Face/Off
An FBI agent and his terrorist nemesis trade faces, identities, and lives in a wildly stylish battle to stop a city-destroying bomb.
Overview
A gripping tale of vengeance and identity, where faces can be swapped, but the past cannot be escaped.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- propulsive
- operatic
- intense
- action movie night
- 1990s blockbuster marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised John Woo's highly stylized action direction and the entertaining role-reversal performances of John Travolta and Nicolas Cage despite the absurd premise.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sean Archer undergoes a face transplant using Castor Troy's face, while Troy later assumes Archer's face and life.
John Woo frames shootouts, standoffs, and chases with elaborate, emotionally charged action design.
Archer's grief over his son's death fuels his pursuit of Troy while a planted bomb threatens Los Angeles.
Archer must impersonate Troy inside prison and his criminal world, while Troy infiltrates Archer's family and FBI life.
Films like Face/Off, and why
Con Air
shares high-octane action thriller pacing, charismatic criminal antagonism, and inventive set pieces
The Killer
shares stylized gunplay, crime spectacle, revenge-driven conflict, and larger-than-life performances
Total Recall
shares identity manipulation, cat-and-mouse suspense, and heightened science fiction action
Die Hard with a Vengeance
shares relentless pursuit, terrorism stakes, and muscular 1990s action filmmaking
Movie Details
- Director
- John Woo
- Release Date
- 1997-06-27
- Runtime
- 139 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (6142)
Cast
- John Travolta
- Nicolas Cage
- Joan Allen
- Alessandro Nivola
- Gina Gershon
- Dominique Swain
- Nick Cassavetes
- Harve Presnell
- Colm Feore
- John Carroll Lynch
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Face/Off about?
- An FBI agent and his terrorist nemesis trade faces, identities, and lives in a wildly stylish battle to stop a city-destroying bomb.
- What is Face/Off like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Face/Off as breakneck, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Face/Off violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Face/Off as graphic.
- What did critics think of Face/Off?
- Critics broadly praised John Woo's highly stylized action direction and the entertaining role-reversal performances of John Travolta and Nicolas Cage despite the absurd premise.
- Which films are like Face/Off?
- Films with a similar feel include Con Air, The Killer, Total Recall, and Die Hard with a Vengeance.
- How long is Face/Off?
- Face/Off runs 139 minutes.
- Where can I watch Face/Off?
- In United States, Face/Off is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
