FACE/OFF Review by Luke Buckmaster (bucky@alphalink.com.au)
Been there, done that, seen this, seen that. This seems to be the attitude that many filmgoers share regarding one of the most well known yet over done movie genres ever - action. Can you blame them? Well after hundreds of tiring Van Damne/Bruce Willis style movies, I hardly think so. But what is this - a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel? Maybe, just maybe, I've found the first proper action film equal to The Rock.
If you think you know what on screen action is, wait until you see it John Woo style. Beginning as a popular Chinese film director, Woo's talents were recognized as something truly special, and it was just a matter of time until he entered the Hollywood scene. And when he did, he not only left a mark of excellence but also set incredibly high standards for the industry after his successful creations Hard Target, Broken Arrow and now Face/Off. What's so special, you ask, about his work? Well Woo surely goes where no director has ever been before, and finds himself working the movie into unpredictable, incredibly suspenseful scenes of man to man conflict and a host of other small surprises. However the greatest part of his films is not these mesmerizing scenes, but the fact that he never loses site of the big picture - which keeps the films running slick and smooth all the way through.
Woo's latest film, Face/Off, restores faith in the action genre and gives audiences something to chant and rave for, with the performances of John Travolta and Nicholas Cage worth the price of admission alone. Just as the suspense thriller Scream made up for decades of pathetic horror films, Face/Off does exactly the same thing with action films, making it a worthy addition to anyone's ticket collection. Never before has an action duo looked so good on the silver screen. Never before has the good guy worn the bad guys face. Never before have I apologized to the person sitting next to me for cheering for the wrong guy.
His names Castor Troy (Cage), and he's the slickest, most cool bad dude since Bobba Fett of Star Wars. Surrounded by weapons, henchmen, drugs and good looking women, Troy's career is exactly the way he wants it - a whole lot of fun. On the other side of the spectrum is Sean Archer (Travolta) an FBI agent who has perused Troy for six years after he accidentally assassinated his infant son while aiming for Sean. Archer, basing his whole life around trapping Troy, is all too glad to hear that his mentor is in town and rushes out to catch him in the early minutes into the film. But after finally beating Troy at his own game and sending him into a coma, more bad news is ahead. Archer soon discovers that Troy rigged up a bomb that will blow Los Angeles's to pieces, and only one person knows the location of it - Troys half witted brother (who bears a striking resemblance to Radar off Mash). After Archer fails to make Troys gang spill the beans, he is left with only one option - to enter the prison looking like Troy so he can find the location from his brother. A plastic surgeon removes the faces of both Archer and Troy so that the FBI agent assumes the identity of his nemesis so he can prevent a disastrous detonation.
As far as a twist in the plot is concerned, the one coming up is a beauty. When Archer is busy getting used to being inside the master criminals body, Troy wakes up from his comer on the wrong side of the bed - not at all happy with the fact that he is without a face. However after making a few firm phone calls, his henchmen come running to the scene and force the surgeon to put the only face on Troy that is available - Archer's. Assuming his identity, Troy couldn't be happier with the situation after burning all evidence that a face transplant ever existed and eagerly getting to know Archer's wife Eve (Joan Allen).
Trapped inside each other's bodies, the two arch enemies discover things about each other that they never knew could exist such as family commitments and a clash of different identities inside different identities. But in no time the showdowns become blood baths of action and gripping suspense courtesy of Woo's guiding hand, which can be described as nothing less than brilliant. The action scenes are quite obviously the height of the film, giving fans of both actors a great time as they witness them playing both the good guy and the bad guy for the first time.
Although I admit that the whole idea of such a farcical transplant is laughable, not for one second can you look back on the film and criticize it for attempting something original and entertaining. A silly idea, yes, but the entire movie is crafted so well that it is easily forgotten in a mess of action that is unmistakably the best we've seen so far this year.
Face/Off is quite honestly an outstanding look at what can be achieved with even the most ridiculed and overused Hollywood genre, and delivers non stop slabs of action that will glue you to your seat in anticipation. This film truly is top class, and never before has action looked this good.
5 STARS Woo takes action to new heights
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