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
578 Reviews
John and Nicholas make quite a pair in Face/Off
Smells_Like_Cheese28 November 2003
"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
a great action experience
Special-K8814 February 2002
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. ***
Face/Off
0U5 March 2020
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.
Corny. Crazy. Cool.
Angry_Arguer10 July 2003
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.
This is how you do silly.
mahmus20 May 2020
Woo's US breakthrough: A triumph!
Libretio26 January 2000
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.
As dumb as they come but twice as fun.
Pjtaylor-96-1380447 June 2019
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
Wow....this one is good
gazzo-227 August 2000
This one has a tough job of convincing the audience that the main characters, Travolta and Cage, could swap faces via plastic surgery and still be convincing as one another. It works! Woo has a certain style down-the long flowing robes, slow mo shootouts, orchestral hype in the background, furious shoot outs, explosions, etc. Essentially a more stylish Bruckheimer movie if ya think about it.
I have always liked the Bald guy and Gina Gershon here the most from the supporting cast, and enjoyed the way both the leads got to 'understand' the others' family, way of life, friends, etc. You have to like how Castor gets Travolta's girl to learn knife fighting, for example, or seeing the camaraderie of Cage's group.
Good shootouts and action, sometimes the conceits here are quite far flung, but you can live with that as an audience. I sure did, and so give this...
*** outta ****, it's quite good
I have always liked the Bald guy and Gina Gershon here the most from the supporting cast, and enjoyed the way both the leads got to 'understand' the others' family, way of life, friends, etc. You have to like how Castor gets Travolta's girl to learn knife fighting, for example, or seeing the camaraderie of Cage's group.
Good shootouts and action, sometimes the conceits here are quite far flung, but you can live with that as an audience. I sure did, and so give this...
*** outta ****, it's quite good
Woo Never Saw An Explosion He Didn't Like
ccthemovieman-113 May 2006
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.
Ridiculous
gbill-7487716 July 2020
Absolutely ridiculous premise, with a story and direction that regularly opts for explosions and big American style moments rather than respecting the viewer's intelligence. Nicolas Cage and John Travolta compete to see who is a worse actor, and Cage "wins." Sean Penn nailed it when he said disparagingly after movies like this that "Nic Cage is no longer an actor. He's more like a performer." John Woo serves up cliché after cliché (the black sidekicks, the rebellious daughter, the improbable gunfights, the silly editing during the action scenes...) and this thing just went on and on until that horrifically cheesy ending. Seriously, the only thing this is good for is laughing at how bad it is.
Preposterous fun big, loud and exciting with a master at the helm
bob the moo8 February 2002
Sean Archer is the head of a special unit set up to hunt down master criminal Caster Troy. In an airport shootout Archer puts Troy in a coma and captures his brother Pollux. Archer then discovers that Troy has planted a bomb in LA, yet Pollux refuses to reveal where it is. With time running out Archer is offered a terrible option - to switch faces with Troy and have surgery to alter his body shape. After the surgery Archer goes undercover in prison to learn the location of the bomb. However when in prison, Troy awakes from his coma, forces the doctors to give him Archer's face, kills everyone who knows about the mission and assumes Archer's life. Trapped in prison, Archer is forced to escape from prison and join with Troy's gang to expose Troy - mayhem ensues.
This was Woo's third American film and it was the one he finally struck gold with. The story is simply daft - don't try to pick holes in it because it's far too easy to do. What makes the film is that the plot is glossed over by sheer spectacle and great action - you barely have a moment to catch your breath, never mind pick holes in the plot. The action is fantastic throughout - plenty of trademark slow-mo, diving with two guns etc and all given such style. In his other US films it all felt like Woo-lite, however here he is allowed to do just what he wants. OK - the plot may not stand up in repeated viewing, but the action is superb!
Travolta and Cage both have great fun playing each other - they mange to swap roles really well. Travolta has the most fun as he gets to ham it up as Troy for most of the time, but Cage has the better role as he plays the `good guy' for most of it. Allen and Gershon are both good as the protagonist's partners but have little to do in this man's world. Really it's all about Cage and Travolta and Woo - nobody else really matters.
Overall this may not be a great film due to the weakness of it's plot, but it is still a superb action movie. Most action movies have poor plots - but not all can provide the huge amount of action and fun that Face/Off does. Fantastic!
This was Woo's third American film and it was the one he finally struck gold with. The story is simply daft - don't try to pick holes in it because it's far too easy to do. What makes the film is that the plot is glossed over by sheer spectacle and great action - you barely have a moment to catch your breath, never mind pick holes in the plot. The action is fantastic throughout - plenty of trademark slow-mo, diving with two guns etc and all given such style. In his other US films it all felt like Woo-lite, however here he is allowed to do just what he wants. OK - the plot may not stand up in repeated viewing, but the action is superb!
Travolta and Cage both have great fun playing each other - they mange to swap roles really well. Travolta has the most fun as he gets to ham it up as Troy for most of the time, but Cage has the better role as he plays the `good guy' for most of it. Allen and Gershon are both good as the protagonist's partners but have little to do in this man's world. Really it's all about Cage and Travolta and Woo - nobody else really matters.
Overall this may not be a great film due to the weakness of it's plot, but it is still a superb action movie. Most action movies have poor plots - but not all can provide the huge amount of action and fun that Face/Off does. Fantastic!
The most overrated film of '97.
Rammstein-217 January 2000
How is it possible that a film containing one of the most incredibly STUPID plot holes, logic leap, dumb trick - call it what you like - can be so popular? I don't get it. Just how can Cage and Travolta can switch faces and no one notices that they did? More to the point, how can they switch faces at all? I don't buy it. And then this film becomes really lousy.
Yeah yeah, great action - I've seen better. Great performance? NOOOOOO, just have a look at the scene where Cage says "I'm going to take his face ... off", that's AWFUL!
There is only one part that I fully enjoyed. That's when Cage's character discovers just what the prison he is placed in is... That's great. I just wish I had seen it in another movie. This one is clearly overrated.
Yeah yeah, great action - I've seen better. Great performance? NOOOOOO, just have a look at the scene where Cage says "I'm going to take his face ... off", that's AWFUL!
There is only one part that I fully enjoyed. That's when Cage's character discovers just what the prison he is placed in is... That's great. I just wish I had seen it in another movie. This one is clearly overrated.
Gives Being Two Faced a Whole New Meaning
evanston_dad17 July 2009
If I were an actor, my one rule of career management would be to avoid starring in any movie that also starred Nicolas Cage, as it's bound to royally suck.
"Face/Off" is horrible. It takes an outlandish premise to begin with but stretches it to the point that no human being with the ability to think could possibly tolerate it. The writers could have made SOME attempt at establishing some believability even with the far out premise, but everyone involved in the film's production was too lazy to bother.
And this is one film that gets so violent that it stops being fun (not that it's ever much fun to begin with).
Grade: F
"Face/Off" is horrible. It takes an outlandish premise to begin with but stretches it to the point that no human being with the ability to think could possibly tolerate it. The writers could have made SOME attempt at establishing some believability even with the far out premise, but everyone involved in the film's production was too lazy to bother.
And this is one film that gets so violent that it stops being fun (not that it's ever much fun to begin with).
Grade: F
"Face/Off" - Identity crisis?
dee.reid11 September 2007
A movie about a hockey match, this isn't.
1997's "Face/Off," the third (and to this date, most successful) American feature from Hong Kong action director John Woo, is everything a fan of Woo's Asian work could possibly hope for. It's a loud, fast-paced, and spectacularly violent epic helmed by a master craftsman. And even with this ambitious third American feature, it is vastly on par with the director's Hong Kong work and is very easily one of the best films of his career.
Woo made a name for himself back in Asia as the director of hyper-stylized, hard-hitting pot-boiler action films like "The Killer" (1989) and "Hard Boiled" (1992), where he made an art form of dual-pistol-wielding gun-play and action shoot-'em-up. You want action? John Woo is your man to go to. He made his first American feature with Jean-Claude Van Damme in "Hard Target" (1993) and followed it up with "Broken Arrow" in 1996. Now we're at "Face/Off."
"Face/Off" stars a daring and intrepid Los Angeles F.B.I. agent named Sean Archer (John Travolta), who for the last six years has been on the trail of psycho freelance terrorist Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) after he killed Archer's young son. So when Archer finally captures Troy (who's put into a coma as a result) within the film's opening 20 minutes, Archer thinks it's the last of his arch-nemesis.
But of course it's not over, not by a long shot. The screenplay by writers Mike Webb and Michael Colleary throws us a curve-ball in the form of something write out of a sci-fi medical novel: to save L.A. from biological annihilation, Archer must become his enemy and learn the location of said biological payload. Archer trades physical identities with Troy bu undergoing a radical surgical procedure to get Troy's sociopath younger brother Pollux (Alessandro Nivola) to give up the goods.
However, Troy comes out of his coma and assumes Archer's identity as an F.B.I. man, a job he comes to love and abuses with joyful glee, and even gets cozy with Archer's neglected wife Eve (Joan Allen) and daughter Jamie (Dominique Swain). His first move is to destroy all the evidence that proves each man's true identity and seemingly leaves no way to reverse the procedures when he kills everyone involved in the mission (how sick and twisted is he, anyway?). His next plan is to systematically eliminate his old allies to afford protection for himself and his brother. In the meantime, Archer (as Castor) is left to rot in a federal prison that the Geneva Convention doesn't know exists and has to find a way to get out to defeat his nemesis once and for all, even if it means actually "becoming" him, and using Troy's old buddies to his advantage. You want to talk about identity crisis?
10 years after its release, this movie is still as balletic and energetic, action-packed and exciting as it was all those years ago. John Travolta and Nicolas Cage were perfectly cast as the perfect hero and perfect villain in what was one of the hottest action movies of that year. The only problem is, though, both actors enjoy switching their roles and playing off each other in a vicious blood feud, although it seems that Travolta was having the most fun here, leaving Cage a little hard-pressed to remain on the sidelines as the hero. Hot off their success in movies such as "Pulp Fiction" (1994) and "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995), Travolta revels in Cage's bad guy performance (even if Cage is Cage and Travolta is Travolta - for only about 20 minutes each). Coldly sadistic and over-the-edge/brave and determined, you can tell who likes things best.
The film's action scenes, which there are plenty of, is where "Face/Off" chiefly excels at. Woo brings much of the gusto and gun-play loved by so many in his native land to a place that's foreign. Perhaps this is why his two earlier efforts may have been failures here in the U.S. (Yet, third time's a charm, right?) As if crises of identity weren't enough, Woo seemed to be going through a transformation himself, adjusting his craft for American audiences.
But with "Face/Off," Woo proves to be at the top of his game, since he has the right actors, the right action and special effects, and the right stuff to pull it all off.
10/10
1997's "Face/Off," the third (and to this date, most successful) American feature from Hong Kong action director John Woo, is everything a fan of Woo's Asian work could possibly hope for. It's a loud, fast-paced, and spectacularly violent epic helmed by a master craftsman. And even with this ambitious third American feature, it is vastly on par with the director's Hong Kong work and is very easily one of the best films of his career.
Woo made a name for himself back in Asia as the director of hyper-stylized, hard-hitting pot-boiler action films like "The Killer" (1989) and "Hard Boiled" (1992), where he made an art form of dual-pistol-wielding gun-play and action shoot-'em-up. You want action? John Woo is your man to go to. He made his first American feature with Jean-Claude Van Damme in "Hard Target" (1993) and followed it up with "Broken Arrow" in 1996. Now we're at "Face/Off."
"Face/Off" stars a daring and intrepid Los Angeles F.B.I. agent named Sean Archer (John Travolta), who for the last six years has been on the trail of psycho freelance terrorist Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) after he killed Archer's young son. So when Archer finally captures Troy (who's put into a coma as a result) within the film's opening 20 minutes, Archer thinks it's the last of his arch-nemesis.
But of course it's not over, not by a long shot. The screenplay by writers Mike Webb and Michael Colleary throws us a curve-ball in the form of something write out of a sci-fi medical novel: to save L.A. from biological annihilation, Archer must become his enemy and learn the location of said biological payload. Archer trades physical identities with Troy bu undergoing a radical surgical procedure to get Troy's sociopath younger brother Pollux (Alessandro Nivola) to give up the goods.
However, Troy comes out of his coma and assumes Archer's identity as an F.B.I. man, a job he comes to love and abuses with joyful glee, and even gets cozy with Archer's neglected wife Eve (Joan Allen) and daughter Jamie (Dominique Swain). His first move is to destroy all the evidence that proves each man's true identity and seemingly leaves no way to reverse the procedures when he kills everyone involved in the mission (how sick and twisted is he, anyway?). His next plan is to systematically eliminate his old allies to afford protection for himself and his brother. In the meantime, Archer (as Castor) is left to rot in a federal prison that the Geneva Convention doesn't know exists and has to find a way to get out to defeat his nemesis once and for all, even if it means actually "becoming" him, and using Troy's old buddies to his advantage. You want to talk about identity crisis?
10 years after its release, this movie is still as balletic and energetic, action-packed and exciting as it was all those years ago. John Travolta and Nicolas Cage were perfectly cast as the perfect hero and perfect villain in what was one of the hottest action movies of that year. The only problem is, though, both actors enjoy switching their roles and playing off each other in a vicious blood feud, although it seems that Travolta was having the most fun here, leaving Cage a little hard-pressed to remain on the sidelines as the hero. Hot off their success in movies such as "Pulp Fiction" (1994) and "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995), Travolta revels in Cage's bad guy performance (even if Cage is Cage and Travolta is Travolta - for only about 20 minutes each). Coldly sadistic and over-the-edge/brave and determined, you can tell who likes things best.
The film's action scenes, which there are plenty of, is where "Face/Off" chiefly excels at. Woo brings much of the gusto and gun-play loved by so many in his native land to a place that's foreign. Perhaps this is why his two earlier efforts may have been failures here in the U.S. (Yet, third time's a charm, right?) As if crises of identity weren't enough, Woo seemed to be going through a transformation himself, adjusting his craft for American audiences.
But with "Face/Off," Woo proves to be at the top of his game, since he has the right actors, the right action and special effects, and the right stuff to pull it all off.
10/10
Greatest action movie ever made, period.
Castor-3023 March 2000
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.
Sadistic garbage
Boyo-221 December 1998
What a marvel
abdiluqman-4759316 July 2020
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.
An Insult to Intelligence
IloveHanks30 June 2010
What a crap movie ! One flaw after the other. I wonder what the makers of such movies think about us.This movie is an insult to our intelligence.. Of course it would be a feast to the eyes who love the bombs exploding, planes crashing, buildings blowing and other kinds of unimaginable dross stuff. I don't really mind these if there is a semblance of reality in all the action scenes. But unfortunately that is not the case here. It appalls me that the makers dint realize the quality of their movie while making it. They invest millions of dollars in such BS stuff.
As far the acting is concerned, the lesser i say the better. Cage cannot act to save his life.Clearly he remains the most unimpressive mainstream actor in Hollywood to me. Travolta is no better either. Overall this is really a pathetic movie..
And it is so so so overrated in IMDB...7.3 r u kidding ?
it deserves a 3.7 !
1/10..I regret having watched this movie..I simply couldn't wait it to end..Thankgod i watched it in TV with the usual commercial breaks which gave me some respite.
Well Face Off--------"Beep" Off
As far the acting is concerned, the lesser i say the better. Cage cannot act to save his life.Clearly he remains the most unimpressive mainstream actor in Hollywood to me. Travolta is no better either. Overall this is really a pathetic movie..
And it is so so so overrated in IMDB...7.3 r u kidding ?
it deserves a 3.7 !
1/10..I regret having watched this movie..I simply couldn't wait it to end..Thankgod i watched it in TV with the usual commercial breaks which gave me some respite.
Well Face Off--------"Beep" Off
In my top 3 best Movies.
balgeorge27 July 2010
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!
One of the most appealing, richest, touching, action films in a long time.
hu67522 September 2007
Sean Archer (John Travolta) is a FBI Agent, who tries to capture "Terrorist for Hired" Caster Troy (Oscar-Winner:Nicolas Cage). Sean also has an personal vendetta against Caster, when Caster accidentally killed Sean's son (Myles Jeffery). When Sean finally caught Caster in a airport and knocking him down with an air vent. Sean thinks it's finally over until an mysterious Doctor (CCH Pounder) knows that Caster was hired to plan an Bomb somewhere in LA. While his ex-partners knows nothing about the bomb. Caster's brother (Alessandro Nivola) is refusing to talk. The Doctor proposed to Sean to disguise as Caster Troy by using his face! Which it's seems possible by switching identities and using voice spots as well to sound like Caster with the help of another doctor (Colm Feore). This operation is an success and Sean is going to prisoner as Caster to find out, where's the bomb is by meeting his brother. But when the real Castor awakens from his Coma without an face, Castor uses the two doctors by putting Sean's face and stealing his identity. Caster also killed the doctors and killing Sean's partner (Robert Wisdom). Because they are the only ones, who the dark secret between Sean and Castor. Now Castor as Sean is having an great time by having his job, sleeping with his wife (Joan Allen) and using Sean's daughter (Dominique Swain) more to be a criminal as well. Castor in the identity of Sean using the hero credit by disarming the bomb. Now Sean is furious and he escapes from prison. Now Sean has to face his wife by telling the truth and posing as Caster to meet his dangerous criminal buddies for help.
Directed by John Woo (Broken Arrow, Hard Target, The Killer) made an One of a Kind action film with an preposterous premise that actually works. Which it was originally written as a Sci-Fi/Action/Thriller. But director Woo and screenwriters changed the premise sightly to be in modern today instead. Travolta and Cage are extremely good in their roles by giving heart and soul to this excellent action movie. These two actors are also having an great time playing these characters Over the Top as well. Woo is an expert for creating memorable dynamic action sequences and as well making these characters human as well. There's one stand-out sequence, when the point of view of a little boy (David McCurley) is listening to "Over the Raindow" while watching People getting killed all over him is unexpectedly touching and beautiful in a dark way.
The DVD is a 10th anniversary edition, which this DVD is a 2-Disc Set. Disc One has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an aggressively loud DTS 6.1 Expanded Surround Sound (Also in Dolby Digital 5.1 Ex). Disc one includes an running commentary by the director and the two screenwriters Mike Werb (Darkman 3:Die Darkman Die, Curious George, The Mask) & Michael Colleary (Firehouse Dog, Lara Croft:Tomb Raider). Disc 1 also has an other commentary track by the screenwriters and as well Deleted Scenes with optional commentary by the filmmakers. Disc 2 includes an fascinating one-hour documentary of the film with many new interviews with the cast & crew (expect for Travolta and Cage, sadly "although vintage interviews was used in the DVD"), 25 minute documentary of the films of John Woo and the original theatrical trailer. This film certainly made an impact, once it was release in the summer of 1997 and it went on to have an huge following. Once it released on Video and DVD. This film is still John Woo's best American film to date. I think it's one of those films that Woo will have an hard time to top this one. Because this is an extraordinary picture. Don't miss it. Plenty of familiar faces appears in bit parts, including an young Thomas Jane as a prisoner, John Bloom (Better known as Joe Bob Briggs) and Danny Masterson as a Would-Be Rapist. Two Time Oscar-Winner:Michael Douglas is one of the executive producers of this instant action classic. Panavision. (**** ½/*****).
Directed by John Woo (Broken Arrow, Hard Target, The Killer) made an One of a Kind action film with an preposterous premise that actually works. Which it was originally written as a Sci-Fi/Action/Thriller. But director Woo and screenwriters changed the premise sightly to be in modern today instead. Travolta and Cage are extremely good in their roles by giving heart and soul to this excellent action movie. These two actors are also having an great time playing these characters Over the Top as well. Woo is an expert for creating memorable dynamic action sequences and as well making these characters human as well. There's one stand-out sequence, when the point of view of a little boy (David McCurley) is listening to "Over the Raindow" while watching People getting killed all over him is unexpectedly touching and beautiful in a dark way.
The DVD is a 10th anniversary edition, which this DVD is a 2-Disc Set. Disc One has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an aggressively loud DTS 6.1 Expanded Surround Sound (Also in Dolby Digital 5.1 Ex). Disc one includes an running commentary by the director and the two screenwriters Mike Werb (Darkman 3:Die Darkman Die, Curious George, The Mask) & Michael Colleary (Firehouse Dog, Lara Croft:Tomb Raider). Disc 1 also has an other commentary track by the screenwriters and as well Deleted Scenes with optional commentary by the filmmakers. Disc 2 includes an fascinating one-hour documentary of the film with many new interviews with the cast & crew (expect for Travolta and Cage, sadly "although vintage interviews was used in the DVD"), 25 minute documentary of the films of John Woo and the original theatrical trailer. This film certainly made an impact, once it was release in the summer of 1997 and it went on to have an huge following. Once it released on Video and DVD. This film is still John Woo's best American film to date. I think it's one of those films that Woo will have an hard time to top this one. Because this is an extraordinary picture. Don't miss it. Plenty of familiar faces appears in bit parts, including an young Thomas Jane as a prisoner, John Bloom (Better known as Joe Bob Briggs) and Danny Masterson as a Would-Be Rapist. Two Time Oscar-Winner:Michael Douglas is one of the executive producers of this instant action classic. Panavision. (**** ½/*****).
violent and dull
rebeljenn17 November 2005
'Face/Off' is a film about a secret agent who has had his face swapped with another man's: a terrorist/criminal. Now, based on that information, you pretty much know what is going to happen in the film. The only thing that this movie has going for it is violence and an attempt to come up with a new idea. I will admit, the idea of swapping identies is kind of cool. However, this film does not get anymore original than that. It is all about the violence and people getting killed and things blowing up and major showdowns between characters. That's really all there is to it. If you're of the male gender, then you may go for this sort of film. If you prefer films that make you think, then I suggest looking elsewhere because there is little to be gained in this film.
Horrible
JasonS-57 August 2002
I rank this movie as one of the most awful things I have ever seen. Not only is it totally unbelievable, but the situations are so unpleasent, so cloying, so awful, that its more like a nightmare that just won't end. And when I say "won't end," I mean it. This movie drags on way past the comfort level. It keeps going from one improbable situation to another, linked by flashy chase scenes, until you're begging for some kind of resolution.
The acting of Nick Cage and John Travolta are just about what you would expect -- that is to say totally over-the-top. Chewing on the scenery is a polite term for what they do.
As for the talents of John Woo, well I've heard all about his "violence as opera" philosophy of film-making, but I just don't buy it. Every movie I've seen of his isn't scary, or exciting, or shocking -- its uncomfortable, like sitting on a sharp spike.
I saw this movie years ago in the theatre, but it still sticks with me -- I guess that should say something about its power, but years ago, I saw a dead deer sitting by the side of the road. It was rotting in the heat, its muscles had contracted, it smelled awful and it looked alot like a mummy -- that experience stuck with me too. Seeing "Face/Off" was alot like seeing that deer: unpleasent, nauseating, and unnecessary.
The acting of Nick Cage and John Travolta are just about what you would expect -- that is to say totally over-the-top. Chewing on the scenery is a polite term for what they do.
As for the talents of John Woo, well I've heard all about his "violence as opera" philosophy of film-making, but I just don't buy it. Every movie I've seen of his isn't scary, or exciting, or shocking -- its uncomfortable, like sitting on a sharp spike.
I saw this movie years ago in the theatre, but it still sticks with me -- I guess that should say something about its power, but years ago, I saw a dead deer sitting by the side of the road. It was rotting in the heat, its muscles had contracted, it smelled awful and it looked alot like a mummy -- that experience stuck with me too. Seeing "Face/Off" was alot like seeing that deer: unpleasent, nauseating, and unnecessary.
worst film ever? i think so...
mattwakeman18 March 2001
Oh dear. F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote that 'character IS action'. I wonder what he may have said on seeing this film? My suspicions were first aroused within the first 7 seconds of the film in which John Travolta is simpering on a fairground ride with a child with a haircut so bad that he simply had to be American. When the poor 'bowl cut' blighter was blown away by Nicholas Cage (with seemingly an enormous caterpillar on his upper lip), I began to think that I was in trouble. To say that these characters were one dimensional would be to insult, well, one dimension. They blunder around talking lines that truly no-one in the whole world would ever say outside of an action movie.
To think that John Woo has come to this, he made superlative action movies in Hong Kong but the rubbish that he makes in the US is in danger of making us forget all that. There are many of the trademark Woo incidents, people leaping diagonally through the air with a gun in each hand (and always in each hand, I wonder if it is a John Woo fantasy for us to discover a species which has 3 arms, my my, we would have a veritable arms race then!), gunfights in churches etc etc. The subtleties that do appear in his HK films are simply lost here under a welter of bullets, bad acting and a simply woeful script. Yes, some of the stunts are very good, but how many times can you see a stunt and be amazed, by and large they are merely variations on the same theme. Remove them and what are you left with? Really, really bad acting by John Travolta and a performance by Nicholas Cage that makes me think that he felt like buying a new swimming pool when this script turned up. I was little surprised by Travolta ('Battlefield Earth' anyone?) but could this really be the same Cage from 'Leaving Las Vegas'?.
Luckily the picture failed on my copy for the last 3 minutes so I was spared Travolta getting his own face back, re-uniting with his lovely (Doctor) wife, connecting with his once wild daughter and now taking over the upbringing of Cage's son (who incidentally also had a very bad, bowl type american brat haircut). If only i had lost the sound as well then maybe I wouldn't have been left wincing with utter agony as much as I did.
I only wish that I could give this utter trash -1000000000000000 let alone only 1. A film for those who see Hollywood action films as the zenith, the apotheosis of entertainment.
To think that John Woo has come to this, he made superlative action movies in Hong Kong but the rubbish that he makes in the US is in danger of making us forget all that. There are many of the trademark Woo incidents, people leaping diagonally through the air with a gun in each hand (and always in each hand, I wonder if it is a John Woo fantasy for us to discover a species which has 3 arms, my my, we would have a veritable arms race then!), gunfights in churches etc etc. The subtleties that do appear in his HK films are simply lost here under a welter of bullets, bad acting and a simply woeful script. Yes, some of the stunts are very good, but how many times can you see a stunt and be amazed, by and large they are merely variations on the same theme. Remove them and what are you left with? Really, really bad acting by John Travolta and a performance by Nicholas Cage that makes me think that he felt like buying a new swimming pool when this script turned up. I was little surprised by Travolta ('Battlefield Earth' anyone?) but could this really be the same Cage from 'Leaving Las Vegas'?.
Luckily the picture failed on my copy for the last 3 minutes so I was spared Travolta getting his own face back, re-uniting with his lovely (Doctor) wife, connecting with his once wild daughter and now taking over the upbringing of Cage's son (who incidentally also had a very bad, bowl type american brat haircut). If only i had lost the sound as well then maybe I wouldn't have been left wincing with utter agony as much as I did.
I only wish that I could give this utter trash -1000000000000000 let alone only 1. A film for those who see Hollywood action films as the zenith, the apotheosis of entertainment.
An All Action Movie that's a Winner
mjw23052 January 2007
FBI Agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) desperate to avenge the death of his son; uses radical new surgery to become his arch enemy Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage), but when Castor wakes from his coma and becomes Sean, he finds himself trapped in the life of of his nemesis and unable to protect his family.
With relentless John Woo style action sequences, cutting edge stunts and special effects, thrilling storyline and great performances from Cage and Travolta, Face Off is a cut above most of the action movies out there. It's terrific entertainment.
8/10
With relentless John Woo style action sequences, cutting edge stunts and special effects, thrilling storyline and great performances from Cage and Travolta, Face Off is a cut above most of the action movies out there. It's terrific entertainment.
8/10
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews