Stallone: the cop that cheers!

Although he hasn't made a new film for over a decade, it's apparent that Walter Hill, whose credits include classics like The Warriors and 48 Hrs., remains a dab hand at visceral action thrillers.

Bullet to the head
Direction: Walter Hill
Actors: Sylvester Stallone, Sung Kang
Rating:***1/2

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Although he hasn't made a new film for over a decade, it's apparent that Walter Hill, whose credits include classics like The Warriors and 48 Hrs., remains a dab hand at visceral action thrillers. Working for the first time with Sylvester Stallone, the seasoned director adapts a French graphic novel into a testosterone-fuelled cop-criminal. A former US marine turned killer-for-hire (Stallone) reluctantly joins forces with a Korean-American detective (Kang) to bring down a common enemy. It seems that a cartel of unscrupulous real-estate tycoons is intent on grabbing vast swathes of New Orleans for their personal gain. A throwback to 1980s pulp fiction, Bullet to the Head is briskly paced and peppered with saucy banter. The film's chief merit is the impressive performance by Sylvester Stallone.