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| Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures |
Two icons of the action movie genre
teamed for the first time on Buena Vista International's “Bullet to the Head.”
Award-winning filmmaker Walter Hill directed global superstar Sylvester
Stallone in the new action thriller.
Stallone,
who first approached the director with the project, notes, “I thought it would
be great to work with Walter Hill on this type of buddy movie, which is a genre
he knows well. Although, in this case, the main characters are not really
buddies at all, but rather adversaries who have to work together against a
mutual enemy because their lives depend on it. But out of that, an interesting
relationship evolves.”
Hill
offers, “Sly and I have known each other a long time and have talked about
working together in the past, but we could never quite make it happen. I admire
him very much and always wanted to do a movie with him, so this proved to be
the perfect opportunity.”
The
story is based on the popular graphic novel Du Plomb Dans La Tête,
which, although originally written in French, was very much inspired by the American
cinema.
Acclaimed
French author Alexis Nolent, whose nom de plume is Matz, confirms, “I’ve always
been a big fan of buddy movies, which is a genuine American specialty. I was
playing with some ideas and thought it would push things up a notch to team a
killer with a cop—to have a bond that has to cross the line of the law and
ethics and principles.
The
cop is, of course, a little more square than the hit man, who is more able to
think outside the box. But the concept was that these two characters who seem
to have nothing in common actually have much more in common than they ever
imagined.”
“Bullet
to the Head” also reunites both Stallone and Hill with another premier action
veteran: Joel Silver, Chairman of Dark Castle Entertainment and an executive
producer on the film. Silver previously produced the Stallone films “Demolition
Man” and “Assassins” and collaborated with Hill on several projects, including
“48 Hrs.” Says Silver, “It was exciting to be back in business with both Walter
and Sly. Walter is a director who knows what he wants and comes to the set with
all the answers, which is a joy for any producer, and it goes without saying
that Sly is an iconic star the world over. We had a great time working together
on this film.”
“I’ve
been working in this business a long time and I can tell you that Joel Silver
is a true original,” Stallone states. “He’s an incredibly creative and hands-on
producer. Between him and Walter, I was in good hands.”
Producer
Alexandra Milchan showed the graphic novel to screenwriter Alessandro Camon,
who loved it. He recalls, “I thought it was a great genre piece, highly
cinematic, with a wild and attractive premise—a kind of anti-buddy movie, where
the two character embarking on a mission don’t only have a clash of
personalities but may actually want to shoot each other. That seemed like good
fodder for both tension and comedy, and ultimately a good way to let the
characters make huge choices: between loyalty and duty, and between what they
feel and what they believe.”
Hill
says, “We want the story and characters to be taken seriously, but in a movie
like this, I think it’s good to add a touch of humor. Finding that balance can
sometimes be tricky, but I think it’s an important part of the entertainment
value. I think that’s also one of the things Sly responded to.”
The
film gave Stallone and fellow cast members Sung Kang and Jason Momoa, a chance
to sink their teeth into some challenging stunt sequences. The fight scenes
culminated with a thrilling mano a mano axe fight between the two hardened
killers, played by Stallone and Momoa.
“Bullet to the Head” is distributed by
Buena Vista International through Columbia Pictures.
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