Some days, I just want a brain rotting action flick to alleviate the worries of the world of movie watching. We all have to have our junk food movies that are just terrible but strangely satisfying, so I know that if I want an action movie that is the equivalent of fast food, I know I can rely on the actors of The Expendables cast to deliver that sort of movie. Today I am talking about the graphic novel adaptation film, Bullet To The Head. And if you can believe a 67 year old Stallone can still hold his own against a younger crop of action stars out there, then you are going to love this movie. Even pushing 70, that man looks frightening in terms of his shredded look and he can still produce a fun action movie at the most base of levels.
Based on a graphic novel, Bullet to the Head tells the story of a New Orleans hitman (Stallone) and a DC cop (Kang) who form an alliance to bring down the killers of their respective partners. — (C) Warner Bros
LOL, that’s the plot summed up in one sentence. For some reason, I think Stallone and the director/writer of the movie still think they are in the 80s when it comes to making an action film. I like what the movie is about, mainly insane action sequences that just see the aging Stallone briskly move though them while much younger actors are going full speed around him. Hell watch the final action sequence between him and Jason Momoa and you will see just how out of place Stallone is in this movie. At least with The Expendables, he has other action stars like him doing their own thing and it all just masks his aging action. Here in this movie, the villains and his counterpart move faster than he does and are capable of just a lot more in the action sequences. Not saying that I don’t enjoy seeing Stallone in action flicks, but he is not what he used to be.
I think the best enjoyment of this movie is that the violence and action are still rooted in the 80s, cause that was the pinnacle of action movies. When the good guys were superhuman and violent action scenes were are plentiful as air. Here in this movie, the action scenes and fighting are just littering this movie, surely knowing what the audience came to see. Stallone mumbles and grunts his lines like the days of yore, but he does shakily hold his own in the fight scenes, particularly when it comes to the finale. In the final combat sequence, we get the old stable mano y mano ax fight. This reminds me of another Stallone fight from Cobra where he battles some ax wielding cult leader. Guess if you are going to go to the well, it doesn’t hurt to go to Cobra. It surely is the best moment of the movie.
Bullet to the Head is definitely a guilt watch of mine. I realize that this movie is going to wow a lot of folks and it doesn’t hold up to the action films of Stallone’s past, but damn if it is entertaining to watch Stallone be Stallone. Grumbled one-liners tinged with Stallone’s humorous delivery, not in that the lines are funny, it’s just that Stallone has steeled delivery like he always does. Never certain on whether his line is supposed to be serious or funny for the sake of humor, the dialog is sharp enough to chug along will we get to the next bullet riddled body. I certainly will recommend this for anyone who still wants to see Stallone do his thing and I can’t begrudge any action fan for that decision.