Face off is GREAT---WATCH IT
Tamara Hawks | Winston Salem , NC USA | 06/24/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I saw Face Off a few years back and never could get it out of my mind. Then I saw it again a couple of years ago and it still would
not get out of my mind. So now I have it to watch all the time. This is great--not only for the actors who play in it but the whole movie is about someone putting another persons face on them and the other person putting the first persons face on him. Wild to say the least. You get so caught up in this movie you forget who is who and get into the flow of the movie. It carries you away and it is so good because there are not alot of movies now that really carry you away from reality. I highly recommend this for an evening of really great action and it will keep you on the edge of your seat"
"It's like looking in a mirror, only.....not."
Eric S. Kim | Southern California | 05/12/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Sean Archer (Travolta) has been trying to hunt down his son's killer, an infamous terrorist named Castor Troy (Cage), for six years. Now, Troy has activated a bomb that would destroy a large portion of Los Angeles, and the only ones who know the exact location are him and his brother Pollux (Nivola). When Troy is knocked out and put in a coma, there is very little development in knowing where the bomb is supposed to be. Archer has only one chance in getting the information from the sociopathic Pollux, but his own brother is the only one he can trust. This leads to a highly secretive surgical procedure, in which Sean Archer "becomes" Castor Troy. After the surgery, there is hardly any difference: the hero looks exactly like his rival. And since this movie requires a whole lot of suspense, the story takes a vicious turn as the real Castor Troy miraculously comes out of his coma, and forces the doctors who were responsible for the operation to help him "become" Archer. Soon, "Archer" revels in his rival's family life, while "Troy" adapts himself into his rival's criminal life.
Yes, the plot may be a bit implausible, but I think that's beside the point. What we have here is not only an explosive action film, but also a distinctive human drama. We see how this secret surgical procedure affects both men's careers, companions, and loved ones. And the drama mixes very well with the action scenes, which are some of the best ever filmed. Director John Woo has done a superb job with this one. Bullets and shells fly everywhere, cars and boats explode, people are jumping from here to there, it's almost insane! And yet, Woo and the screenwriters still give us time to breath with some dramatic scenes involving the chemistry between both main & supporting characters. Almost every scene involving action and drama is contrasted perfectly. Again, the plot isn't entirely realistic, but what really matters here are the high-octane action and the effective drama. Congratulations to Woo, Travolta, Cage, Allen, the supporting cast, the stuntmen, and the entire crew that worked on this film.
Grade: A-"