Caffeinated Clint
Around the same time that faux “Expendables 2” plot started doing the rounds, so did a synopsis and rundown of “Headshot”, the Walter Hill flick that Sly Stallone and Thomas Jane are attached to. The flick is about a hitman and a cop that team up to catch a crook and is gearing up for a shoot in fiscally-friendly New Orleans.
What’s Playing have the first word on the script and, rather surprisingly (thought it sounded as weak as vodaka-less punch myself), say it’s good – in that ”80s throwback’ fashion.
”While it’s true Sly and Tommy Boy haven’t exactly been cranking out winners of late, and while this one’s far from Oscar bait, there’s nothing better than a real audience-pleaser – and this most definitely is”, says Hollywood Insider. “Headshot is definitely of the same mold as some of the action classics gathering dust on your shelf there.”
”Headshot, much like Sly’s The Expendables, is a throwback to a long-forgotten ’80s movie trend – the buddy action flick. Director Walter Hill apparently signed on for it because it’s script reminded him so much of those types of flicks (a couple of which he’s made himself – 48 Hours and Red Heat, for example) and, of course, with mismatched hero duo’s his specialty, Hill thought he could be of use.”
Here’s an abridged version of the story, minor spoilers follow :
Jimmy Bobo (Stallone) and his partner Louis are cocky, proficient assassins (think Vincent and Jules in Pulp Fiction – they waffle on about anything and everything pre and post job; take killing all in stride). When the film opens the duo are sent to pop a congressman – who, of course, is mid-spank with a woman-for-hire half-his-age – and do so with ease.
We quickly discover Jimmy and Louis are ‘Okay’ – they’re only prepared to take out the person they’re paid to take out (Jimmy especially is “getting soft”).. and if you’re an innocent, pretty young thing, they’ll make sure you get out of a hothouse alive. Which is what happens.Officer Eric Carlisle (Jane), a workaholic tin man, hits the murder scene [of the congressman] – and quickly discovers that he’s not needed; when a high-ranking government official is murdered it’s the FBI’s terrain. He’ll, of course, get involved anyway.
Carlisle quickly gets another assignment – and again, related to our assassin pals. Hitman Louis is assassinated at a casino – by a square-jawed military man-type, Keegan. Jimmy, unfortunately, was in the John at the time.
Assassin and Cop meet for the first time at the morgue – Jimmy exiting after slapping some shiny now shoe’s on his late partner’s body.
It’s at a local bar that Jimmy and Carlisle meet formally and, upon realizing they can be of assistance to one another, reluctantly agree to partner up in the hunt for the bad guys. Oh, the bad guys? Fat pigs… politician types. with sharpshooters on their payroll. And tracks to cover.
That does sound like fun…
