712 reviews
John Woo knows, if anybody, how to make good, stylish action. And that's exactly what this film is; good, cool, stylish action. The plot is great; fairly psychological and quite interesting. It has a fast(and remarkably even) pace, I don't think more than 30 minutes passes at any point in the movie without a giant action scene. All in all, I'd guess there are about four or five major shootouts, and two chase scenes which are each several minutes long(without getting repetitive, fortunately). The acting is excellent; every single major part is well-played. John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan Allen, Alessandro Nivola, Gina Gershon, Dominique Swain... all give great, entirely believable performances. The best are definitely Travolta and Cage, though; fantastic, truly stellar performances. The characters are all well-written and credible, right down to the most minor one. The action is cool and very stylish, in every single action-scene. The theme of the film is great; of course, the story is completely unlikely, with the face-switching and all, but once you get past that, once you suspend disbelief, you'll most likely enjoy the film thoroughly. The script is excellent, plenty of action, drama, and thriller parts. Also, you gotta love the sharp contrast 3/4's into the movie, with the kid listening to sugary pop-music, while people are shooting intensely at each other. Great film. I recommend it to any fan of John Woo, Nicholas Cage, John Travolta and action films. 8/10
- TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews
- Jul 28, 2004
- Permalink
This would not have worked had it takes itself seriously.
This film has some of the cagiest Nic Cage moments ever. And I love crazy Cage.
This film has some of the cagiest Nic Cage moments ever. And I love crazy Cage.
FACE/OFF
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Panavision)
Sound formats: Dolby Digital / DTS
This magnificent thriller represents director John Woo's triumphant return to the kind of hyperkinetic, emotionally charged film-making which made him such a hot property in the first place. Following the artistic bankruptcy of his first two Hollywood projects, this one is a marriage of high-octane movie-making and mind-twisting narrative complexities. It's also one of the few American action movies which manages to strike a balance between crowd-pleasing set-pieces and domestic interludes, and renders them equally important. John Travolta and Nicolas Cage are perfectly matched as hero/villain (and vice versa!), whilst heavyweight theatre actress Joan Allen provides the narrative with much of its dramatic backbone in the role of Travolta's wife (the scene in which she is first confronted with her husband in Cage's body is almost identical to a similar scene in Terence Fisher's FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED [1969]).
Technically, the film is a blast, and Woo stages the action highlights with a visual grace and dexterity that is often breathtaking to behold. The climactic speedboat battle is probably the finest set-piece of Woo's career to date, and the script is overflowing with visual and thematic ironies that underscore the action highlights. In fact, the production has arguably more dramatic resonance than any other Hollywood blockbuster of the 1990s, but the dictates of American commercialism mean that Woo is only able to skate over the emotional surface of his characters and their moral dilemmas. The two main protagonists are much too cold and heartless to fully engage the audience's sympathies, and there's nothing here that matches the scorching human drama of, say, BULLET IN THE HEAD (1990). But for all that, FACE/OFF dares to go deeper than your average Hollywood action picture. It's clever, witty and thrilling, and it manages to accomplish the difficult task of feeding the brain whilst entertaining the eye.
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Panavision)
Sound formats: Dolby Digital / DTS
This magnificent thriller represents director John Woo's triumphant return to the kind of hyperkinetic, emotionally charged film-making which made him such a hot property in the first place. Following the artistic bankruptcy of his first two Hollywood projects, this one is a marriage of high-octane movie-making and mind-twisting narrative complexities. It's also one of the few American action movies which manages to strike a balance between crowd-pleasing set-pieces and domestic interludes, and renders them equally important. John Travolta and Nicolas Cage are perfectly matched as hero/villain (and vice versa!), whilst heavyweight theatre actress Joan Allen provides the narrative with much of its dramatic backbone in the role of Travolta's wife (the scene in which she is first confronted with her husband in Cage's body is almost identical to a similar scene in Terence Fisher's FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED [1969]).
Technically, the film is a blast, and Woo stages the action highlights with a visual grace and dexterity that is often breathtaking to behold. The climactic speedboat battle is probably the finest set-piece of Woo's career to date, and the script is overflowing with visual and thematic ironies that underscore the action highlights. In fact, the production has arguably more dramatic resonance than any other Hollywood blockbuster of the 1990s, but the dictates of American commercialism mean that Woo is only able to skate over the emotional surface of his characters and their moral dilemmas. The two main protagonists are much too cold and heartless to fully engage the audience's sympathies, and there's nothing here that matches the scorching human drama of, say, BULLET IN THE HEAD (1990). But for all that, FACE/OFF dares to go deeper than your average Hollywood action picture. It's clever, witty and thrilling, and it manages to accomplish the difficult task of feeding the brain whilst entertaining the eye.
From director John Woo comes this exhilarating action movie that takes a deadly cat-and-mouse game to the next level! A tortured federal agent, haunted by a painful tragedy and obsessed with catching the slick sociopathic terrorist who's eluded him for years and years, is forced to take the face of his mortal enemy in order to acquire vital information. The daring plan quickly goes awry when he loses his own identity in the process, and discovers his arch-enemy is cohabiting with his family. Film's enjoyment depends on the viewer: you'll either condemn the story as absurd and far-fetched, or you'll buy into it and go along for this supercharged, over-the-top action extravaganza. Travolta and Cage are both extraordinarily good, and with Woo at the helm you know that you'd better hang on for dear life! Occasionally silly, with a plot that tosses credibility out the window, but still a helluva lot of fun. ***
- Special-K88
- Feb 13, 2002
- Permalink
Face/Off is amazing because it mixes an outrageously cornball plot with some of the best acting in an action movie. How John Woo pulled it off is beyond me. His visual imagery is flamboyant and decorative, yet never fails to deliver the goods. There is always a flurry of images to grasp our attention. Granted, his typical trademarks are here, but never does the script suffer from the same problems as in his other works.
Nicolas Cage and John Travolta are phenomenal in their dual roles each. The rest of the cast isn't very deep and is more filler than anything else. The editing job feels underdone, particularly when the action sequences get to the "overcooked" staged. Still, how many speedboat chases or airplane crashes are you going to see in a slow-motion?
Overall, a summer action movie that delivers in acting, directing, and most other departments. 4 out of 5 stars.
Nicolas Cage and John Travolta are phenomenal in their dual roles each. The rest of the cast isn't very deep and is more filler than anything else. The editing job feels underdone, particularly when the action sequences get to the "overcooked" staged. Still, how many speedboat chases or airplane crashes are you going to see in a slow-motion?
Overall, a summer action movie that delivers in acting, directing, and most other departments. 4 out of 5 stars.
- Angry_Arguer
- Jul 9, 2003
- Permalink
Yes, make no mistake: this is a very entertaining, very stylish film, done by Hong Kong action guru John Wood and featuring two fine actors. However, its almost too much to watch in one viewing. It just wears you out! If this film was cut from 140 minutes to 120 it would have been much easier to watch.
Woo's action scenes includes tons of explosions and breaking glass. This director just can't get enough of those explosion scenes. Some of those segments are excellent but many of them go on too long, particularly at the end of the film where it went on what seemed like forever.
The best part of the film are the two lead actors and the interchangeable characters they play. John Travolta and Nicholas Cage are extremely entertaining in here. If they kept the story more about those guys and their switched identities and didn't have eight thousand explosions, this could have a super movie.
Woo's action scenes includes tons of explosions and breaking glass. This director just can't get enough of those explosion scenes. Some of those segments are excellent but many of them go on too long, particularly at the end of the film where it went on what seemed like forever.
The best part of the film are the two lead actors and the interchangeable characters they play. John Travolta and Nicholas Cage are extremely entertaining in here. If they kept the story more about those guys and their switched identities and didn't have eight thousand explosions, this could have a super movie.
- ccthemovieman-1
- May 12, 2006
- Permalink
"Face/Off" is an excellent movie that will never get out of your head, it's that memorable. I saw this movie probably 6 or 7 years ago and I still think about it and finally bought it the other day.
The performances, this is it, folks. We have two of the finest and very popular actors: John Travolta and Nicholas Cage. These two are amazing, to transfer back and forth. John had to go from this kind, loving, and very sensitive man to a looney, cold-blooded, heartless maniac. Nicholas went from being the scary and perverted psycho to a helpless and struggling man trapped in this killer's body. My kudos to Nicholas, that was a tough performance to capture. I felt his pain, no one would believe that he was Sean Archer, who would after all? His body has been kidnapped from Castor Troy who is now playing around with his job, his daughter, and his wife. I felt so scarred for him, because I cannot imagine in a million years what that must feel like, the isolation, the abuse, and the feeling of utter helplessness. In my opinion, these are one of the best performances in 1997. The supporting cast of: Joan Allen, Gina Gershon, and Alessandro Nivola add so much, you get into the film entirely.
This is a very scary movie. This is identity theft gone terribly wrong and beyond any borders. I loved this movie and any other film fanatic will definitely enjoy it as well. It has great action, drama, romance, and dark comedy that bring together a terrific film.
10/10
The performances, this is it, folks. We have two of the finest and very popular actors: John Travolta and Nicholas Cage. These two are amazing, to transfer back and forth. John had to go from this kind, loving, and very sensitive man to a looney, cold-blooded, heartless maniac. Nicholas went from being the scary and perverted psycho to a helpless and struggling man trapped in this killer's body. My kudos to Nicholas, that was a tough performance to capture. I felt his pain, no one would believe that he was Sean Archer, who would after all? His body has been kidnapped from Castor Troy who is now playing around with his job, his daughter, and his wife. I felt so scarred for him, because I cannot imagine in a million years what that must feel like, the isolation, the abuse, and the feeling of utter helplessness. In my opinion, these are one of the best performances in 1997. The supporting cast of: Joan Allen, Gina Gershon, and Alessandro Nivola add so much, you get into the film entirely.
This is a very scary movie. This is identity theft gone terribly wrong and beyond any borders. I loved this movie and any other film fanatic will definitely enjoy it as well. It has great action, drama, romance, and dark comedy that bring together a terrific film.
10/10
- Smells_Like_Cheese
- Nov 27, 2003
- Permalink
I guess this is what people mean when they say "so bad, it's good". In reality, the phrase simply means "dumb but fun" because if the film is good, then it, inherently, can't be bad. I suppose the phrase could also refer to a bad film that one enjoys regardless of its sub-par nature, but even this is slightly flawed logic: art is subjective and if you think a film is good, then it is good (there are no 'guilty pleasures'). In any case, John Woo's 'Face/Off (1997)' is an expertly-made piece of 'B-movie' entertainment, one with a well-written script that may be silly but is only smartly so. It's as 'schlocky' as it is precise. That is to say that it's as dumb as they come but it's twice as fun. Every moment feels hand-crafted to be just as over-the-top as it needs to, sublimely toeing the line between self-serious and almost satirical, and the overall result is undeniably a blast. From the extended, smoky set-pieces to the balls-to-the-wall but emotive performances to Woo's ostentatious auteur signatures, the picture just flies by and keeps you smiling, essentially, every step of the way. Travolta as Cage and Cage as Travolta is as iconic and complex a cinematic pairing as there has ever been and it is pulled off impeccably. I'd even go so far as to say this is Cage's best performance, as he excels in both of his roles. Travolta is fine, but he stands out far more when he's in his villainous position. Still, the characters, quite remarkably, always come before the actors (the protagonist always seems like the protagonist, no matter who is playing him and vice versa). Indeed, there are actually some pretty intelligent ideas at play here and the way in which the narrative undercuts itself at certain points really is inspired. At the same time, though, the plot itself doesn't necessarily hold up to all that much scrutiny outside of its basic beats and requires a considerable amount of suspension of disbelief even within its own world. At the end of the day, I wouldn't have it any other way. This is a surprisingly good feature that takes the best elements of its disparate aspects and mashes them together rather successfully. It's entertaining. 7/10
- Pjtaylor-96-138044
- Jun 6, 2019
- Permalink
This is simply the best action movie I have ever seen. Very few movies come close, but don't overtake, this masterpiece. John Woo has unleashed an action movie that all should see at least once. And all action fans should own. The action scenes are fast and furious, the script is great, and the story is pretty good, and John Travolta and Nicholas Cage give excellent performances. See this movie now if you haven't already, or if you just haven't seen it recently you will not be disappointed. This movie would get 10 out of 10 from me.
- GirishGowda
- May 1, 2010
- Permalink
Face/Off, a master piece of the 90's, is a must watch film. This sweeping drama stars two paragons of Hollywood, Oscar Winner, Nicolas Cage, and John Travolta, of Michael fame. Nicolas Cage knows no bounds when playing a cheeky, but unsettling, Castor Troy, yet is able to capture family man Sean Archer with a profound execution. Not to be outdone, John Travolta's daring portrayal of Caster brings out this family man's inner demons. When one hoodwinks the other, the game is afoot. All in all, Cage and Travolta deliver a performance that dances into our souls that would make Curious George and The Man With The Yellow Hat proud. However, John Travolta's actual dancing is sorely missed from this film. Despite this sole flaw, this IS a must watch.
- poolandrews
- Dec 21, 2008
- Permalink
This is an epic action movie with everything and more: plane explosions, a jail break, boat chases, the latest scientific advances, and of course, the white doves flying off before a gun fight. It also has the premise of putting on someone else's face, which is an insane plot twist, which somehow turns out amazing. Also, if you don't already appreciate the gem to American cinema that Nicholas Cage is, prepare to be blown away.
First of all, this is an action film; if anyone wants to see a movie challenging intelectualy, please watch something else. As an action film, this should be viewed and judged among its so to say 'species' - and as for me - it gets 5/5.
Why?
I'm pondering on it myself. I'm a girl; I should hate action movies and go watch romantic comedies instead (yuck!). I should search the screen for handsome hunks with bare torso and do other crazy, girlish things like that. 'Face/Off' doesn't have handsome men (come on! Travolta in his 40's and the ever sad, puppy-eyed Cage? No fun!). So what is in this film, that makes me watch it whenever I have a chance?
Let's see. The plot - no big deal. Good guy, bad guy, tragedy in the past, revenge, remorse etc. Been there, done that, in dozens of movies before. So what is there left?
Actors. Travolta playing Cage and vice versa. Fun to watch, especially Travolta the good bad guy (or the other way round, the bad good guy). Gershon - liked her in 'Bound', now she's straight. Too bad there's so little of her.
Directing. It's Johny Woo. It was the first film by him I saw, it stayed with me a long way. Why other directors can't stage a simple scene the way he does it - beats me. It's pure poetry; the music, the motion - at one time You forget the people are shooting there, because it all looks like a ballet... Yet, it's 'just' an action film; there's no need in getting too philosophical about it...Or is there?
The split personality. The fact that your worst enemy knows you better than you know yourself... Oh, stop it. It's just an action film.
I wish more action films were like that. Wishful thinking?...
Why?
I'm pondering on it myself. I'm a girl; I should hate action movies and go watch romantic comedies instead (yuck!). I should search the screen for handsome hunks with bare torso and do other crazy, girlish things like that. 'Face/Off' doesn't have handsome men (come on! Travolta in his 40's and the ever sad, puppy-eyed Cage? No fun!). So what is in this film, that makes me watch it whenever I have a chance?
Let's see. The plot - no big deal. Good guy, bad guy, tragedy in the past, revenge, remorse etc. Been there, done that, in dozens of movies before. So what is there left?
Actors. Travolta playing Cage and vice versa. Fun to watch, especially Travolta the good bad guy (or the other way round, the bad good guy). Gershon - liked her in 'Bound', now she's straight. Too bad there's so little of her.
Directing. It's Johny Woo. It was the first film by him I saw, it stayed with me a long way. Why other directors can't stage a simple scene the way he does it - beats me. It's pure poetry; the music, the motion - at one time You forget the people are shooting there, because it all looks like a ballet... Yet, it's 'just' an action film; there's no need in getting too philosophical about it...Or is there?
The split personality. The fact that your worst enemy knows you better than you know yourself... Oh, stop it. It's just an action film.
I wish more action films were like that. Wishful thinking?...
I remember watching this movie when I was in my teens and had been thrilled by it! Recently, I decided on rewatching it and it left an impression very different from my first time watching it. It seemed pretty ridiculous, and the acting seemed subpar after the faces get swapped. Overall I didn't really enjoy the movie the second time. Guess it was a pretty good movie for when it was made.
- sumanth053
- Oct 24, 2019
- Permalink
I first watched this movie as a young boy back in the early 00s and it really blew my mind.I liked every aspect of it from the storyline to the action to the slow mo church scene with pigeons flying around before a shootout.Nearly 20 years layer I watched it again and it never disappoints and never seems to age.
- abdiluqman-47593
- Jul 15, 2020
- Permalink
- Horst_In_Translation
- Jan 6, 2020
- Permalink
What can I say?! One of the best movies I have ever seen. The Storyline is superb, and the acting is of the finest actors there is. Cage and Travolta deserve Oscars for their performances; how Cage changed from a murdering criminal to a determined good cop in the way he did, I will never know.
Another great element of this film is the action: Guns, knives, grenade launchers, AK-47s and so on! Some of the greatest gun fights I have ever seen in any movie take place here, specifically the the cop vs criminal fight in the mansion, is it? Anyway, these are just a few things I have mentioned that put this in my top 3 movies. But I must emphasise the acting once more, and how tremendous both Travolta and Cage are in this master-piece.
10/10, or in other words, brilliant!
Another great element of this film is the action: Guns, knives, grenade launchers, AK-47s and so on! Some of the greatest gun fights I have ever seen in any movie take place here, specifically the the cop vs criminal fight in the mansion, is it? Anyway, these are just a few things I have mentioned that put this in my top 3 movies. But I must emphasise the acting once more, and how tremendous both Travolta and Cage are in this master-piece.
10/10, or in other words, brilliant!
Growing up in the 90s, I had heard this movie mentioned by a lot of average joes as being an awesome movie, commonly revered in conversation. The core of my formative movie-viewing experience comes from this time period (late-90s to early-2000s). But I missed this one.
I often watch old movies and have no problem adjusting my expectations to the time period, almost all movies are timeless to me.
However, I first watched this in 2012 and...my goodness...the action is severely dated and so over-the-top and awful it comes off as campy. The single-sample-non-variant gunfire audio alone is enough to make me laugh; they should update these sounds if/when they make a 4K transfer. Watch it and you'll see what I mean. The above doesn't help when the main plot is already trying to walk a fine line between acceptable and ridiculous, and there are enough plot holes to drive a boat chase through. Throw in Nicholas Cage and John Travolta, who at the time were not both widely panned by critics (personally I like them sometimes), and you have something...epic. Not "epic" as in a great movie, but "epic" in an entertaining and different way.
I assume Hollywood will probably reboot this movie in the coming decade. Could be good.
I often watch old movies and have no problem adjusting my expectations to the time period, almost all movies are timeless to me.
However, I first watched this in 2012 and...my goodness...the action is severely dated and so over-the-top and awful it comes off as campy. The single-sample-non-variant gunfire audio alone is enough to make me laugh; they should update these sounds if/when they make a 4K transfer. Watch it and you'll see what I mean. The above doesn't help when the main plot is already trying to walk a fine line between acceptable and ridiculous, and there are enough plot holes to drive a boat chase through. Throw in Nicholas Cage and John Travolta, who at the time were not both widely panned by critics (personally I like them sometimes), and you have something...epic. Not "epic" as in a great movie, but "epic" in an entertaining and different way.
I assume Hollywood will probably reboot this movie in the coming decade. Could be good.
- seanahalpin
- Feb 17, 2002
- Permalink