Bullet to the Head Reviews

It was almost 10 years ago that Sylvester Stallone made his impressive come-back with 'Rocky', and after milking the whole thing with 'Rambo' and 'The Expendables' franchise, he finally decided to come up with something new. All right, to be honest, it was still nothing really original and it was still a throwback to the good old action flicks from the 80's starring Stallone. At least, it wasn't a sequel, a reboot or a remake and it seemed that it had some potential. Eventually, it was pretty much a flop when it was released but I still wanted to check it out. Eventually, there were many things I did enjoy : the R rated tone, the decent performance by Stallone and the action scenes were really solid. And yet, it was still missing something to become really entertaining and, to be honest, I thought the whole thing was rather lazy. I mean, 10 minutes before the end, you have Jason Momoa (a really decent bad guy by the way) going into a killing rampage for no good reason except speeding up the whole thing. On top of that, they could have picked up a better partner, someone who could have pushed Stallone a little bit more, instead they picked up the Asian guy from 'The Fast and Furious' franchise and he definitely didn't have the necessary charisma. To conclude, it could have been pretty cool and it almost was but it was still too pedestrian for my taste.

"You and me... we got a little unfinished business to take care of."

Although released in 2013, Bullet to the Head was actually filmed before 2012's The Expendables 2, but Warner Bros. continuously delayed its release for unknown reasons, probably to mooch off the success of Sylvester Stallone's ensemble actioner. Sly has directed several of his recent projects, including 2006's Rocky Balboa and 2008's Rambo, but Bullet to the Head finds the aging action star back as an actor for hire, answering to another director. The move pays off for the aging Stallone at this point in his career; rather than a stereotypical Stallone flick, this is a dark Walter Hill movie with antiheroes and brutal violence, and it's not an ego trip for anyone involved. It's a vastly enjoyable, bruising action-thriller brimming with machismo, and it revives the spirit of the 1980s with genuine panache.

Set deep in the heart of New Orleans, Jimmy Bobo (Stallone) is a grizzled assassin with no faith in the American justice system who's content to mete out his own brand of justice: a bullet to the head. Jimmy's partner, Louis (Jon Seda), is killed by enforcer Keegan (Jason Momoa) after the two execute corrupt cop Hank Greely (Holt McCallany) on an assignment. Wanting to avenge Louis and find out who set them up, Bobo is forced to team up with Detective Taylor Kwon (Sung Kang), the cop investigating Greely's death. Although Kwon should arrest Jimmy, he has bigger fish to fry, wanting to use the hitman to follow the clues and solve the conspiracy.

In terms of structure and narrative, Bullet to the Head is identical to the action films of the '80s and '90s, with a straightforward story giving way to shootouts, fisticuffs, violence in general, and one-liners, not to mention bare breasts and hot women, as well. Unfortunately, the film feels underdone and far too short, clocking in at a scant 85 minutes. Alessandro Camon's screenplay takes a few lazy narrative shortcuts to maintain the slim runtime, with Kwon getting information over the phone at a moment's notice without anyone questioning what he's up to. It's strange that Kwon is not held on a tighter leash despite being in another city, and it's frustrating that the other local cops are so thoroughly useless, with vague motivations. It feels like the film is rushing through its narrative, which may keep the pace taut, but it needs more breathing room and dialogue-driven character moments. It's hard to determine if this is due to Camon's screenplay or the editing, but Bullet to the Head should be longer.

Bullet to the Head signifies Walter Hill's return to the director's chair for the first time since 2002's Undisputed. A veteran of the action genre, Hill is up to his usual tricks here, infusing the production with the type of magic glimpsed in movies like 48 HRS, The Warriors and Extreme Prejudice. Although Bullet to the Head is actually an adaptation of a comic book, it feels like a Walter Hill movie all over, with tough guys, R-rated violence and a bluesy score. He is a superb pick for this material and hasn't lost his deft filmmaking touch despite his old age. Hill's style is distinctly old-school - Bullet to the Head is low on CGI and has minimal shaky-cam, and Hill favours practical fake blood and the use of an actual tripod. Hill delivers in a huge way when locked in action mode, with plenty of thrills that keep the picture exhilarating and engaging. The most notable set piece involves the monstrous Momoa battling the smaller Stallone with an axe. The ensuing fight is exceptional.

The script is peppered with sharp dialogue, particularly from Jimmy, who spouts all the memorable one-liners. The racial difference is also played up, with Jimmy making a few slightly racist jabs against his Korean partner. This is easily one of Stallone's best acting performances in recent years, showing yet again that he's a robust on-screen presence despite being 65 during principal photography. Sly is a captivating badass, and he owns the role of Jimmy Bobo. This is probably the darkest, most crass antihero Stallone has played in his career, and he embraces it wholeheartedly, making us wonder why exactly it took so long for him to team up with Hill. Meanwhile, Kang is a little less successful. Thomas Jane was initially cast, but producer Joel Silver ejected him in favour of Kang, hoping for an ethnic actor to broaden box office appeal. (The irony, of course, is that the film bombed anyway, and it might've even performed better with Jane.) While Kang is serviceable here, he by no means owns the role, and one must wonder how much better the film might've been if Jane had starred. Fortunately, Momoa is better, making for a strong villain. Also look out for Christian Slater (who hasn't done anything memorable for years) tackling a colourful supporting role as one of the guys who set up Jimmy.

If you like R-rated action movies and yearn for a solid throwback to the action heyday of the '80s, or just want some respite from idiotic CGI-riddled superhero movies, Bullet to the Head is a movie for you. The appeal is pretty much restricted to fans of the action genre, of course, but it remains stylish and competently-crafted regardless of your tastes. Although it isn't a particularly inventive action film, and although it doesn't touch the greatness of buddy movies like Lethal Weapon, there is plenty of fun to be had here, and it's pure ecstasy when guns are pulled, knives are brandished, and punches are thrown. Its failure at the box office is one of the most disheartening injustices in recent memory.

7.2/10