The story opens as Jimmy Bobo (Stallone) and his partner, Louis, are on what appears to be a routine hit. Their target is Hank Greely, an ex-cop who was kicked off the force in Washington D.C. in disgrace. They don’t know why someone wants him dead, and they don’t ask questions.
Despite Jimmy Bobo’s profession, Stallone remarks, “He’s at peace with himself. He plays by his own set of rules that are blunt but simple to follow. Jimmy believes he takes out the trash, removing those hard-to-get-out stains in society. He doesn’t go after people who, in his mind, don’t deserve it.”
Director Walter Hill says, “Sly is a terrific film actor. He has great eyes, he has that instantly recognizable voice, and he’s a physical marvel. But, to me, the main thing is, he’s got a great heart, and the audience feels that when they experience the story through him. It’s a rare gift.”
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.”
Interestingly, the cover of the graphic novel Du Plomb Dans La Tête from which “Bullet to the Head” was based, unwittingly provided inspiration for the filmmakers’ choice for the central role of James Bonomo, aka Jimmy Bobo. “The image of Jimmy looks remarkably like Sly,” producer Alexandra Milchan notes. “We realized it was right there in front of us. I’ve always had tremendous respect for Sly, and when we met with him, he offered great insight. Right away, he was totally involved in guiding the project, so having Sly and his producing partner, Kevin King-Templeton, on board felt like the perfect match.”
Producer Kevin King-Templeton remembers, “I read the script for ‘Bullet to the Head’ and immediately thought it was the kind of project Sly was looking for. We were just coming off of ‘The Expendables,’ which was a huge ensemble piece. This felt a little more contained, with elements of action, drama and humor. I got the feeling it was something he would really sink his teeth into.”
Sylvester Stallone has been known worldwide as a true screen legend since creating the title role in the seminal 1976 Oscar®-winning Best Picture “Rocky,” for which he also wrote the screenplay. Over the course of his long career, he has been recognized for his work as an actor, writer and director.
A cultural phenomenon, “Rocky” grew into a six-film franchise, successfully spanning four decades. He wrote, directed and starred in “Rocky II, III and IV,” and wrote and starred in “Rocky V.” Stallone brought the character’s story to a close in 2006 with the critical and box office hit “Rocky Balboa,” which he also wrote and directed.
That year, to commemorate one of the most iconic scenes in motion picture history, a bronze statue of Rocky Balboa was placed at the foot of the now-famous steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum—called the “Rocky steps”—at a dedication ceremony presided over by the mayor.
Beginning with the 1982 blockbuster “First Blood,” Stallone has also embodied another indelible character: John Rambo. Following that film, for which he also wrote the screenplay, he wrote and starred in “Rambo: First Blood Part II” and “Rambo III.” In 2008, he directed, wrote and starred in “Rambo,” which continued the saga of the scarred Vietnam vet more than 25 years after his screen introduction.
Stallone more recently wrote and directed perhaps his most ambitious project to date, the action thriller “The Expendables,” in which he also led an all-star cast, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Jet Li and Dolph Lundgren. The film opened at number one in August 2010, making Stallone the only actor to open a film at number one in five consecutive decades. In 2012, he co-wrote and starred in “The Expendables 2,” which reunited the cast, this time under the direction of Simon West.
Opening across the Philippines on Feb. 6 2013, “Bullet to the Head” is distributed by Buena Vista International through Columbia Pictures.
