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Face/Off on DVD (1997)

Face/Off cover art
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Average rating: (71%)
11134141620410
3.5
 
Starring: John Travolta | Nicolas Cage | Joan Allen | Gina Gershon | Alessandro Nivola
Director: John Woo
Studio: WALT DISNEY STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time: 133 mins
Certificate: 18
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Genres: Thriller
Languages: English
Hearing-impaired: English
Subtitles: English
Released: 11/06/2001
Also Available on: Also Available on: BLU-RAY

Brief synopsis of Face/Off

The ordeal of super-heroic, singularly dedicated FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta – BLOW OUT, SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER) is only beginning after finally capturing his arch nemesis, Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage – WILD AT HEART, NATIONAL TREASURE), an elusive, maniacal terrorist who claimed the life of Archer's son. While Troy languishes in a coma, Archer surgically 'borrows' Troy's face in an attempt to gather evidence about Troy's last bomb--which is currently ticking away in a Los Angeles office building. Trouble ensues when Troy wakes up faceless, borrows Archer's visage, and makes a mess of Archer's life; all the while, both men struggle to adapt to their new identities while struggling to blow each other away.

Another balletic, thematically complex action smorgasbord from Hong Kong action director John Woo (HARD BOILED, THE KILLER), FACE/OFF is the perfect showcase for the acting talents of Travolta and Cage, each spending most of the film perfectly imitating the other. The pair are also ably supported by Joan Allen (THE CONTENDER, THE ICE STORM), Allesandro Nivola (I WANT YOU, GOAL!) and Gina Gershon (BOUND, SHOWGIRLS).

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 4 stars out of 5 Radio Times

Nicolas Cage has lost his face and now he wants it back. Problem is, it's attached to John Travolta, whose own face has been stitched on to Cage. Hard to swallow? Not if you treat this movie as the over-the-top entertainment it's intended to be. Cage is Castor Troy, a terrorist who, having planted a bomb somewhere in LA, is put into a coma by his FBI agent nemesis, Sean Archer (Travolta). This is when the plastic surgery comes in, as a means for Archer to dupe Troy's associates into revealing the bomb's location. The mix of bizarre plotting, high-octane thrills and sentimental drama doesn't always jell, but there are some nice moments, especially when Cage begins to revive Travolta's stale marriage to Joan Allen, and director John Woo more than delivers in the overblown action stakes.

New York Times

"...A mega-movie that actually delivers what mega-movies promise: strong characters, smart plotting, breathless action and a gimmick that hasn't been seen before..."

USA Today

"...FACE/OFF is relentlessly exciting, thanks to Woo's operatically staged fight and chase scenes and the bravura acting of the two stars..." -- 3 1/2 out of 4 stars

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 5 starsCage and Travolta at their best

ButtonMasher from London , 30/12/2004

This is a top action/suspense movie that all Cage and Travolta fans will love.

Travolta is a police officer after slick criminal Cage. When captured Cage is in a coma and so cops are unable to find out the location of a hidden bomb he is known to have planted.

Secretly Cage's is face is removed and put on Travolta so that he can convince Cage's brother (in prison) to reveal the location of the bomb.

Things start going horribly wrong when the real cage awakes from his coma and takes Travolta's face.

Travolta is now in an impossible situation. He is stuck in prison with Cage's face and everyone that knows the truth is dead except for his enemy the real Cage who is taking over his life.

Can Travolta get out of prison to stop the bomb and save his family?

  5 out of 7 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsThe john woo movie we waited for!

Nicola from Sleaford,Lincolnshire , 14/02/2006

Finally with much waiting we the audience,get the john woo movie we wanted,and well worth the wait,with casting two of the best male leads at the time playing opposites it works on many levels,action and pyschological,with great over-acting by Nic cage,& john travolta & the very sexy Gina gershon among others,there are a few moments that don't work but the gunplay is all here great script,superb action scenes stunts galore,not since hardboiled has john woo been this good,and may well be a while before we see a film like this from him again.if your a fan of john woo you may feel cheated that much of this borrows from the killer and hard boiled,but thats ok for this film as it works very well.

watch enjoy and shout im castor troy!

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsFantastic a classic

Joanna McConway from Northern Ireland , 17/09/2007

A classic - nough said

  3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsDidn't think I'd like this but I was very wrong

A customer from London , 01/09/2003

One of those films where there wasn't much else in and I stuck it in the player thinking that I would be bored before long. I was very mistaken.

This film although a little silly on the story side just sucks you right in. I thought the acting from Cage and Travolta was wonderful and glad that it had a happy ending.

  2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
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