Director: Walter Hill
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Sung Kang, Sarah Shahi, Jason Momoa, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Christian Slater, Jon Seda, Holt McCallany,
Running Time: 91 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Following hot on the heels of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s geriatric return to action in THE LAST STAND, is fellow 80s icon Sylvester Stallone, hoping that he isn’t so expendable to the world of film after all. Stallone plays a tough as nails hitman, but refuses to shoot hookers so we know he isn’t all bad. After his partner is killed, he soon finds himself teaming up with Sung Kang’s cop. A hitman and a cop working together? That’s a recipe for disaster within itself, but the fact that one is Asian and the other is old also makes way for some fiery banter between the leads. The dialogue is a quick way to establish the characters and chart their friendship, but it’s also worn and expected.
In fact, being worn and expected is both this film’s major drawback and its major strength. BULLET TO THE HEAD tries absolutely nothing new in terms of action or characterisation. You can predict every single character’s reaction as well as which of them is going to die. The only spark of originality lies within Jason Momoa’s hulking assassin, who seems to be having more fun than anyone else, and throws in a bit of a twist towards the end. Although many will find the predictable events send them to sleep, genre fans will most likely relish in familiar territory that has been forgotten over the last decade.
The action certainly takes centre stage, being a wondrous and confident display of violent scenarios. Gun shots, explosions, and rough brawls are all shot with clarity thanks to director Walter Hill. He certainly doesn’t pull any punches, and seeing gunshot wounds may even give some viewers a feeling of nostalgia. Hill’s passion for his urban jungle, which he demonstrated in his classic THE WARRIORS, is another highlight, as the buildings seem to come alive in some shots.
Without sounding misogynistic, this is mostly a bloke’s film. Stallone sweats, pisses, and yells testosterone, while Kang bitches and whines about doing things by the book. It’s obvious we’re supposed to support Stallone, and that’s because all red blooded males want is quick and brutal justice. The guns, the language, and the ideology is all designed to make you proud to have a pair of nuts. There is some heart forced between the action, such as Stallone having a daughter and feeling honour towards his slain partner, but it’s the kind of emotion that can be easily bookended with a couple of swears and muscle flexes.
Unfortunately, there is nothing to set this apart from any of Stallone’s previous output. It plays such a safe game, that after watching it, it gradually dissolves in one’s mind. A climax that involves a rather impressive axe fight is one of the only stand out moments, but it’s a film that does deserve respect for staying true to its form, as well as making some mature choices, such as avoiding any form of romantic folly for Stallone. It may not be memorable, it may not be original, but it certainly passes the time and delivers on its promises. Besides, we just don’t see enough of Christian Slater these days.
BULLET TO THE HEAD is out on DVD and Blu-ray on 3rd June via Entertainment One.
