Face/Off 1997

This is a seminal action film even if its not a very good one. It exemplifies the bizarre methods of Hollywood moneymaking/moviemaking in the 1990s - hiring John Woo to direct a Pulp Fiction style action film, casting Nic Cage and John Travolta both in dual roles and a ridiculous light scifi plot twist based on the film's double entendre title - while still retaining some kind of risk-taking approach to mass entertainment. A lot of the movie is cringeworthy, some of it is campy, some of it is brilliant but mostly its just brainless but inoffensive popcorn fare.

Now the story is compelling. Its about a rivalry between a detective and a gangster (very reminiscent of the much-better Michael Mann film Heat) set off by the murder of the cop's young son by the gangster. It escalates quickly to comic book levels (that most superhero films fail to reach) even before the major twist arrives: that they must trade faces surgically and identities metaphysically before they can finally "face off". The script is full of dated jokes and dialogue, the characters aren't very deep and none of the action sequences are believable or even well constructed. But the central gimmick allows for some surprising and original turns as the cop cleans up the life led by his enemy while the villain proves to be a more exciting father and husband than our boyscout protagonist and even hints a babyface turn a few times. The theme is duality and how the line between right and wrong is blurred. There's an interesting and touching scene where the villain mourns his dead brother which would never pop up in the common action shoot 'em up. And many unlawful and sociopathic bit characters are humanized too. There's a decided moral grayness that is naturally born out of film where the villain has to be quite likeable given that he shares half the screen time and is played by both star actors. And the hero is shown to be quite flawed; chiefly as a father and husband, only redeeming himself when he removes his wedding ring from the imposter self. I assume the whole film is designed around a moment where a two-sided mirror separates both men, who wear the other's face. Both characters are staring at themselves yet they are staring at their enemy. Its such a loaded and lyrical image that highlights the poetry of the concept and if John Woo didn't inject this idea, it surely inspired him to make the film.

John Woo does a very uneven job directing Face/Off. Maybe he's better suited to Chinese productions and casts, maybe Hollywood was unfair and abandoned his vision, I don't know.  While the Woo touch is there - designer clothing, big staging, emotional relationships, cops and robbers, "bullet time" and the doves - it feels like such a rushjob or that he was in over his head. While the core of the story is pulled off well, the rest of it falls flat. The many "humorous" asides are lost in translation for the American audience. I recognize the fast and overly cutesy farce from Woo's kung fu days. And if there's one thing that John Woo does well, its action scenes. But not in this case. Each action scene is staged too simply, edited poorly and runs way too short. I can only guess the studios didn't have faith in Woo's style of action choreography, but why hire him then? I assume it was to cash-in on his name which was heavily promoted by Quentin Tarantino. There are bits where Woo seems to be reclaiming his style from his Xerox friendly fan Tarantino. But the film is also exploiting Tarantino in casting Travolta. You could easily see Bruce Willis in the Nic Cage role (Willis played a similar character in The Jackyl), but thankfully Woo is more of a Cage fan.

If the elaborate role reversal plot doesn't buy you, then the performances of Cage and Travolta might. The two stars each share the same two roles and have to adopt the other's mannerisms and speech patterns while creating unique characters from the script. I think they do a fair and rewarding job. Both excel as the evil and charismatic Castor Troy while being believable and sympathetic as the heroic Sean Archer. Now this was one of Travolta's last major gigs, but its one of his best. At around age 40, he's very cool and relaxed and having as much fun here as he ever had. Cage only gets a few moments to go crazy, but he further cemented himself as a unique Hollywood leading man and action star, surprisingly cool and multilayered. Its an odd pairing but that works for the story and its cool to see two very different talents on-screen together and carrying the film as co-captains. They're supported by the good, surreal cast of Joan Allen, Margaret Cho, Nick Cassavettes and the lovely Gina Gershon.

So its a bizarro movie that you could never remake successfully and yet it was a major commercial success and its now a cult classic. I recommend it. I had fun with it. Its a 20 year old, 2 hour long action movie about infidelity and schizophrenia. WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE?