Face/Off

"In order to trap him, he must become him."

1997 2h 19m EN

👍

7.1

SOLID

★7.1TMDB · 6,161

ActionCrimeScience Fiction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In order to foil a terrorist plot, an FBI agent undergoes facial transplant surgery and assumes the identity of a criminal mastermind. The plan turns sour when the criminal wakes up prematurely and seeks revenge.

“In order to trap him, he must become him.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

PhiloSubscription

AMC Plus Apple TV channelSubscription

AMC+ Amazon ChannelSubscription

AMC+ Roku Premium ChannelSubscription

AMC+Subscription

BBC AmericaSubscription

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

YouTubeRent

Fandango At HomeRent

Spectrum On DemandRent

Amazon VideoBuy

Apple TV StoreBuy

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

John Travolta
Sean Archer
Nicolas Cage
Castor Troy
Joan Allen
Eve Archer
Alessandro Nivola
Pollux Troy
Gina Gershon
Sasha Hassler
Dominique Swain
Jamie Archer
Nick Cassavetes
Dietrich Hassler
Harve Presnell
Victor Lazarro

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Woo
Writers: Mike Werb, Michael Colleary, Giacomo G. Ghiazza
Languages: English, Latin
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Mid-budget at $80M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 3.1× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

29 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Latin.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CAST

Did you know

353+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Woo, shot by Oliver Wood. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by John Powell. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Steven Kemper shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Woo directs. Oliver Wood behind the camera. John Powell scores. Steven Kemper cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, Latin.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Mid-budget at $80M — the now-extinct middle tier of Hollywood.
2Made its money back 3.1× over at the box office.
329 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
4Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Latin.
5353+ people credited in cast and crew — a small city's worth of labour.
6Directed by John Woo, shot by Oliver Wood. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by John Powell. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor Steven Kemper shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9John Travolta and Nicolas Cage and Joan Allen carry the top of the cast.
10Marketing tagline: "In order to trap him, he must become him.".
11IMDB entry: tt0119094 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
12Classified under 31 themes, including "prison", "biological weapon", "prisoner", "bomb".
13Released under 17 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Oliver Wood
Original score: John Powell
Editing: Steven Kemper
Production design: Neil Spisak
Costume design: Ellen Mirojnick
Makeup / hair: Kevin Yagher
VFX supervisor: Boyd Shermis
Sound: Anna Behlmer
Stunt coordinator: Brian Smrz
Runtime: 139 min · 2h 19m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $80,000,000
Box office: $245,700,000
Return: 307% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Face/Off (1997)

Also by

John Woo

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2019-07-01
★ 10/10
It's like looking in a mirror, only, not. There's a tendency to undervalue the action movie. Certainly there's a wide expanse of land in cinema world where film fans reside, where the thought of praising an action film for being "classic" cinema is considered treason against the very word. Yet some of the artistry involved in the genre's leading lights is purely sublime, regardless of how bizarre and unlikely the plot is. Enter John Woo's berserker, ear splitting, high octane actioner, Face/Off. Rightly sitting along side the likes of Die Hard and Predator as genre pieces that showcase how good things can be when it all comes together, Woo's movie is as much fun as you could wish to have for over two hours of explosive, fantastical, unadulterated cinema. The plot sees John Travolta's serious family man cop, Sean Archer, devote his life to catching unbalanced maniacal bad guy Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage). There's some bad history between the two and when Archer manages to capture both Troy and his equally vile brother, Pollux (Alessandro Nivola), it would seem to be closure for Archer and his family. However, it's found that the Troy's have left a ticking bomb somewhere in Los Angeles, and if undetected it will flatten L.A. and kill practically everyone. So, Archer undergoes a revolutionary face-swapping procedure with the now comatose Castor and sets about getting the information from the incarcerated Pollux. But wait!, Castor wakes up and turns the tables by assuming Archer's identity, setting the wheels in motion for each man to live the others life until the Face/Off between the pair will decide their respective fate. Unbelievable? Of course. Who cares? Well nobody should really, because surely going into a film like this one is expecting the ludicrous. Both Cage and Travolta are superbly realising the spectacular nature of the script, and being mesmerising in the duality of the roles into the bargain. Make no bones about it, Woo and his team have crafted a benchmark action movie. There's a trail of thought that suggests that Woo basically keeps making the same movie, that's a fair enough point, sure enough, all of his staple action sequences and traits are evident in Face/Off. Yet Woo has delved into his characters, given them some flesh on their action bones, and then upped the anti in action set pieces to cloak them in chaotic beauty. From the opening Jet escape/pursuit set up, to the outrageous speed boat finale, the film is one long exhilarating breath taker. Joan Allen, Gina Gershon, Dominique Swain & Nick Cassavetes all file into the background playing important characters who are rightly secondary to the protagonists, while a ream of extras come and go as each are dispatched in a hail of Woo inspired carnage. The pace never sags and the eyes and ears are treated to a vibrancy that is often sadly missing from many other big budgeted action blockbusters. This is a masterpiece of action cinema, so even as a Orson Welles crane shot is a magnificent thing, so it be with the sight of two stunt men flailing thru the air in a spray of exploding water. Oh yes sir, this is a classic alright. 10/10
r96sk2020-10-18
★ 9/10
A quality all-out action film! <em>'Face/Off'</em> isn't one that'll stick out in my memory as something deep meaning, incredibly written or anything of the sort. However, as an action film it's superb. There's barely a chance to rethink what you've just seen due to the prevalent and manic nature of onscreen events. You also have fascinating performances from the two leads. Nicolas Cage and John Travolta are awesome in this. I won't spoil the plot, but all I will say is that those two bring it to life brilliantly - it felt, at least to me, very believable; which is impressive. Across the opening portion I thought it was going to be Cage stealing the show, but as things progress Travolta really comes up big to match Cage. Away from NC and JT, there isn't really anything to scream about cast-wise; although, I gotta give shoutouts to Mike Delfino and Gavin Harris; if you know, you know. Nothing much more to note, to be honest. The terrific action means I'd highly recommend this.
Andre Gonzales2023-05-15
★ 8/10
Never seen a concept for movie this way. They literally trade faces. Good versus evil and not only do they trade faces but there characters and personalities have to change as well. 2 of the best that could ever do it. John turns into Nicholas and Nicholas turns into John. I would say Nicholas Cage played it better then John Travolta did.