Face/Off

This is an action movie that I've loved for an extremely long time. Cage and Travolta are my favorite actors and here they both play two completely different roles, and you will believe in both of them. John Woo proved here that he can also make a proper action film in America, with the addition of a great sci-fi element that is very well executed. The face-off scene is unforgettable, but there are more scenes like that here. (27/04/2015)

The best movie of John Woo in Hollywood. Great action, great Travolta and Cage and great atmosphere. One of the best American action films of the 90s, but it's a long way from what Woo did in Hong Kong. (24/08/2002)

John Woo knows his craft, no doubt about it, comrades. Excellent choreography of ordinary shooters (the slaughter in Buzz's house with romantic music is simply perversely beautiful), an impressive camera, compositions with John's lovely pigeons... who could resist? The pilgrimage plot is also lost, which is played out with almost comedic ease (the excellent pervert Travolta and his educational style) and, on the other hand, with urgent desperation (the dog's eyes of muggle Nicholas Cage). The whole thing works brilliantly until the last seconds, but it literally smashes the hellish happy ending with one of Woo's worst slow motions I've ever seen (and I even survived Hard Target!). If I set aside the awkwardness and the end, Face/Off is a valuable member of the powerful action trio of the second half of the 1990s, without any problems equal to Con Air, but on the other hand, it is far from reaching the qualities of The Rock. (28/07/2005)

One of the best action films of the 1990s. John Woo utilized his extensive experience from Hong Kong to create a high-octane film packed with adrenaline that most of today’s competitors can only dream of reaching. Add to that an absolutely stellar lead duo and a unique concept that, while completely unrealistic, makes for even more entertaining viewing. As I mentioned, John Travolta and Nicolas Cage are top-notch; I couldn’t imagine any other actors in those roles. After watching Hard Boiled, you can immediately recognize that Woo directed this film—his trademarks are evident in nearly every frame (slow-motion, acrobatic shootouts with luxurious choreography). I devoured it like a peach. The plot is truly excellent, with some top-notch twists (the meeting of Travolta and Cage in prison is a standout). And the final shootout in the church followed by the otherworldly boat chase? Even Bond would welcome such stunt work with open arms. Fantastic. I give it 85%. (06/09/2020)

Nicolas Cage and John Travolta compete to see who can be the cooler guy, and sometimes I feel like it's impossible for both of them to give such great performances. Both of them excel in both the negative and the positive roles, and when you add the visual aspect of the scenes with the mirrors or the climax of the film at the funeral, it's hard to find any flaws. The film is action-packed from beginning to end, the best John Woo film ever, and as the icing on the cake, Dominique Swain prevents it from going below 100%. (22/01/2006)