" The Modern Classic "

Rating: 10/10 (14 February 2005)

Like I said, it's a classic, a modern classic. A great action movie that combines the Asian themes in American style. I doubt when would we see another action movie as excellent as Face/Off. A film that brilliantly blends action and plot in an equalized harmony.
Face/Off (Spoilers******)
Directed by acclaimed Honk Kong director John Woo who famous for his artistic violent and action sequences brings this complicated story about Human identity. This revolutionary action/sci-fi story was written by Mike Werb and Michael Colleary. It was originally set in the future and marked to be the first action vehicle for the two BOX OFFICE HEAVY WEIGHTS ARNOLD and STALLONE to star together. But it was later altered, the sci-fi element was changed into the present time and the casting was redone after Woo approached the film.
Six years ago the terrorist Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) attempted to kill Sean Archer (John Travolta), a vengeful FBI agent and it resulted in the brutal murder of Archer's young son. Since then the hunt for Troy has not only been a part of Archer's job, it's also been personal.
Now, finally and after the loss of many men, Archer takes Troy in custody by knocking him into a coma. Archer's quest then ended but with a new turn, he learns of a biochemical bomb that Troy has planted somewhere in downtown L.A. How can Archer possibly locate the bomb and prevent it from taking out an entire city street?
With Troy in a coma and his cohorts unwilling to talk, Archer is convinced by his colleagues that there's only one way to uncover Troy's plan--Archer must become Troy.
Through supreme, state of the art surgery, Archer can assume the actual face of the now comatose Castor Troy, go undercover in prison where Troy's brother (Allesandro Nivola) is being held, and gain information from him. Archer disagrees with this plan, especially wearing the face of the man who killed his son. But someone has to take that step, someone who knows everything about Troy and the only man who knows him better was Archer and thus he agrees to the assignment, and transformed into Castor Troy himself and went for the mission.
Unfortunately in the police lab, the real Castor Troy awakes from his coma, shocked to find that what they have done with his face. That makes him to take the face of Archer, destroying the police lab, killing the authorities and all evidence that proves who Archer really is. Thus in this side the terrorist is now the FBI man, and decides to mess up everything in a new form!
The rest of the story was just amazing-mind blowing. When we see each transformed character on the screen we just immerse in the swapped character portrayal of each, rather than the two different actors who play them. Travolta and Cage did a tremendous work by copying off each others acting style and mannerisms which all makes it a more interesting and thrilling chapter. They just heavenly live on each body, as villain and as hero, forcing the audience to constantly pay attention not only to the face they see on screen, but the personality underneath it.
And all the credit goes to brilliance of John Woo. An emotionally complicated story of two different persons as each character struggles with their own identities when the boundaries between "the good guy" and "the bad guy" become blurred. It was his idea to cast John Travolta and Nicolas Cage for those challenging role which was originally intended for Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone in a futuristic world sci-fi thriller.
John Woo covered that sci-fi story sides with a more human touch. That makes the movie a better intriguing psychological thriller, than a usual action flick. He combined the original plot with his talented story telling styles in an American way.
His trademarks the slow-motion, firing guns, flying doves, business suite with sun glass all match up with the story. My favorite scene is (Cage) Troy praying in the church before the final shootout.
A great touching movie beyond that of a usual action flick.I give this movie 10 out of 10!
Face/Off = FACE DOWN.