And I Don't Even Like Action Movies...

Rating: 9/10 (21 December 2005)

Admittedly, I have never been a fan of action/adventure films. I don't know why...the genre has never appealed to me that much, so an endorsement from me regarding an action/adventure film is a big thing. And there are few action films that have totally riveted me from start to finish like FACE/OFF. This thoroughly original and truly exciting film is one the finest examples of this genre, mounted by proved action genius John Woo, who has become sort of the Sam Peckinpaugh of this generation. The movie centers a long standing cat-and-mouse game between a veteran FBI agent (John Travolta) and a demented career criminal (Nicolas Cage), who, many years ago, in an attempt to murder Travolta, murdered his son instead. Cage's Castor Troy has planted a bomb somewhere in Los Angeles and is then assumed to be dead. Travolta's Sean Archer can only learn where the bomb is from Castor's brother and the only way he can get the information from him is to become Castor Troy which involves a highly technical surgical procedure where Troy's face is removed from his comatose body and placed on Travolta's face. However, the story gets ugly when Castor awakens from his coma, has Travolta's face put on himself, and then murders everyone who knows about the plan. It's such an interesting story that the viewer can't help but become emotionally involved in and what a great acting challenge for these two actors, who, at times, must adapt each other's speech patterns and mannerisms in order to make this ruse work. Travolta and Cage do some of the best work of their respective careers here, almost to the point that you can forget who is who at what time. Joan Allen, one of the best actresses in the business, offers solid support, as Sean Archer's confused wife, caught in the middle of this deadly game and Gina Gershon makes a strong impression as Troy's girl and mother of his son, but this is Cage and Travolta's show all the way, and with the help of an intelligent screenplay and masterful direction, bring us one of the great action/adventure epics of the last 20 years.