WTF Happened to Face/Off?
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- Face/Off ranks as the most universally acclaimed of director John Woo’s North American output. While Hard Target is a cult classic, and Broken Arrow was a solid hit, 1997’s Face/Off was the first time Woo got to really flex his action chops, being granted creative control by the studio. It's his only American film that comes close to matching his Hong Kong classics like The Killer and Hard-Boiled. The result was a star-driven action extravaganza that became one of the biggest worldwide hits of the year.
In it, John Travolta plays Sean Archer, an FBI agent looking to avenge the death of his son at the hands of a terrorist for hire named Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage). He manages to catch Troy, but not before the terrorist places a bomb somewhere in Los Angeles, leading to a wild plot. Archer will take the catatonic Troy’s face and infiltrate a maximum security prison in order to find out the location of the bomb from Troy’s incarcerated brother. Of course, Troy soon wakes up and has the top-secret procedure replicated, taking Archer’s face and establishing himself as a hero with the FBI bureau. He also takes Sean’s place with his family, leading to a daring escape, multiple shoot-outs, doves and tons of explosions.
Indeed, Face/Off is the kind of star-driven action movie they don’t make anymore. A film like Face/Off would be made for a fraction of the budget now, and it's unlikely that two A-listers as big as Travolta and Cage were at the time would be affordable. While Adam Wingard and Nicolas Cage have teased a sequel, without Woo at the helm, it seems like an iffy proposition. In this episode of WTF Happened to this Movie, which is written and narrated by Dave Davis, and edited by Juan Jimenez, we dig into how the film was based on a high-profile spec script with many stars attached at various times. We dig into how Travolta and Cage ended up playing the leads and the film’s enduring place in pop culture.
Does Face/Off hold up twenty five years later? Let us know in the comments!
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Nick Cage's entrance to the Hallelujah chorus is one of the most insane performances in film history. He literally devours all the scenery. Acting Deity.
Yesss !
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
He ate the extras and movie set?
@@aic8001 literally!
@@aic8001 Consider who we're talking about--it's a distinct possibility.
Two brilliant actors on the top of their game and a truly original and bonkers idea made this movie so unique
I hate most modern movies and series and I remember loving this movie when it first came out so I think it's time to revisit it. Hope it still holds up well
The way each actor captured the nuances of one another was just a great tribute to the both of them. Truly legendary.
Best part was changing characters mid shoot
The “over-acting” and Bonkers writing just makes it work! 😂
I remember seeing this in the theater. I liked how John Travolta and Nicholas Cage would adopt their mannerisms while portraying the other person's character.
That was fantastic seeing them play the other's parts
That is why I love this movie. I thought 2 of them do good at it.
Err… that is the essence of the film; them acting as each other’s characters.
Did you like the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park? Or the fights in Rocky?
I was 10 when this movie came and I wasn’t allowed to see R rated movies so I never saw it at that time. But I watched it recently and it was AWESOME
I also saw this in the theaters! The movie still holds up, and I remember as time went on, I realized how much deeper parts of the movie went. As a kid, all I saw was action, guns, and explosions. As an adult, I saw symbolism, and much more sophisticated concepts. I can't say the movie is perfect, but definitely a worthy watch and a borderline masterpiece!
This is one of the best 90's movies. Nick cage and Travolta completely dominated their roles to perfection. Also really liked Con-air.
Now I want to see a version with Schwarzenegger and Stallone where they try to do each other's accents and *fail hysterically* but everyone in the movie *totally buys it* anyways and doesn't notice.
they probably would have added some kind of accent adjusting device in their throats like the voice adjusting one in the film
And match each others bodymass lol
Dude🤣
The thing is they wouldn't need to do that, the voice changer is a perfect plot device to make sure they don't need to act like the other person too much, just mannerisms
@@Mentherex you and your logical explanation can go to hell ; )
This will forever be one of the greatest films released in my lifetime. Not only are the actors phenomenal in their performance, but the story is wonderfully original. Between the action, the music, and the acting, the emotional heights are all magnified to draw viewers in and I can't get enough of it all!
In an era of reboot, reboot, reboot, it's stuff like this that will forever stand the test of time!
yes, the time when movie takes risk of original ideas. the golden era!
Cage and Travolta are so perfect in this one
I cant even imagine the movie with other characters. While both were relatively b list actors at the time, you would be hard pressed to find two actors with the range they both had. I love the movie even though its pretty bad but, Cage and Trevolta switch between good and bad so well.
Absolutely Love this movie. John Woo did a brilliant job after Broken Arrow with this one.
Omg I haven’t seen broken arrow in years
mr woooo
I remember my aunt took me,my bro&my cousins to see "Face/Off" in theater, it was a good memory and could never talk about a "Peach" without quoting Nicholas Cage for a good while 😆
Same! Peach. I could eat a peach for houuuuuurs ~
*aunt silently giggling*
this is a classic loved it when I was a teenager probably seen it 100 times, the VHS cover was also a classic with a hologram flipping between their faces
The acting chops of John and Nick are fantastic! To be able to portray each other and each other’s character and each other’s character while their own character is underneath was masterful. Their acting was phenomenal in this movie.
The 90's had some of the best action movie's Terminator 2 Speed True lies The Rock and Faceoff the chemistry between John Travolta and Nicholas Cage was fantastic and when they played each other parts was even better
You're spitting facts 💯
Yup. And don't forget Con Air!
Point break!!!
@@MrKahlerHahn eraser
Hard target, under siege, broken arrow, con air, the rock, the matrix, true lies, metro, mission impossible, street fighter, cliffhanger, sudden death, any of the James bond, to name but a few, oh add Jackie Chan movies in there aswell
This really is a one of a kind film 😂 I love how crazy it is!
Absolutely loved this movie. Cage and Travolta ruled it. Just ♥️
I love this film. John Woo is a master of action. Whole film is great. Has heart too. Score is fantastic and performances are great as well. Woo invented the dive and shoot and the slide and shoot.
Face/Off is definitely worthy of being in the mount Rushmore of action movies. Still holds up to any of today's action films.
Fun fact : they doing a sequel
@@vampirascoffin870 Please no…
@@vampirascoffin870 They better not. It's guaranteed to suck.
@vampiras coffin, I have a few titles as a suggestion: Face/On? Faces/Off? About Face/Off? 2Face/2Off? TwoFaces/OneOff?
Brother, I prefer they give us a 4K blu ray with an amazing transfer, a new Dolby Atmos mix, and a commentary track with Travolta and Cage. What say you friend?
This movie is definitely one of my favorites of all time! So crazy it's just awesome!
I was junior high when this came out, Face Off, The Rock, and Conair are more than just action movies to people my age. Maybe it has something to do with nostalgia but they're more than just movies, they were all anybody could talk about at the lunch table back in the mid 90s.
What I love about this film is that is strikes a good balance between character and action. Travolta and Cage are not just stars slipping into action roles, they actually feel like distinctive people. Half the film is them and the dazzling special effects.
So much rewatchability. Since it came out, and owning the VHS, Ive seen it probably a dozen times. Works to this day as a great action flick
I got one word for this movie…classic!! I seen this in the theater and loved it!
This is a great movie. I really like how John Travolta and Nicholas Cage switch roles, that’s very impressing.
One of the best action movies ever made 🙌🏼
This movie is so dope. I watched it for the first time when I had covid and it definitely lifted my spirits.
you're only seeing Face Off for the first time during covid? Wow you're lucking being able to experience the movie for the first time. If you haven't seen The Rock or Con Air they're good movies starring Nic Cage when he went from being a straight up method actor to blockbuster action hero . Even though he plays a cop or a bomb specialist in The Rock his performance is really good because he's just an everyman who's not equipped or trained to deal with the bizarre circumstances he's thrown into . And if memory serves me right all the other people are highly trained soldiers and killers and he's just an average nerdy guy
@@laurarules3642 I've seen the Rock also but I haven't seen con air
@@laurarules3642 I just watched Con Air tonight and it was so good. Thanks for reminding me that movie existed.
Face/Off is a great movie all the way around. Excellent cast and direction - plus, whether or not you choose to "turn your brain off" is irrelevant. It was part of the modern golden age of cinema in 1990s.
I would kill for a buddy cop/buddy criminal OTT action movie with these two in the lead roles again.... It would be epic!
Iconic movie and a rights of passage for our generation. Can’t believe these 2 actors can be in 1 movie
John Woo: "John, I'm gonna need you to play both an FBI agent agent and a psychopath" "Nick, I'm gonna need you to play you and someone pretending to be you."
Nicolas cage is the best
That is hilariously accurate!!!
Castor Troy ... still the coolest Name a Movie-Character ever had
It's great but i prefer Steven Segal's character in Hard To Kill... Detective Mason Storm!
Ageed!
@@petewinder3211 mason storm?? yah thats a good name if youre a 12yr old lol
His mothers name was Helena....you know....Helena Troy.
Idk if it tops John Cutter. (Passenger 57 another great classic 90s action flick)
Very entertaining. Original concept. Good actors. A fun ride. I hope it does not get remade. Travolta and Cage cant be replaced. Their acting is a big part of the movie.
"I'm bored let's go...I'm bored let's go"- A line I use whenever I'm in a que or traffic...
I remember seeing it in the theater back in 1997. It still holds up to this very day.
One of the best touching action movie i have watched in the 90s. I was flabbergasted and impressed with the story line and the character switched in the story. The villain and the good guy have both side of their stories and John Travolta and Nicholas Cage have played the characters to their prefection .
One of the best action movies I have seen in my childhood
This is one of my favorite 90s films. I probably saw Face/Off 10 times in the summer of 97.
One note to add: John Woo is making a new action movie with Joel Kinnaman. I have read that there is no dialogue...it's called "Silent Night". Definitely curious about a non-verbal action movie from Woo.
well not now, John Woo passed away just recently...
@@eclipsehorse8693 are u sure?
@@CineRam It was a hoax. He is still (thankfully) alive.
As a teenager... That time period was a honey pot of action movies for me ...
I have an idea for "Wtf HAPPENED to John Woo?" He was phenomenal in his prime (A better tomorrow 1 & 2, Hard boiled, The killer and also cheesy but fun movies like Hard Target, Broken Arrow, Mission Impossible 2 and even Paycheck was decent)
Bro got old and can't manage the big guns anymore
He is a programmer now and made the Xbox game John Woo’s Stronghold
Saw it in theaters back in 97! Still love it till this day.
One movie you can’t get bored watching again and again. Bring the sequel already 😍😍
I would prefer they not. I have learned the lesson, haven't you? With all of the shitty sequels out there, surely you have gotten the message by now. Just let your good memories be good memories. If you want more Face Off, watch it again.
@@danielduncan6806 i get your point but did you watch the new sequel of top gun?
@@ranulfcaceres Come on. You are acting like that is not an exception. Good sequels are an exception, not the rule.
I watched this movie with my dad as a kid and have watched it several times after...always loved the psychological aspect of it. The action was just a plus for me.
I remember seeing Travolta with the boy at the end when I saw the movie on TV as a kid.
What a masterpiece this movie is.
Though I don't see the necessity of a sequel tbh.
Face/Off underrated action flick. Cage and Travolta playing off each other is great. Rewatching it after finishing your video.
Lmao, thought it was a hockey movie 🤣😅🤣 imagine his face as he's ready the script
this movie would never get old ♥️
One of my favorite all time action movies, it's so over the top I never get tired of watching it. It has so many amazing scenes and is one of Cages best performances. A couple of my favorite quotes "I hate to see you go but I love to watch you walk away", "Sean, that hurts. You're not having any fun, are you, Sean? Why don't you join us? Try Terrorism-for-hire, we can blow shit up, it's more FUN!"
Excellent, entertaining popcorn flick of which Hollywood rarely does anymore these days. The only thing bad I can say about it is that it has one shoddy dubbing of Pollox in a couple of spots, and that we clearly see the Travolta and Cage double's faces during the boat chase and crash at the end.
Definitely my favourite action movie of the 90's.
No remakes please.... Face/off is perfect just the way it is. A masterpiece. Best nonstop action movie from beginning to end. NO REMAKES PLEASE.
One of the best films ever released…Nic plays John and John plays Nic… very challenging acting challenges…but Joan Allen was also Oscar worthy
Definitely a fun movie, great performances from both Cage and Travolta.
It’s a great movie that absolutely holds up today. Quite underrated as many 90s movies are. To name some others: Enemy of the State, Arlington Road, A Perfect Murder, Nick of Time, Mercury Rising
I get sick of spending 20mins trying to pick something to watch on Netflix. I love watching great movies from the 90s to 2000 which I always turn to. Love em.
Face/off was excellent, probably one of my favorite movies.
This is a goofy movie, but it's pretty entertaining to watch Cage and Travolta try to out ham each other!
John Travolta was such a treat in Broken Arrow- this is like a second bowl of ice cream! :)
Very memorable and very rewatchable movie. I just love the 90s movies
One of the most rewatchable movie
Yepp, gotta watch it again now.
What a great piece of entertainment.
God, i miss the 90's.
Con Air, Face Off, The Rock. Cage was on a level high above everyone else during this run of action blockbusters
Great movie. One of my childhood favourites 👍
LOL I saw this in my youth, on bootleg cable, about 400 times. When I was young I thought it was a flop of a movie with all the over-the-top action. I had no idea how popular it was.
One of the best action movies ever made. Still. 👌🏻
This movie never gets the credit it deserves not only is the action brilliant the acting is out of this world both actors portrayed the change of persona brilliantly in my opinion this movie is an oscar winner
One of my all time favourite movies.
READY FOR THE BIG RIDE BABYYYYYY
One of the greatest movies
This was one of my favorite DVDs growing up. Plenty of nights watching this with my six speaker surround sound system.
I haven't seen this film for around 20 years and haven't even thought of it, but I loved it when I saw it on release and am gonna have to watch it again now. They just don't make stuff like Face Off anymore.
Nic Cage and John Travolta hamming-up the crazyness on this is masterful, one of my fave Nic Cage films.
The last time I experienced that kind of crazyness is in Cop Shop starring Gerald Butler and Frank Grillo.
Such a good movie.....I truly enjoyed it. Gina Gershon has been my girl crush for a while. John Travolta and Nicholas Cage did great jobs.
OMG, I can totally see Michael Douglas and Harrison Ford in the roles!!
I still watch this movie once a year
I watching this as a kid I my mind was blown away by action scenes…
This is a great Movie..Good Drama, Good Action and Great Characters...
An excellent film , one of mine & my daughter’s favourites, they swapped roles brilliantly
One of the best action movies in 90s.
Interesting. I always wondered why the prison seemed more futuristic but it was never explained about the tech at it. Now I know. Makes sense!
I love this film, in my opinion, it's John Woo's best film. I saw it twice in theater!
@@matthewdaley746 It's been a lot of years since I watched John Woo movies but I remember the action scenes being like some perfectly orchestrated dance or something. He made brutal violence look beautiful . Even though a lot of people hated Hard Target I thought it was epic
I love Face/Off. It is a really kick-ass movie.
I have been watching this movie at least once a year for the last 25 years
One of my favorite action flicks!
The whole film was a “peach.” But I still get chills when I see Travolta’s shadow/face walking by the window at the end, and his wife and daughter greet him at the door with their new rescued son ❤ The musical score in this film ! A+++++ ! 🎵
So glad we got those two leads.
Face/Off is definately one of the best movies from the 90s!
Travolta is so good playing the Bad Guy 🙌
This is one of my favorite movies! Hands down!!!
I never understand why more people don't love this film, I can't think of a film since that has been able to really capture the same sense of threate
this was like terminator 2! superb flawless!
Still one of my top favorite movies!!
Brilliant movie on so many levels. Archer inadvertently kills an old part of himself when striking the fatal blow that kills Troy. With his own face staring back at him in that moment!!! Cage selling every minute of it.Excellent writing. Outstanding performance. #theyunderstoodtheassignment
Not every movie needs a sequel. Face/Off is definitely a movie that doesn't need a sequel / spin-off / remake / reboot / prequel... nothing. Face/Off is one a kind.
It came out on the cinema... a few months later it came out on video, very soon after DVD. In the years that followed we saw blu ray and streaming releases. Some say this film is still available to watch today!
That's what happened to Face/Off.
One of the best action movies in my humble opinion 😊😊👌👌👍👏👏👏🏅🥇
For my generation in South Africa we used to watch this movie year in and year out on one of the standard channels - always on Sundays which was known as "Sunday Night Movies"; not very original, I know but that gave it legendary status and we loved it and still do! You would be hard pressed to find someone in my age range 19-24 in South Africa who doesn't love this movie.
Actually a landmark movie in my evolution as a cinephile as this lead to me checking out john woo‘s hong kong film, what lead me to generally fall in love with asian cinema.
I love this movie...still might be my fave Travolta and cage flick. The church shootout is still one of my favorite scenes ever. Watched it a few weekends ago...even if the premise is goofy and over the top unrealistic....it does hold up as a movie
Favorite movie. Love the scene with the shoe laces. Such a crass contrast to castor's evil character. That was a great add to the movie cause it gives the characters layers. I even read the book and it gives the characters even more backround.
The boat scene is out of the world...
Kudos for calling John Woo a "bullet ballet virtuoso." Adroit phrasing.
Great movie with such beautiful music.
The Chinese proverb of "Walking A Mile In a Man's Shoes" was never articulated better. 👌
Face/off is obviously mad, but I really like the way Travolta and Cage acted it - I think they did a great job.