Face/Off (1997) (R)
Directed by John Woo
Starring: John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan Allen, Alessandro Nivola
Daughter Says:
Face/Off has the story inside the title. The title is a double meaning in itself. Face off, meaning two people versus each other. Second meaning is much different from the first. Face off, meaning you take the person's face off, literally. Maybe I should tell you how I got to the second meaning.
Face/Off tells the story of a cop (John Travolta) verses a hardened criminal (Nicolas Cage). John Travolta starts out playing a cop named Sean Archer. Nicolas Cage plays Castor Troy who is out to get Sean Archer. In Troy's attempt to murder Archer he accidentally kills Archer's baby boy. Now destined to get his revenge Archer can think of nothing more than to put Troy behind bars.
Finally caught in a crazy air chase, Troy is finally put to justice (so we think). As far as Archer was concerned his conscience was clear, for the most part. Until he finds out that Troy had planted a bomb in a building somewhere, but the police force has no idea where. Now Archer has to decide between risking his life and his family's going under cover as Castor Troy himself, or never finding the justice he needs to free this guilt from him.
He decides to live life on the dangerous side. They take Nicolas Cage's face and put it on John Travolta's. So the roles are officially switched. John Travolta is now the bad guy (like it should be) and Nicolas Cage is the good guy. Key the double meaning "face off".
I won't give too much away, but I really liked this movie. I've never seen a John Woo movie, but this one gave me a good first impression. It was fun and action packed. I loved many of the chase scenes and the meaning behind many parts.
I must tell you my favorite part! At one point John Travolta (Bad) finds where Nicolas Cage (good) is hiding. Travolta and the cop squad raid the place and are all shooting things up and cool stuff like that. Cage is running away and Travolta is following. (This is the cool part) They get into this circular room with mirrors in the middle all around. Cage is in the middle and Travolta is on the outside. At one point they are both facing the same mirror across from each other. They point their guns at their reflections. They're talking to each other, but looking at their own reflections. I found that really cool, because they look like each other's enemy. I just found that really awesome.
I highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves an action packed and double meaning kind of stuff you should really watch this movie
Rating for Face/Off: ****.
Daddy Says:
I've been a fan of John Woo movies for many years. The first movie I saw directed by him was The Killer, one of his great Hong Kong action movies I still admire greatly to this day. As a director, John Woo has several trademarks that he likes to put in his movies: doves flying, people leaping in slow motion usually firing two pistols simultaneously, stuff blowing up in slow motion in pretty kinetic patterns, and of course, his most iconic image, two people holding guns on each other at such close range that their arms are crossed over each others. Many of these images have been copied by other filmmakers, but only John Woo uses them to such great effect.
I admire the acting of both Nicolas Cage and John Travolta in this film. Not only do they have to play their own roles, but both are required to play the other person's part as well. It's fascinating watching them play their nemesis, literally wearing his face as a mask, while still convincing us that underneath they are still their original selves. It is an incredibly difficult acting challenge and they both pull it off wonderfully.
Yes, you can quibble about the science aspect of the story, how it shouldn't be possible for two people to switch faces so easily, but I recommend setting that logical thinking aside and just enjoy a great story, along with some really great stunt work, in what in my opinion is John Woo's best American-made movie.
Rating for Face/Off: ****3/4.
Directed by John Woo
Starring: John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan Allen, Alessandro Nivola
Daughter Says:
Face/Off has the story inside the title. The title is a double meaning in itself. Face off, meaning two people versus each other. Second meaning is much different from the first. Face off, meaning you take the person's face off, literally. Maybe I should tell you how I got to the second meaning.
Face/Off tells the story of a cop (John Travolta) verses a hardened criminal (Nicolas Cage). John Travolta starts out playing a cop named Sean Archer. Nicolas Cage plays Castor Troy who is out to get Sean Archer. In Troy's attempt to murder Archer he accidentally kills Archer's baby boy. Now destined to get his revenge Archer can think of nothing more than to put Troy behind bars.
Finally caught in a crazy air chase, Troy is finally put to justice (so we think). As far as Archer was concerned his conscience was clear, for the most part. Until he finds out that Troy had planted a bomb in a building somewhere, but the police force has no idea where. Now Archer has to decide between risking his life and his family's going under cover as Castor Troy himself, or never finding the justice he needs to free this guilt from him.
He decides to live life on the dangerous side. They take Nicolas Cage's face and put it on John Travolta's. So the roles are officially switched. John Travolta is now the bad guy (like it should be) and Nicolas Cage is the good guy. Key the double meaning "face off".
I won't give too much away, but I really liked this movie. I've never seen a John Woo movie, but this one gave me a good first impression. It was fun and action packed. I loved many of the chase scenes and the meaning behind many parts.
I must tell you my favorite part! At one point John Travolta (Bad) finds where Nicolas Cage (good) is hiding. Travolta and the cop squad raid the place and are all shooting things up and cool stuff like that. Cage is running away and Travolta is following. (This is the cool part) They get into this circular room with mirrors in the middle all around. Cage is in the middle and Travolta is on the outside. At one point they are both facing the same mirror across from each other. They point their guns at their reflections. They're talking to each other, but looking at their own reflections. I found that really cool, because they look like each other's enemy. I just found that really awesome.
I highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves an action packed and double meaning kind of stuff you should really watch this movie
Rating for Face/Off: ****.
Daddy Says:
I've been a fan of John Woo movies for many years. The first movie I saw directed by him was The Killer, one of his great Hong Kong action movies I still admire greatly to this day. As a director, John Woo has several trademarks that he likes to put in his movies: doves flying, people leaping in slow motion usually firing two pistols simultaneously, stuff blowing up in slow motion in pretty kinetic patterns, and of course, his most iconic image, two people holding guns on each other at such close range that their arms are crossed over each others. Many of these images have been copied by other filmmakers, but only John Woo uses them to such great effect.
I admire the acting of both Nicolas Cage and John Travolta in this film. Not only do they have to play their own roles, but both are required to play the other person's part as well. It's fascinating watching them play their nemesis, literally wearing his face as a mask, while still convincing us that underneath they are still their original selves. It is an incredibly difficult acting challenge and they both pull it off wonderfully.
Yes, you can quibble about the science aspect of the story, how it shouldn't be possible for two people to switch faces so easily, but I recommend setting that logical thinking aside and just enjoy a great story, along with some really great stunt work, in what in my opinion is John Woo's best American-made movie.
Rating for Face/Off: ****3/4.
But I can't set the logic of Science aside for this one. Sean Archer's wife sleeps with Castor Troy (with Sean's face on), but I can tell you there isn't a man out there with a body like my husband's. After 18 years of marriage, I would KNOW if I was with someone other than him. I realize the characters may not have been married as long as we have, but I think after at least a year of marriage most women know what their husband's body looks like. I find it funny how you will throw logic away for John Woo, but you won't for my love stories. LOL!!
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