This is something you watch on Netflix when there's nothing else interesting that you haven't already seen. Criminals vs a sometimes CG dog in a warehouse. Adrien Brody's character is pretty lifeless until the third act where he redeems himself and pulls off the best performance of the cast. Antonio Banderas while menacing is a one dimensional character who could have been explored further. Malkovich was Malkovich, a watered down version. Culkin was useless. His flashback story was pretty good though. Some decent suspenseful scenes between Brody and the dog. Overall a watchable film to pass the time but not terribly enjoyable or memorable.
143 Reviews
Mixed feelings
ckristina23 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
It's well acted, interesting story, actually everything I like about a film, but when it gets to the point of animals being hurt I really could have used some warning!!!! So if you're like me and hate any sort of animals abuse you better stay away from this film!
What were Brody and Malkovich thinking?
bmco-247-7210259 December 2017
A somewhat novel story, but completely lacked any credibility and once the stage is set, becomes very predictable. The trailers would have you thinking it is a non-stop thrill ride, but that is not the case as there are several scenes & flash backs that just seem to drag on.
The ending sequence stretched out way too long to the point, you just wanted it to be over. I did watch it all the way through, so maybe 4 stars. Hard to believe Adrien Brody & Malkovich were conned into doing this film. Such a waste of talent.
The ending sequence stretched out way too long to the point, you just wanted it to be over. I did watch it all the way through, so maybe 4 stars. Hard to believe Adrien Brody & Malkovich were conned into doing this film. Such a waste of talent.
A complete mess of dog poo
chumgriffin8 December 2017
Normally , when I see a film that is badly written, badly directed, badly conceived, badly everything, I always consider the actors last, because frankly they are only working with the material laid in front of them, following directions, spouting lines of dialogue written by someone else, etc etc.. So they usually get a pass. In this case however, I have to say that Adrien Brody and John Malkovich cannot be that broke or that desperate to sign up to this absolute shambles of a project. If they had any artistic integrity or self esteem left then they should have jumped ship or at least fire their agent for not assuring them a get out clause, rather than tarnish their careers with engaging in film making that belongs in the garbage bin of mediocrity. Even then I think the bin would protest at its newest resident. Do not let the trailer fool you into thinking ,, maybe worth a watch, you will feel conned at the end.
Dont watch if u expect lots of action n creature mayhem. Solid character driven survival drama/thriller with enuff scenes of tension n suspense.
Fella_shibby15 March 2018
I am writing a review of this film again as my old review got deleted somehow n so this time i will make it a short review.
Saw this on a dvd. The trailer, the star cast n the plot were superb but most people will b disappointed cos its not an action oriented or fast paced creature flick. But i enjoyed it. There is too much talking between characters n if u pay attention each character has a story n each involves an animal that had an impact on their lives.
There r small scenes of solid tension/suspense n dog chase scenes. It is a small scale survival thriller with more emphasis on characters.
Most of the dogs aggressive nature is told off screen n there aint enuff body count.
The directors earlier effort Grace was a bit slow too. Has shades of Cujo n Reservoir dogs.
Ambitious but flawed
Leofwine_draca11 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
BULLET HEAD is an ambitious but deeply flawed B-movie thriller that fails to work as a thriller in any respect. Shot in Bulgaria in an old warehouse, it involves a trio of thieves tangling with a psychotic dog fighter and his vicious dog. There are a couple of exciting set-pieces but overall this is a muddled, middling kind of film, slowed down by endless flashbacks and contained narratives. The director seems to have an obsession with dogs and I can understand that, because I'm a dog person myself, but this is hardly a film for animal lovers given that most dogs are routinely abused here. The interesting cast includes Adrien Brody, Rory Culkin and John Malkovich, with Antonio Banderas fulfilling the bad guy role.
Immersive if you allow the experience
theredhairedcrow12 December 2017
For those of us who have watched Brody and Malkovich films and not only appreciated their immense talents, but also respected their free will. For those of us who respect and appreciate their acting abilities and presence that draws viewers into whatever roll they are playing, whatever the vehicle, we might appreciate the story might be more believable, better directed or realized, but it is rare you doubt the actors themselves. Even if the vehicle is...a bit strange or problematic. I liked the film well enough, it wasn't a waste of time, as I liked the dialogues between the two, and the style of showing flashbacks visualizing their revelries was smoothly done. For me, it didn't detract or disrupt the flow. That being said, the story didn't have great depth. It was a "slice of life" in a trio of career criminals day who were interrupted by a dog with issues. which viewers are given a glimpse into.
As some others have said, I thought the perspective of the dog was very well done, to help viewers better understand their perspective, even if overall the premise was almost comedic, but perhaps that was the mission of the writer carried out by the director. If so, it was fulfilled nicely. I've never seen Cujo. I've never seen Reservoir Dogs either. I think it doesn't matter, as they say, "comparisons are odious." The characters of Malkovich and Brody had good conversations and solid presence thoroughout. Their choice in the roles on a clearly non-Oscar worthy script will, of course, be debated by known critics and armchair criticizers, but the emotional aspects of the characters? I can understand why they took the roles. Besides they maybe liked each other, the director, or whatever else. To me, it was far from a waste of time. Another Kulkin, wasn't terrible either, but predictable, as the inevitable conclusion of the story takes place.
As some others have said, I thought the perspective of the dog was very well done, to help viewers better understand their perspective, even if overall the premise was almost comedic, but perhaps that was the mission of the writer carried out by the director. If so, it was fulfilled nicely. I've never seen Cujo. I've never seen Reservoir Dogs either. I think it doesn't matter, as they say, "comparisons are odious." The characters of Malkovich and Brody had good conversations and solid presence thoroughout. Their choice in the roles on a clearly non-Oscar worthy script will, of course, be debated by known critics and armchair criticizers, but the emotional aspects of the characters? I can understand why they took the roles. Besides they maybe liked each other, the director, or whatever else. To me, it was far from a waste of time. Another Kulkin, wasn't terrible either, but predictable, as the inevitable conclusion of the story takes place.
BULLET HEAD
TCurtis919219 June 2022
"BULLET HEAD" (2017, Solet) had three powerful ingredients that could have made it a really good film. It had an A-list cast. It had an off-the-wall plot. It had something serious to say.
I don't like it when hardened criminals are portrayed as deep thinking sensitive men of honour because it's masturbatory nonsense.
But here the lead deep thinking sensitive hardened criminal is played unconvincingly by Brody. The wise old deep thinking sensitive criminal is sleep-walked through by a mumbling Malkovich. The young drugged up sensitive deep thinking hardened criminal is Culkin. The callous deep thinking hardened criminal (not so sensitive) is Banderas.
The dog out-performs the cast but is not in the film as much as I had hoped. Sometimes he is rendered with cheap and unconvincing CGI. This is a shame as it was for the dog that the film was famous.
What could have been a twenty minute short horror film is padded out with out of kilter flashbacks that add nothing to the story whatsoever and the ending, perhaps the final ten minutes, is abysmal. Filmmakers did not make this film.
I struggled to make it through this pastiche of pointless storytelling.
I don't like it when hardened criminals are portrayed as deep thinking sensitive men of honour because it's masturbatory nonsense.
But here the lead deep thinking sensitive hardened criminal is played unconvincingly by Brody. The wise old deep thinking sensitive criminal is sleep-walked through by a mumbling Malkovich. The young drugged up sensitive deep thinking hardened criminal is Culkin. The callous deep thinking hardened criminal (not so sensitive) is Banderas.
The dog out-performs the cast but is not in the film as much as I had hoped. Sometimes he is rendered with cheap and unconvincing CGI. This is a shame as it was for the dog that the film was famous.
What could have been a twenty minute short horror film is padded out with out of kilter flashbacks that add nothing to the story whatsoever and the ending, perhaps the final ten minutes, is abysmal. Filmmakers did not make this film.
I struggled to make it through this pastiche of pointless storytelling.
Good lord this movie is awful
smurray-5898530 December 2017
I am a Malkovich fan and the way this movie was billed as a edge of your seat crime drama/heist/caper had me excited to pay the overpriced fee to watch it. Be forewarned, to the extent that this piece of crap even had a script, it was an awful and malkovich should fire his agent for getting him involved in this dump show. The plot, if you can call it that, involves some low level crooks who are holed up in a warehouse with a rabid dog. Between flashbacks, we learn why the main characters may or may like dogs or cats, as if that is important. The rest of the time has them being chased by a pit bull. Exciting right? Not in this bore. It would have been satisfying to see the dog rip them all to shreds. And the ending, yes it completely sucked too. Please don't waste your time or money on this complete piece of sh*t.
Fine actors, bad movie.
psychedelicvoice9 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
If this was for raising money to an animal thing I would be fine with this movie. But it just don't deliver... Well anything.
Fails in this movie are too many and it's plain boring to watch. If you wanna kill some time, I suggest go find something else to see. I cannot recommend this to anyone.
Fails in this movie are too many and it's plain boring to watch. If you wanna kill some time, I suggest go find something else to see. I cannot recommend this to anyone.
Very well done, quality film... BUT... a LOT of people are going to expect something different... Bluray: Excellent A:9 V:9
lathe-of-heaven18 February 2018
It's totally understandable why there are SO many negative reviews and why so many people are genuinely disappointed with this movie. You have to understand that this is NOT a hard@ss crime film with a lot of action. As a matter of fact that isn't the point of the film at all.
To me, the overwhelmingly main thing is that this movie is done VERY well. It is extremely well written and acted, despite what some have said here due to expecting a completely different type of film. As a matter of fact, if someone had pitched this film to me just telling me what the primary underlying theme is (basically a well written, character study and a film for dog lovers) I probably would have passed on it. I don't usually go out of my way to see straight Dramas, except real Classic ones. BUT... and THIS is the point (at least to me...) The director was deliberately constructing a situation where we truly get to know the kind of people these 'criminals' are, and in what I feel in a VERY clever way, he placed this story in the context of a heist, criminals, and a VERY scary dog.
In my lowly and wretched opinion, the POINT always is this... 'Is it a well made film?' and, 'Does it do precisely what the director wants it to do?' In this case, I think that the answer to both is a very strong 'Yes!'
Just because a person goes into the film expecting a brutal Tarrintino film or some hard@ss action, and then they come here and P*$$ all over the movie because they find it 'Slow & Boring' does NOT make it a bad film. Despite my normal avoidance of 'Dramas', I genuinely found the movie to be very moving, the characters very involving and real, and YES, even though it basically is just a simple tribute to dog lovers, I felt it was done very well, thus the '8' rating, which I do not give to often.
BUT... please keep in mind, this is most definitely NOT your usual 'Crime Thriller' at all. There IS excellent Suspense and Action it it, but that is not the main thrust of the story. In order to enjoy the quality of this film, you absolutely HAVE to understand and EXPECT it to be a strong, well done character study and an affectionate tribute to dog lovers...
To me, the overwhelmingly main thing is that this movie is done VERY well. It is extremely well written and acted, despite what some have said here due to expecting a completely different type of film. As a matter of fact, if someone had pitched this film to me just telling me what the primary underlying theme is (basically a well written, character study and a film for dog lovers) I probably would have passed on it. I don't usually go out of my way to see straight Dramas, except real Classic ones. BUT... and THIS is the point (at least to me...) The director was deliberately constructing a situation where we truly get to know the kind of people these 'criminals' are, and in what I feel in a VERY clever way, he placed this story in the context of a heist, criminals, and a VERY scary dog.
In my lowly and wretched opinion, the POINT always is this... 'Is it a well made film?' and, 'Does it do precisely what the director wants it to do?' In this case, I think that the answer to both is a very strong 'Yes!'
Just because a person goes into the film expecting a brutal Tarrintino film or some hard@ss action, and then they come here and P*$$ all over the movie because they find it 'Slow & Boring' does NOT make it a bad film. Despite my normal avoidance of 'Dramas', I genuinely found the movie to be very moving, the characters very involving and real, and YES, even though it basically is just a simple tribute to dog lovers, I felt it was done very well, thus the '8' rating, which I do not give to often.
BUT... please keep in mind, this is most definitely NOT your usual 'Crime Thriller' at all. There IS excellent Suspense and Action it it, but that is not the main thrust of the story. In order to enjoy the quality of this film, you absolutely HAVE to understand and EXPECT it to be a strong, well done character study and an affectionate tribute to dog lovers...
Not your average dog lover film.
spotop049 March 2020
Let me start of by saying this is not what you would expect from these three famous actors. And Rory Culkin, he ain't that bad either, he sure holds his own. And from The Handler " to Han Solo , the shots work perfectly. The way this story is told is brilliant. You get "it" from every flash back scene and never loose a beat. Brody's, Malkovich, and Banderas are fantastic. It is a wonderfully artistic shot movie as well. So if you like a little good Independent move, that keeps you on your toes l, this is definitely worth the 93 minutes. Prove me wrong.
"Even Tarantino doesn't do Tarantino anymore"
kidmoe25 December 2017
As another reviewer stated "Even Tarantino doesn't do Tarantino anymore", but unfortunately director Paul Solet didn't get that memo, or he was hit on the head and thinks its still 1997.
Sadly, had this been played straightforward, with no artsy-fartsy directorial flourishes or each main character delivering their own dog-themed monologue, this could have been decent. As it stands, it plays as a far-too-late "homage" to early Tarantino and all the "next-big-thing" directors that lived and died in his early '90s wake.
Also, as much as I respect Adrian Brody as an actor, he was miscast in this role. I never once bought him as a hardened ex-con, and I found the scene where he sported a man-bun to be particularly risible.
As for Antonio Banderas...I have no idea what he was supposed to be doing. That part towards the end where he delivers his dog-monologue....I think he was supposed to be intimidating, but it's hard to say.
Sadly, had this been played straightforward, with no artsy-fartsy directorial flourishes or each main character delivering their own dog-themed monologue, this could have been decent. As it stands, it plays as a far-too-late "homage" to early Tarantino and all the "next-big-thing" directors that lived and died in his early '90s wake.
Also, as much as I respect Adrian Brody as an actor, he was miscast in this role. I never once bought him as a hardened ex-con, and I found the scene where he sported a man-bun to be particularly risible.
As for Antonio Banderas...I have no idea what he was supposed to be doing. That part towards the end where he delivers his dog-monologue....I think he was supposed to be intimidating, but it's hard to say.
Only watch if you have no common sense
djfuren26 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Hides in a grand piano as if dog cant smell you if it really wanted to kill you. Then waits for Antonio Banderas to pull up and starts shooting instead quickly driving off right as they had the chance to (when they opened the garage shutters). Switched it off right after that didnt even finish the movie my common sense just wouldnt allow it.
Lots of Feelings in This Movie!
ozlemk-9355221 February 2018
You can really feel many different feelings at the same time: horror, mercy, sadness, terrifying things all in one :) Adrien Brody is all great at all movie and his love of animals and not only animals that I admire at all. Fantastic :) This is a movie that you can feel the sadness of a dog from inside the feelings... I felt the sadnesss so deeply that I can not explain...
The stupidest dog love story ever made
nadeem_19422 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Three stars for the hound he was the hero of the story.
The name bullet head would appear to people as something shot out of a cannon but in this movie bullet head is something we all ponder at the end of the movie about what was the title of the movie.
The super human dog who takes his own time to attack when the plot seems to go. i mean come on it doesnt take two hours to kill an old man. Dont get me started on the drug addict who some how dies after injecting himself with god knows what.
What kind of robbers break into a safe without any guns ?? Like pointy fingers under their coats. Adrian brody does a good job with acting and the parkour he has to do to survive.But dies in the end what a surpirse. Shot and killed by the one and only protagonist in the movie other than the hound and his caretaker. Antonio Banderas shows up with automatic rifle not being able to kill a man standing ten feet away and when he does get to shoot him he tries to tell stories like the grimm brothers did.
In the end dog fights with the gun holding maniac ripping his throat apart but still gets shot in the process twice in his head and yet manages to kill him somehow.
In the end everyone who showed up on screen in dead including all that money.
Thats the last time ill watch a movie on netflix trending..
The super human dog who takes his own time to attack when the plot seems to go. i mean come on it doesnt take two hours to kill an old man. Dont get me started on the drug addict who some how dies after injecting himself with god knows what.
What kind of robbers break into a safe without any guns ?? Like pointy fingers under their coats. Adrian brody does a good job with acting and the parkour he has to do to survive.But dies in the end what a surpirse. Shot and killed by the one and only protagonist in the movie other than the hound and his caretaker. Antonio Banderas shows up with automatic rifle not being able to kill a man standing ten feet away and when he does get to shoot him he tries to tell stories like the grimm brothers did.
In the end dog fights with the gun holding maniac ripping his throat apart but still gets shot in the process twice in his head and yet manages to kill him somehow.
In the end everyone who showed up on screen in dead including all that money.
Thats the last time ill watch a movie on netflix trending..
I was entertained
balthazaar_ford25 March 2018
I wasn't going to watch this movie when I saw it was about a killer dog - give me a break. But with Brody and Malkovich, I thought, well I'd give it a shot on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The dialogue was amusing in parts, and moving in other parts. If you fear dogs, this movie will frighten you, and if you love dogs, this movie will sadden you. Sure this isn't an Oscar winning film nor will it be a cult classic, but if you want to experience some unexpected emotions, watch this film.
Pile of dead dogs??
danielle-173-5729213 December 2018
Horrible - they need to tell potential viewers that the central plot line is based on DOG FIGHTING and there is a tremendous amount of violence regarding dogs in this movie. I love all these actors but DESPISED the plot. Get outta here with that.
Canine Lovers Beware!!!
zardoz-1312 May 2018
Warning: Spoilers
"Grace" writer & director Paul Solet's grim, unsavory crime thriller "Bullet Head" is one of those movies where everything happens in one location. In this instance, three professional criminals wind up hiding out in a sprawling, abandoned warehouse in an anonymous American city as they wait for the police to call off their search for them. Originally a quartet of criminals, they crash their Cadillac into the warehouse, and the fourth member of their gang-the driver-dies. Until the heat lets up, Stacy (Adrien Brody of "The Thin Red Line"), Walker (John Malkovich of "Con-Air"), and Gage (Rory Culkin of "Scream 4") cannot really do anything but play the waiting game. Meanwhile, what they don't know is that the warehouse is used as a site for dogfights. Blue (Antonio Banderas of "Expendables 3") wages money on dogfights, but his latest discovery-a pit bull-has finally let him down. The man who handles Blue's fighting dogs (Ori Pfeffer of "Hacksaw Ridge") is about to put the pit down. He attaches jumper cables to the poor, bloody beast as it stands in a cement basin of water. At this point, I should say that sensitive souls and canine lovers specifically may not have what it takes to stomach this tale of poetic justice. Brody, Malkovich, and Culkin are around for the main part of the action, while Banderas shows up at the beginning and returns near the end. Our three criminals have a safe that they need to crack, but they must await their accomplices. The dog handler fails to kill the dog. In fact, the dog miraculously survives this act of utter cruelty and kills the handler. It is about this time that our sort of heroes realize that they are up against a big, mean, son of a brute. One other reviewer accurately described this effort as "Cujo" meets "Reservoir Dogs." Despite its depressing storyline, "Bullet Head" provides us with some interesting characters, some endearing dog scenes, and some disturbing dog scenes. As it turns out, the abandoned warehouse is used as a staging area for dogfights. In one scene, we are shown the corpses of canines stacked up like Holocaust victims. Again, I cannot emphasize enough-if you love dogs, you might find several scenes, if not this entire movie objectionable. Everybody in "Bullet Head" has a dog story, and the two characters that Adrien Brody and John Malkovich play share a charisma that isn't true for their younger accomplice. He has brought what appears to be a sack of narcotics and loves to stick needles into the tattoo of a sledgehammer on his forearm. Gage's tattoo has something to do with a tragic dog story. The biggest problem that "Bullet Head" contends with is the air of predictability that hangs over the action. Credit Solet for adding a twist about an hour into the action involving the relationship between the big, bloody pit bull on Stacy. Lensed on location overseas, "Bullet Head" isn't a top tier tale, but Solet and his "Bad Country" cinematographer Zoran Popovic, who collaborated with him on his horror epic Grace, have gone out of their way to make a serious saga. They rely on special lenses to provide the dog's perspective throughout the action. Solet crafts some genuine suspense as the hound goes after Walker and Stacy in one scene where Brody and Malkovich performed their own stunts. Banderas is clearly cast as a villain, and he receives his just comeuppance at fadeout. As ominous as this movie is, there are some lighter moments-the scene between Walker and Stacy, and there is a scrap of a happy ending. Undoubtedly, the funniest scene has Stacy using a huge poodle to help him with his crimes. Although the director and most of the cast are dog lovers or at least claim to be, "Bullet Head" is still a melodrama that dog lovers should approach with caution.
I enjoyed this movie
tlarraya18 January 2018
Very decent action flick, but...
jeffgraham25 September 2018
I did not expect too much from this ( as Malcovich is rarely in anything decent these days) but was pleasantly surprised. Shades of Reservoir Dogs, but with actual canines, this is a thoughtful and well-acted piece, dog lovers may find it difficult to watch though...
Unwatchable
a-c-c27 January 2019
Let's get something out of the way first and foremost: if you're a normal person that doesn't like cruelty to animals, skip this movie.
I don't know why Adrian Brody is in this, but I guess we all have bills to pay. His acting is wasted on a pretty terrible script.
Everything that should be backstory or subtext is described in detail, often in a flashback with characters spewing laughably bad dialogue. But John Malkovich knows which tank he's in... [eyeroll.gif]
Definitely skip this one.
I don't know why Adrian Brody is in this, but I guess we all have bills to pay. His acting is wasted on a pretty terrible script.
Everything that should be backstory or subtext is described in detail, often in a flashback with characters spewing laughably bad dialogue. But John Malkovich knows which tank he's in... [eyeroll.gif]
Definitely skip this one.
A film made by many Bulgarians!
RodrigAndrisan9 December 2017
A good role for one of the many Culkin brothers. A small and silent role for the beautiful Romanian Alexandra Dinu, former Mutu. Consistent roles for three great actors, Adrien Brody, Antonio Banderas and John Malkovich. All three are very good, Banderas has a unique role, and John Malkovich is John Malkovich. The protagonist of this film is actually a dog, on how furious, so intelligent. Static, boring but with some suspense.
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