The world can’t handle all the machismo that Jason Momoa and Sylvester Stallone have to offer. To date, the stars have combined their pumped-up powers for only one project: 2012’s all-out actioner *Bullet to the Head*.
Based on Matz and Colin Wilson’s French graphic novel *Du plomb dans la tête*, the film is directed by Walter Hill, known for writing and directing classics like *The Driver*, *The Warriors*, *Streets of Fire*, *48 Hrs.*, and *Red Heat*.
*Bullet to the Head* sees Stallone play hitman Jimmy Bobo, who’s forced into an unlikely alliance with Detective Taylor Kwon (Sung Kang) after they’re targeted by corrupt businessman Robert Nkomo Morel (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and his hired gun, Keegan (Momoa). Bobo and Kwon need to work together to take down Morel and Keegan, or risk becoming fish food.
With one of the best action movie stars of all time in Stallone, the film certainly doesn’t lack violence, muscles, and preposterous plot twists. Despite the testosterone-heavy trio of Stallone, Momoa, and Hill at the helm, *Bullet to the Head* didn’t quite tickle the fancy of critics or fans.
In fact, it’s a rarity that the critical rating for this kind of movie is higher than the audience score. Reviewers gave the film a 44% “rotten” rating, while viewers only awarded it 39% on Rotten Tomatoes. Perhaps the real bullet to the head was the reception to the film itself.
Much like Stallone’s involvement in his other projects, the superstar had significant influence over the creative direction of *Bullet to the Head*. This resulted in a change of directors after Stallone butted heads with Wayne Kramer over the movie’s tone. Kramer departed the project, and Stallone brought in Walter Hill to finish the film.
Stallone also decided to tweak his character from the original graphic novel. Speaking to *Shortlist*, the actor admitted he liked the story written by Matz and illustrated by Colin Wilson but made two specific changes:
“[I]n the novel my character was a little more sadistic and crazy, with no redeeming qualities,” Stallone said. “So I changed that and I cut the goatee off because he looked exactly like Barney from *The Expendables*. But I thought it was interesting, you know, a cop who becomes as bad as an assassin.”
So, if you’re a fan of *Du plomb dans la tête* and didn’t like the changes made to the film adaptation’s character, you can blame it on Barney Ross.
Fortunately, the film adaptation of Matz’s other notable graphic novel, *The Killer*, turned out much better and hit the mark. Looper’s review of *The Killer* called it “the perfect crime.”
https://www.looper.com/2011675/jason-momoa-sylvester-stallone-action-movie-bullet-to-the-head/
