The Cinema of John Woo.

Rating: 7/10 (21 February 2005)

Face Off (1997) would mark the last time John Woo would show flashes of his former self in a mainstream Action film (I don't care what people say, Black Jack was quite interesting). The movie reunites John Travolta and John Woo in another action flick. This time he acts opposite of Nicolas Cage (Coppola) in a tale about dopplegangers, hidden sides and secrets. The action scenes are filmed quite well but they lack something that I can't explain and the stunt work is too obvious. John Woo also digs deep into his past work to re-use a lot of his older action set pieces. But is the film watchable?
Two rivals ,one an Fedeal Agent(John Travolta) and the other a Worldwide wanted criminal(Nicolas Cage) have a blood feud that has reached it's limits. When the two finally have it out in a high impact fire fight outside an airport, one is captured whilst the is showered with praises. But it doesn't end just there. What happens next has to be seen to be believed.
Not a true classic like his earlier films, but this will be the best it'll ever get for mainstream John Woo. Without an action director to direct the scenes, Woo's films are nothing more than a shell of his former self. Maybe he should spend a few shekels and hire him for future film projects. Until then we'll just have to settle for rehashed action scenes from a director who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Maybe he should go back to making comedies or learned more form his mentor Chang Cheh.
Recommended for fans of John Woo's Hollywood work.