Face/Off (1997)
89%RT Audience Score: 82%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
11 wins & 22 nominations total
John Travolta and Nicolas Cage play cat-and-mouse (and literally play each other) against a beautifully stylized backdrop of typically elegant, over-the-top John Woo violence
Face/Off is a wild ride that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about identity and face-swapping technology. Sure, it’s a bit over-the-top and occasionally ridiculous, but that’s all part of the fun. John Travolta and Nicolas Cage give some of their best performances as they switch roles and try to outdo each other in a game of cat-and-mouse. Plus, the action sequences are top-notch and will have you on the edge of your seat. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride – just make sure you don’t get your face swapped along the way!
Production Company(ies)
ARTE Bavaria Film International, Corazón International,
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures, Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Kaiser Permanente Medical Center/Hospital – 1011 Baldwin Park Boulevard, Baldwin Park, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for intense sequences of strong violence, and for strong language
Year of Release
1997
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:2h 18m
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Language(s):English, Latin
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 27, 1997 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 11, 2007
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
starring John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan Allen, Alessandro Nivola, Gina Gershon, Dominique Swain, directed by John Woo, written by Mike Werb, Michael Colleary, produced by David Permut, Barrie M Osborne, Raul Julia-Levy, action, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Patrick Z McGavin, David Ansen, Paul Tatara, Joe Morgenstern, Steven Rea, Jay Boyar, Danielle Solzman, Josh Larsen, Mike Massie, PJ Nabarro, Fred Topel, R-rated, FBI, terrorism, undercover, face transplant, cat-and-mouse, Los Angeles, bomb, surgery, Buena Vista Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Surround sound mix
Worldwide gross: $245,676,146
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $457,960,202
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 328
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 49,941,134
US/Canada gross: $112,276,146
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $209,291,815
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 326
US/Canada opening weekend: $23,387,530
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $43,596,247
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 277
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $80,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $149,126,469
Production budget ranking: 222
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $80,304,604
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $228,529,129
ROI to date (est.): 100%
ROI ranking: 938
Nicolas Cage – Castor Troy, Sean Archer
Joan Allen – Dr. Eve Archer
Alessandro Nivola – Pollux Troy
Gina Gershon – Sasha Hassler
Dominique Swain – Jamie Archer
Director(s)
John Woo
Writer(s)
Mike Werb, Michael Colleary
Producer(s)
David Permut, Barrie M. Osborne, Raul Julia-Levy
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
11 wins & 22 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (89) | Top Critics (31) | Fresh (82) | Rotten (7)
Redeemed by Woo’s bravura skills, Face/Off becomes more than just a genre exercise.
June 15, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Patrick Z. McGavin
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Woo, a master of poetical carnage, mixes kitsch, sadism, sentiment and comedy with choreographic precision.
February 28, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
I won’t pretend that I completely enjoyed it, but it certainly has a few elements that I’ve never seen before. Action aficionados will undoubtedly slobber all over themselves.
July 28, 2015
Paul Tatara
CNN.com
TOP CRITIC
[A] gorgeously shot, repetitively violent, occasionally repellent, sometimes silly and consistently trashy fantasy.
August 2, 2013
Joe Morgenstern
Wall Street Journal
TOP CRITIC
For all its fiery explosions, Face/Off just kind of implodes.
August 2, 2013 | Rating: 2.5/4
Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
It’s sick, slick and sensational.
August 2, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
Face/Off might be over-the-top as a cat-and-mouse action film but Woo directs both Travolta and Cage to some of the best performances in their career.
June 27, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies
…essentially an acting thought experiment.
April 14, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm
Although the narrative is hysterical in its implausibility, the action portion of the film is reasonably effective.
September 11, 2020 | Rating: 6/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Apart from enjoying the narrative hijinks, it’s also fascinating to watch both actors interpret the demonstration of the respective transferences of character.
December 2, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
PJ Nabarro
Patrick Nabarro
Everyone remembers Face/Off had awesome action and great performances but those weren’t even the film’s strongest asset. What makes Face/Off a profound film is how both Sean Archer and Castor Troy adapted to each other’s lives.
June 27, 2017
Fred Topel
We Live Entertainment
Face/Off is a giant step for a filmmaker known more for action sequences than psychological insight.
August 2, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
Michael Ollove
Baltimore Sun…
Plot
Sean Archer, a very tough, rugged FBI Agent, is still grieving for his dead son Michael. Archer believes that his son’s killer is his sworn enemy and a very powerful criminal, Castor Troy. One day, Archer has finally cornered Castor, however, their fight has knocked out Troy cold. As Archer finally breathes easy over the capture of his enemy, he finds out that Troy has planted a bomb that will destroy the entire city of Los Angeles and all of its inhabitants. Unfortunately the only other person who knows its location is Castor’s brother Pollux, and he refuses to talk. The solution, a special operation doctor that can cut off people’s faces, and can place a person’s face onto another person. Archer undergoes one of those surgeries to talk to Pollux. However, Castor Troy somehow regains consciousness and now wants revenge on Archer for taking his face. Not only is Troy ruining Archer’s mission, but his personal life as well. Archer must stop Troy again. This time, it’s personal.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t say anything goofy or funny about Face/Off, but it does mention that John Travolta and Nicolas Cage play both good and evil characters in the film.
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