Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Face/Off (1997)

Face/Off is a 1997 action film directed by John Woo, starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage. The two both play an FBI agent and a terrorist, sworn enemies who assume the physical appearance of one another.
The film exemplifies gun fu and heroic bloodshed action sequences, and has Travolta and Cage each playing two personalities. It was the first Hollywood film in which Woo was given complete creative control and was acclaimed by both audiences and critics. Eventually grossing $245 million worldwide, Face/Off was a financial success, as well as Woo's highest-grossing American film.





 

Freelance terrorist Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) is relentlessly pursued by FBI Special Agent Sean Archer (John Travolta). Years earlier, Castor, in an attempt to kill Archer, accidentally killed Archer's young son, Michael; the two have been obsessed with each other ever since.
The FBI receives information that Castor's brother, Pollux (Alessandro Nivola), has chartered a plane at LAX airport. Archer knows that Pollux will not fly without Castor, so he leads a FBI team to chase the plane down, which crashes into a hangar. In the ensuing chaos, Pollux is captured by the FBI and Castor is knocked into a coma after bragging to Archer about a bomb that will destroy Los Angeles.
Although he learns the date of the bombing, Archer is unable to find any information about the location of the bomb itself. Knowing that the only way to obtain the location is from Pollux; and the only person Pollux will reveal the location to is Castor, Archer's colleagues present him with a top-secret mission: he will undergo an experimental surgical procedure to temporarily graft Castor's face onto his skull, infiltrate the prison where Pollux is being held, and get the location of the bomb.
Arrangements are made for Archer (as Castor) to be incarcerated with Pollux in prison. Once there, he successfully learns the bomb's location. Meanwhile, Castor unexpectedly awakens from his coma and, realizing what has happened, calls his men to kidnap the doctor who performed the surgery. Castor then forces the doctor to give him Archer's face.
Castor (as Archer) visits Archer in prison, informing him that he killed everyone who knew about Archer’s mission and destroyed all the evidence. He leaves, telling Archer his plans to take advantage of his job and family. Castor then has the FBI negotiate a deal with Pollux for his release, in return for revealing the bomb's location. Castor proceeds to disarm the bomb and revels in the praise from Archer’s colleagues and the media.
After Castor's disarmament of the bomb, Archer begins an escape attempt. After a violent battle with the prison guards, Archer escapes. Later, Archer visits Castor’s crew and successfully fools them into thinking that he is the real Castor. Archer then asks them to help kill “Archer”.
Elsewhere, Castor flirts with Archer's wife Eve (Joan Allen) and bonds with Archer's teenage daughter Jamie (Dominique Swain). Meanwhile, Archer finds himself having to take drugs to impress Castor’s crew. Also present is Sasha Hassler (Gina Gershon), Castor's ex-girlfriend, and their son Adam. Earlier, Archer threatened to put her son into foster care. He now realizes that she is a devoted mother who is trying to raise Adam away from a life of crime. Archer (as Castor) promises her that Archer will not bother her anymore.
Pollux, watching Castor’s old safehouse, informs Castor of Archer's arrival. Castor sends an FBI team in. A gunfight ensues, killing most of Castor’s crew, while Sasha and Adam escape with Archer’s help. As he makes his own escape, Archer catches Pollux and drops him through the apartment skylight, killing him.
Later, the FBI Director berates Castor for the unnecessary carnage at the safehouse. Castor confesses his true identity and kills him, blaming his death on a heart attack. As a result, Castor is promoted to FBI Director. Meanwhile, Archer returns to his suburban home and tries to convince Eve that he is really Archer; she is only convinced after he tells her the story of their first kiss.
Sometime later, Sasha and Archer track Castor to the former director’s funeral. Archer arrives during Mass and prays in a side chapel until it finishes and the mourners leave. He then discovers that Castor is holding Eve and Jaime hostage. A gunfight ensues, in which Sasha and Castor's crew are killed. Castor and Archer engage in several gun fights and hand-to-hand battles. Eventually, Castor steals a speed boat and is pursued closely by Archer. After a lengthy chase, both Archer and Castor are thrown ashore by an explosion resulting from their boats colliding. The two engage in a final hand-to-hand confrontation, which results in Archer eventually killing Castor with a spear gun. Later, Eve is able to explain the entire situation to the FBI, successfully convincing them of Archer's true identity. Archer is then taken to the hospital and his face is restored.
Sometime later, Archer arrives home with Adam, bringing him into his family in order to fulfill his promise to Sasha of not allowing Adam to grow up to be a criminal.

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