Face/Off - 1997
Quick Summary
Obsessed with bringing terrorist Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) to justice, FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) tracks down Troy, who has boarded a plane in Los Angeles. After the plane crashes and Troy is severely injured, possibly dead, Archer undergoes surgery to remove his face and replace it with Troy's. As Archer tries to use his disguise to elicit information about a bomb from Troy's brother, Troy awakes from a coma and forces the doctor who performed the surgery to give him Archer's face.
My Thoughts
To begin with, I think the idea behind the film is absolutely brilliant. In fact, it's its main strength, and everything revolves around it. In particular, there are many well-thought-out scenes that work well, such as the mirror scene, which is a real find. When you see it, you think "that was easy", but in fact it wasn't, you had to think about it. And there are quite a few like it in the film.
Woo manages to create moments of tension, fortunately for a thriller. On the other hand, this isn't the kind of thriller I'm particularly fond of. It's a little too heavy-handed, with shoot-outs everywhere. Although it started out well as a psychological thriller, in the end it's full of action and explosions. The film also suffers from a lack of writing. It's a pity, because it started out with a good idea.
As for the actors, they're perfect. Nicolas Cage is particularly impressive. John Travolta, on the other hand, overacts a little. This Cage/Travolta duo works wonderfully with the film's script.
The film is pleasant and easy to watch. Everything flows smoothly, and the film keeps us on our toes right to the end, alternating between moments of tension and second-degree humor.
It's an excellent film that's sure to give you a good time
To Watch or Not to Watch
Despite a few script weaknesses, this is an excellent and entertaining film. It's worth seeing at least one time, for the brilliant idea that makes this film so special.