Customer Reviews

Face/Off

5 star:		(252)
4 star:		(61)
3 star:		(23)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(27)

 

 

We already know this is a great action film with superb performances from both Travolta and Cage so I will just comment on the features:

Featurettes includes a decent amount information on all aspects of the script development, making of, locations, casting, set designs, special effects, weapons and the 'mimic' acting strategies for Cage/Travlota playing each other. Also includes 7 deleted scenes, a biography-type feature covering the life and career of director John Woo, and the original theatrical trailer.

The greatest disappointment here is that while several cast/crew members appear in newly filmed interviews, both Travolta and Cage participate only by way of vintage interviews filmed back when the movie was actually being made. You would think they would have been proud enough of this great film to come back to document it for posterity sake...

This DVD is probably worth the upgrade for fans, especially if you can manage to get a few bucks for your old copy.

It took two Hollywood films (Hard Target and Broken Arrow) before John Woo was allowed to cut loose with his trademark style on Face/Off. The result was his most commercially and critically successful American film at that point in his career. However, for fans of his Hong Kong films, this one seemed like a highlight reel from his earlier work as Woo recycled many of his signature shots Birds flying in slow motion? Check. Guy Leaping in the air while firing two guns simultaneously? Check. Unfortunately, Face/Off marks the apex of his Hollywood career. Woo has done nothing since that's been as good. So, to celebrate the film's 10th anniversary, Paramount has revisited the film with a brand new special edition.

Woo works hard to sell the film's admittedly outlandish gimmick by throwing all kinds of scientific mumbo jumbo at us and lingering on shots of spiffy looking technology. The swapping of identities also allows the filmmaker to examine one of his favourite themes: how two people can exhibit similar characteristics but be on opposite sides of the law and on opposite sides of the moral spectrum. It is nice to see Woo finally given a decent-sized budget to play with and two big-time movie stars like Cage and Travolta to work with. Despite a few audacious glimmers, like staging a chaotic gunfight around a child listening to "Under the Rainbow," we still get a recycling of Woo's stylistic trademarks. However, this can be somewhat forgiven as it was the first real exposure for many North Americans to his work on a mainstream level.

The first disc features an audio commentary by director John Woo and screenwriters Mike Werb and Michael Colleary. Woo says that he initially passed on the project because he didn't think that he could do a science fiction film, but after working with CGI on Broken Arrow, felt more comfortable with the idea. The writers say that Woo concentrated on the characters and their emotions in their conversations together.

Also included is an additional commentary with Werb and Colleary that features a lot of repeated comments from the previous track. Werb and Colleary stress that they wanted to write an action film with a villain that was just as interesting as the hero.

There are six deleted scenes and alternate ending with optional commentary by Woo, Werb and Colleary. There's a nice, reflective moment where Archer spends the night in his dead son's room before his surgery and also two action sequences that are extended.

The second disc has a well-made documentary entitled, "The Light and The Dark: Making Face/Off" that can be viewed in five separate featurettes or altogether. Cage and Travolta talk about how they approached their roles, mimicking each other. Cast and crew praise Woo and his signature style and how well he works with actors. The film's elaborate practical, visual effects and stunts are all examined. Finally, Woo sums up the film - for him, it's all about family and how Archer achieves closure with his.

"John Woo: A Life in Pictures" is a 30-minute profile of the filmmaker, from his humble childhood, living poor in a bad neighbourhood to a successful Hollywood director. It also takes a brief look at some of his key Hong Kong work but nothing too detailed for hardcore fans. This doc acts mainly as a primer for newcomers to his work.

Finally, a theatrical trailer.

Face/Off is a spectacular film. It is a definite classic in terms of modern action films. Face/Off, like many action films, has enough explosive action scenes to leave you on the edge of your seat. However, unlike most action films, Face/Off's brilliance is found in its story,its direction, and its acting, not in its action sequences. With superb acting by two very talented actors, Nicholas Cage and John Travolta, the viewer is caught up in the story rather than the action, it almost deserves the category of "action drama." Although, being a John Woo movie, the action sequences are nothing short of spectacular. Face/Off, a combination of great acting, a great story, and well-choreographed action, is a must see for any action lover.

"Face/Off" is a dynamite-packed action powerhouse, with loads of stuff being blown to Kingdom Come, lots of people getting shot at and shot and loads of fun tossed in for good measure.

The basic plot takes you along with obsessive FBI agent Sean Archer in his all-consuming chase for arch-enemy and criminal nasty type, Castor Troy, backed up by his genius brother, Pollux. Part of this chase requires Archer to assume Troy's identity via surgery, completely off the record and totally "black bag". Of course, it all goes wrong.

"Face/Off" almost seems choreographed in its fight sequences and shoot outs, which is pretty usual for director John Woo's style. However, the action is fast, furious and volatile. There is also lots of it.

Both John Travolta and Nicholas Cage are brilliant as Sean Archer and Castor Troy, a challenging duality of personalities to act. Both actors did a marvelous job of it.

Under all the violence, there are glimpses of Archer's personal journey as he delves into Castor Troy's world. Archer's dealings with Sasha, (Troy's girlfriend), promote some realisation and increased humanity in him.

I have seen this movie a whole heap of times, and find that the years have not diminished it as a great action movie. It is one that can be seen again and again, with the same sense of relish and entertainment.

I watched the last third of "Face/Off" a few years ago while changing channels on TV. I thought that what I saw was ridiculous and was glad I hadn't tried to watch the whole movie. I saw some praise for it later and started to doubt the credibility of the source. However, I thought I would see what I thought about it by watching it from the beginning. It certainly made a big difference.

This movie was a lot more complicated that I had originally understood. The pace is fast-moving but the director makes sure that we see and hear enough to know enough about how we arrive at a technological twist to be able to buy into it. The bad guy is bad and the good guy is good and the stakes are high. It's hard to catch your breath in this movie (although I benefitted from commercial breaks). There are twists and turns that keep you on your toes and the role-changing that takes place is ripe with many interesting possibilities. The basic premise is that a top cop had a criminal's face grafted to his in order to go underground to prevent a major disaster. Unforseen events keep popping up and then the movie got to the place that I had joined it several years ago. I could see why I was unimpressed by having missed the story up to that point. The fast pace continues to the very end.

This is a good action movie but it suffers from the indistructibility of the main characters. These two guys get shot at so much, often at close range with machine guns, that you want to scream (or at least I did). Consider the action in such movies as "High Noon" or the original "Cape Fear" where a minimum of shots are fired (if at all) yet we are rivetted to the screen from the suspenseful excitement. I don't know how many score of bullets missed the mark of the Travolta and Cage characters but the shooting was clearly over done. The closing scenes were the worst examples and probably caused most of my initial negative reactions. Seeing it from the beginning added more such excessive scenes but it also weaved together a plot that was worth following.

Castor Troy a terrorist has planted a deadly bomb somewhere in L.A and now he is in a coma,The FBI has to dispose it and save the city, How!.You could ask his brother phollex but this guy is a paranoid and would not talk to anyone besides his brother.So what do you do, Simple you ask Sean Archer a Fellow FBI agent who knows troy very well to do a special surgery that takes his face off and replaces it with that of castor troy. Everything goes fine but Troy wakes up from the coma and bullied the doctors to put the face of archer.And Now we have two guys running arround with each others face.

The plot is yes as plausable as winged pigs,Then how does it works because john travolta and nick cage makes us belive.The film is directed by ace hongkong director john Woo. And not surprisingly it has one of the best action sences ever seen in a hollywood film. An extended helicopter stunt,A climatic boat chase,A dizzy seuence on an oil rig.The action sences are truely poetric.But the action doesnt quite swamp the story line.

Do you know the writers actually wrote the for arnold and stallone why didnt that happen it could be more interesting that way.

This will not be anything like this bare-bone edition; Paramount is considering a re-release as Special Collector's Editions in 2005. So,.... Wait for it!!!

if you can't, then get this :
R3 Korea - (Buena Vista Home Entertainment)
#Extras:
----"Action overload" featurette
----Theatrical trailer
#Subtitles: English, Chinese, Korean and Thai
#Picture format: 2.35:1 Anamorphic NTSC
# Soundtrack(s): English DTS 5.1 & English Dolby Digital 5.1
#Case type: Amaray Case


And Just in case you were wondering: "Paramout will re-release more SCE of The Truman Show, Braveheart, Ferris Bueller's Day Off and maybe Titanic, among other titles. By the end of next year. Presumably, those films released previously on DVD in non-anamorphic widescreen will receive new HD anamorphic transfers." [...]

If there is one thing that Asia does better than America, it is intense, violent action. John Woo, legendary Hong Kong filmmaker, strutted his prowess in this beyond-hollywood masterpiece. However, Woo wansn't the only one on his game here. The duo of Nicholas Cage and John Travolta, exchanging roles, faces, and mannerisms, really showed off their previously hidden acting abilities. The plot was surprisingly interesting, if repeatedly implausable. And everything bled of style. But none of this got to hold the spotlight for long, especially against some of the most intense double-fisted gun battles this side of the pacific. Unlike traditional hollywood fare which would throw more FX budget at a scene, these were intense because they were well cheoreographed, stunningly filmed, and playfully inventive. Sure, John Woo peppered his action with very cool, very human points of high drama, but the point of the drama is getting your heart pumping, and at that Face / Off excelled.

If the phrase "guns 'a blazing" doesn't appeal to you, you'll definitely want to pass on this one. For the rest of us, however, this is everything an action movie is supposed to be, and oh so beautiful.

Jhon Travolta,Nicholas Cage two of the best actors in hollywood collide in this high octane action thriller by director Jhon Woo.Veteran cop Sean Archer knows how to stop infamous muderer Caster Troy in a futuristic surgery he will, become him.But in retaliation Troy makes the doctor perform the same sugery on him now Troy is Archer and he is going after the one thing Archer holds dear his family.

This movie has incredible action sequences like an police excersion at an plane hangar.A huge jail breakout scene , a swat excursion at a giant apartment complex and a showdown at a church and an incredible action sequence with turbo engine boats on the water.With these actors how you go wrong so hang on its going to be a furious fight to the finish line.

This action packed DVD has incredible sound and incredible picture quality.Every action sceneis captured on DVD superbly and if you like Jhon Travolta and Nicholas Cage you will not want to miss the oppertunity to pick up this action packed DVD hang on for a furious Face Off.

Face Off is in my opinion an all time classic film, the plot at first glance is fairly ridiculous and unrealistic but it is one of those cases where if you suspend your disbelief you will love this film. John Travolta plays Sean Archer a police detective whose son was accidently killed by Castor Troy (Nicholas Cage) while attempting to kill Archer, who had been tracking him for several years. Archer then makes it his lifes ambition to catch Troy, and early in the film Archer finally catches and apparently kills his man (Troy is in a deep coma afterwards), only after he reveals vague details of a chemical attack on L.A. After interviewing his brother Pollux Troy, they find out there is indeed an attack iminent in L.A, but he will give no details of the location. It is then that the undercover Face swap idea is suggested, from this point on Archer is played superbly by Nicholas Cage, who goes into prison to recover info from Pollux.

The plot dramatically changes when Troy awakes fom his Coma, after finding a video of the operation and finding his face missing, he calls in a few associates to help him. The doctor who performed the operation on Archer then grafts his face onto Troy at gunpoint, the few people who knew about the top secret mission are then all killed. From this point on of course Castor Troy is played by Travolta. I won't give away any more of the plot but what follows is both hilarious and disturbing, both leading men are superb, but Cage perhaps just steals the show, as he gradually becomes trapped in Troy's body (as Archer). A great plot, an all star cast and superb acting make this action thriller a classic, like most great action films, there are great high budget chase scenes, hilarious moments (usually courtesy of Travolta as Castor Troy) and excellent drama. Instead of ridiculing the plot, watch this with an open mind and you will see a superb action film, which I believe to be one of the best of all time.