A Reel Review: BULLET TO THE HEAD

BULLET TO THE HEAD features a team-up of two action-movie titans from the 80’s and early 90’s. First and foremost is Sylvester Stallone; the centerpiece of the now iconic ROCKY and RAMBO franchises. The second piece is director Walter Hill, who has helmed a few films now considered to be 80’s classics and cult favorites; 48 HRS, STREETS OF FIRE, and THE WARRIORS to name a few. The pairing of the two had the potential to recapture some early-career magic and offer some wham-bam action fun. 

Ruthless hitman James Bonomo (Stallone) gets double-crossed on a hit-job in which his partner is killed. Bonomo teams up with detective Kwon (Sung Kang) to track down who is behind the double-cross. The path leads them to real-estate tycoon/crook Morel (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), who is aided by his slick lawyer Marcus (Christian Slater) and mercenary Keegan (Jason Momoa). 

BULLET TO THE HEAD doesn’t offer much in the way of plot or character. The story is simple enough; keep killing bad guys until there are none left. A few sub-plots are wedged in here and there to develop the dastardly real-estate scheme by Morel, but it doesn’t amount to much because it is so briefly mentioned and underdeveloped there is no reason to care if the bad guys win. In the meantime, we are treated to Stallone going on a rampage; cracking skulls and shooting guys left and right. 

The plot doesn’t give anything to think about, and that could be forgivable if there was something else to latch onto, which there isn’t. Characters are one-dimensional and serve no purpose other than to either shoot or get shot. With the plot so lame, the characters should be the one thing to make the film fun, but they just aren’t. Director Walter Hill tries really hard to re-capture his odd-couple team-up fun with Stallone and Kang, but the dialogue is lame and goes nowhere. The two of them spend nearly half of the movie driving around in the goddamn car, and for as much as they talk and threaten each other, by the trips end it feels like we went nowhere. 

Hill seems to be suddenly ill-suited to direct an action flick. The gunfights are uninspired and empty, and the fight-scenes are even worse thanks to too much cutting and wild shaky-cam. A climatic axe-fight between Stallone and Momoa builds up nicely, but is so poorly executed it isn’t long before you realize you aren’t having much fun. 

Stallone does pretty well with what he is given to work with. He plays a gruff bad-ass just fine and his physique is impressive for his age. Performances all-around are decent, but the show is nearly stolen by Jason Momoa (he played Conan in the shitty CONAN THE BARBARIAN remake) who makes a great villain and has a commanding screen presence. 

As an action-film, BULLET TO THE HEAD falls flat because the scenes are dull and lifeless. As a buddy movie there’s nothing to latch onto as the characters never get past the first page of the script. The film strikes out everywhere, and by movie’s end you’re looking for your own bullet. 

BOTTOM LINE: Fuck it