Not that a film shouldn't take a stance on anything, but I happen to think the stance wasn't very fair. Aside from that, the score was overblown and there were a few pacing issues in the middle portion, where the main character barely gets any screen time. I know I shouldn't have expected too much, considering Jeff Speakman was a third-tier action star at best, but the obvious message-making made it a little bit of a chore to sit through.

Jeff Speakman never really made it beyond the lowest ranks of martial-artists-turned-actors (lower than Don "The Dragon" Wilson, for example), and with vehicles like "The Expert", you can see why. There are three major problems with this movie: 1) The plot - or should I say plots - are all over the place, there are some characters who get a lot of screen time but serve little purpose, 2) There are only 4 fight scenes in total, some of them completely unrelated to the main plot and some taking place in the dark, 3) The music score is overzealous and overbearing. Strange as it may seem, this is really the most annoying thing about this film: the score persistently tries to convince you that you're watching some sort of grand epic, instead of the low-budget limited-action film you are indeed watching. With all that said, at least there's James Brolin around to lend a touch of credibility. *1/2 out of 4.

Oh, well I thought it should be a good action, but it was not. Although Jeff Speakman stars there is nothing to watch.Only two fight for almost 1,5 hours, yak.A lot of talking and everything is so artificial that you could not believe it. The plot is clear from the beginning. If you want good action don't rent this movie.

Poor Jeff Speakman! He should have been the next great martial arts movie god, but didn't make it! He looks so puffy from the 'roids in this movie he can't even move fast! How did he gain so much weight from "Street Knight" in such a short time? Can you say "steroids"?. Too bad, because he is such a normal actor, and much better than the crappy people who stepped into his place after this! I wish he had kept up his progress from his first starring movie, but he went (to me) downhill after his 3rd movie. Too bad, but he seems to be doing great with his martial arts schools, so I am happy for him. I wish he was doing great movies again, but at least he is doing something for the martial arts community.

i can't say i loved this third film featuring Jeff Speakman in a starring role.but i didn't hate it either.i thought it was a bit better than his second effort,Street Knight,though that's pretty faint praise.this one's a little less boring,and the fighting sequences are a bit better.the acting is not great,though Speakman himself actually isn't too bad,and actually seems to have improved since Street Knight.however i thought Michael Shaner as the Villain was a bright spot in an otherwise dense sea of fog.again,this is one movie that fails to distinguish itself from the rest of the pack and is no more than average for the genre.for me,The Expert is a 5/10