Taglines: In order to trap him, he must become him.
Face/Off movie storyline. Sean Archer, a very tough, rugged FBI Agent, is still grieving for his dead son Michael. Archer believes that his son’s killer is his sworn enemy and a very powerful criminal, Castor Troy. One day, Archer has finally cornered Castor, however, their fight has knocked out Troy cold. As Archer finally breathes easy over the capture of his enemy, he finds out that Troy has planted a bomb that will destroy the entire city of Los Angeles and all of its inhabitants.
Unfortunately the only other person who knows its location is Castor’s brother Pollux, and he refuses to talk. The solution, a special operation doctor that can cut off people’s faces, and can place a person’s face onto another person. Archer undergoes one of those surgeries to talk to Pollux. However, Castor Troy somehow regains consciousness and now wants revenge on Archer for taking his face. Not only is Troy ruining Archer’s mission, but his personal life as well. Archer must stop Troy again. This time, it’s personal.
Face/Off is a 1997 American science fiction action film directed by John Woo, written by Mike Werb and Michael Colleary, and starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage. Travolta plays an FBI agent and Cage plays a terrorist, sworn enemies who assume each other’s physical appearance.
The first Hollywood film in which Woo was given major creative control, Face/Off earned favorable reviews and grossed $245 million worldwide. The film was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Sound Effects Editing (Mark Stoeckinger) at the 70th Academy Awards.
About the Story
FBI Special Agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) survives an assassination attempt by freelance domestic terrorist and homicidal sociopath Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage), but the bullet pierces through Sean’s chest and strikes his son Michael, killing the boy.
Six years later, Sean’s vendetta against Castor culminates in his team’s ambush of Castor and his younger brother/accomplice Pollux (Alessandro Nivola) at Los Angeles International Airport. Castor goads Archer with knowledge of a bomb located somewhere in the city set to go off in a few days, but he is knocked into a coma before Archer can learn more.
Sean affirms the threat is real, but is unable to convince Pollux to reveal where the bomb is located. At suggestion of his partner Tito Biondi (Robert Wisdom) and Special Ops specialist Dr. Hollis Miller (CCH Pounder), Sean secretly undergoes a highly experimental face transplant procedure by Dr. Malcolm Walsh (Colm Feore) to take on Castor’s face and appearance. Sean is taken to the same high-security prison where Pollux is, and slowly convinces Pollux that he is Castor, gaining information on the bomb’s location. Meanwhile, Castor wakes up from his coma prematurely and discovers his face missing. He calls his gang, and they force Dr. Walsh to put Sean’s face on him.
Castor visits the prison and surprises Sean. He taunts his nemesis with how he burned down Dr. Walsh’s lab with Walsh, Tito and Miller inside to eliminate all evidence of their switch and will take over Sean’s life. He leaves Sean to languish while he convinces Pollux to “reveal” the bomb’s location in exchange for release from prison. Disarming his bomb in a dramatic fashion, Castor-as-Sean gains respect from Sean’s fellow FBI colleagues. Castor gets close to Sean’s family that Sean neglected over his vendetta: he romances his wife Eve (Joan Allen) and saves his daughter Jamie (Dominique Swain) from an attempted rapist.
Sean escapes after staging a riot, and retreats to Castor’s headquarters. There, Sean meets Sasha (Gina Gershon), the sister of Castor’s primary drug kingpin, and her son Adam who reminds Sean of Michael. Sean learns that Adam is Castor’s son, whom he once had planned to put under foster care. Castor learns of Sean’s escape and hastily assembles a team to raid his headquarters.
The raid quickly turns into a bloodbath, killing numerous FBI agents and several members of Castor’s gang, including Pollux; Sean, Sasha, and Adam are able to escape. Sean’s supervisor, Director Victor Lazarro (Harve Presnell) blames Castor for the numerous slayings. Castor, furious over Pollux’s death, kills Victor and makes it look like a heart attack. Castor-as-Sean is promoted to Acting Director as plans are made for Lazarro’s funeral.
Sean finds safety for Sasha and Adam and approaches Eve. He persuades her to take a sample of Castor’s blood and his own to compare their blood types at the hospital where she works to prove he is Sean. Convinced of her husband’s identity, she tells him that Castor will be vulnerable at Lazarro’s funeral. At the ceremony, Sean finds that Castor has anticipated his actions and takes Eve hostage. Sasha arrives, and a gunfight ensues; Sasha manages to save Eve after taking a bullet. Before she dies, Sean promises to take care of Adam for her and not allow him to grow up with a life of crime.
Face/Off (1997)
Directed by: John Woo
Starring: John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan Allen, Gina Gershon, Alessandro Nivola, Dominique Swain, Nick Cassavetes, Harve Presnell, Colm Feore, Margaret Cho
Screenplay by: Mike Werb, Michael Colleary
Production Design by: Neil Spisak
Cinematography by: Oliver Wood
Film Editing by: Steven Kemper, Christian Wagner
Costume Design by: Ellen Mirojnick
Set Decoration by: Garrett Lewis
Art Direction by: Steve Arnold
Music by: John Powell
MPAA Rating: R for intense sequences of strong violence, and for strong language.
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures (United States), Buena Vista Pictures (International)
Release Date: June 27, 1997
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