BULLET HEAD

US/Bulgaria, 2017, 93 minutes, Colour.
Adrian Brody, Antonio Banderas, John Malkovich, Rory Culkin.
Directed by Paul Solet.


Bullet Head is a rough title for this small unfocused film. Three criminals on the run have an accident, the driver did, and are taking refuge in a warehouse looking for a replacement car. The warehouse is vast, has huge guard dogs, one of which has mauled and killed his guard.

The three criminals are played by Adrian Brody, John Malkovich, Rory Culkin. Each of them has a chance to tell their story, Adrian Brody having a pleasant story with a girlfriend, John Malkovich telling a story about getting a dog for his daughter, while Rory Culkin is a drug addict, finds the drugs in a locker room and overdoses.

The criminals have trouble with the dog, Brody hiding in a piano which the dog charges and knocks down but finds himself in present, set free by Brody. In the meantime, Blue, the owner of the dog (flashbacks to brutal dogfights) pursues the criminals, especially Brody with whom he fights, and wants the dog to kill him. However, the dog’s memory is hostile to Blue because of the dogfights and sympathetic torch Brody because of his kindness.

An American film. However, it was filmed in Bulgaria.

While there is action, there might be some audience interest in the stories of the three criminals.


1. The title? The reference to the dogs? (And the motivation of the director at the end about dogs in care for dogs?)

2. The American city, streets, warehouses and interiors? These are Bulgarian locations? The musical score?

3. The basic situation, the robbery, the plans for the rendezvous, the three criminals, working together, difficulties and clashes, the accident, going into the warehouse, waiting for the car, being trapped with the dogs?

4. The tensions between the three, each telling their background story?

5. Stacey, the leader, going to the warehouse, searching for a car to escape? His background story, more gentle, his girlfriend?

6. Walker, older, calmer? His story getting his dog for his daughter?

7. Gauge, younger, the drugs, finding the dog and the dead handler? Taking the drugs, his death?

8. Blue, his background, the flashbacks seeing him maltreated the dogs and the fights?

9. The men, confronted by the dogs? The size of the dogs? The pursuit? Stacey, letting the dogs off, the episode with the piano, his hiding, dog collapsing the piano, trapped? Stacey and his decision to help the dog? The dogs appreciation?

10. Walker, the confrontation with the blue, Walker’s death?

11. Blue, his confrontation with Stacey, the fights? His wanting to use the dog, the dog’s approach? The dog remembering Stacey’s kindness,
backing down, remembering Blues aggression, attacking him?

12. The tone of the story, the tone of the title, brief character studies?