🔫 Bullet to the Head (2012)
Bullet to the Head (2012), directed by Walter Hill, is a gritty, fast-paced action thriller that combines old-school gunplay with a modern buddy-cop twist. Sylvester Stallone stars as Jimmy Bobo, a hardened New Orleans hitman who becomes an unlikely ally to a straight-laced cop in a deadly quest for revenge and justice.
The film opens with Jimmy Bobo and his partner Louis Blanchard (Jon Seda) completing a contract killing in a New Orleans hotel. They efficiently eliminate their target, a corrupt ex-cop, but soon find themselves double-crossed. After the hit, a mysterious assassin named Keegan (Jason Momoa) murders Louis, leaving Jimmy alive but vowing vengeance.
Meanwhile, Detective Taylor Kwon (Sung Kang), a by-the-book Washington D.C. cop, arrives in New Orleans to investigate the same murder — which connects to a web of corruption involving politicians, real estate developers, and organized crime. Kwon’s investigation leads him directly to Jimmy, who, despite being on opposite sides of the law, shares his desire to uncover the truth and punish those responsible.
Reluctantly, the two form a tense partnership. Kwon represents order and legality, while Jimmy embodies street justice and violence. Their conflicting morals and methods spark sharp, often humorous exchanges as they hunt the criminals behind the conspiracy. Along the way, they discover that the hit was ordered by Robert Nkomo Morel (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), a ruthless businessman involved in illegal land deals, and his corrupt lawyer Marcus Baptiste (Christian Slater).
The investigation turns bloody as Jimmy and Kwon face betrayal, ambushes, and brutal fights. Jimmy’s estranged daughter Lisa (Sarah Shahi), a tattoo artist and medic, becomes entangled in the chaos when Keegan uses her as leverage.
In the explosive finale, Jimmy confronts Keegan in an intense hand-to-hand axe fight inside an abandoned warehouse — one of the film’s standout action scenes. After a fierce battle, Jimmy kills Keegan, avenging his partner and saving his daughter.
Despite his cooperation, Jimmy remains an outlaw. As the story concludes, he parts ways with Kwon, acknowledging that while they fought for justice together, they come from different worlds.
Bullet to the Head delivers a classic Stallone experience — gritty, violent, and filled with dark humor. It explores the clash between old-school vengeance and modern law enforcement, underscored by Stallone’s rugged charisma and a relentless pace.
