THE FACE OF EVIL ? (Face/Off (DVD))

Member Name: thingywhatsit

Product:	Face/Off (DVD)
Date:	29/04/06 (158 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Darned good entertainment.

Disadvantages: Not suitable for children under 18 years of age.

I have just watched this movie for the third time, and it's an epic. Starring John Travolta and Nicholas Cage, the “good guy, bad guy” theme throughout the film is convincing, and what starts looking like any other shoot em up cop film actually turns into a very interesting twist of events, all improbable, although all only just beyond the realms of possibility with medical science advancing as it is, and altogether a roller coaster of emotions, impossible situations, and with a running theme of evil versus good.

The film opens with a carousel and FBI agent Sean Archer (played by John Travolta), holding his son, his passion as a father showing in his face, and the ever present threat of violence from Nicholas Cage, poised with his gun, who aims at Archer, and by fluke kills the child. This isn't very much of a giveaway, since all this action is shown in the opening scene, though the story that follows has you in its grips because of the improbability, although all of the emotive reaction to what is screened is logical and follows the players through changes, carefully and cleverly directed by John Woo.

“Face off” takes on a whole new meaning as the characters of Travolta and Cage are swapped in a futuristic surgical unit, and faces changed, the voice of Travolta modified, and the events that follow take the viewer through events that they are not expecting, but not in a mediocre way. I called the movie epic because to me the special effects are stunning and equal in their effectiveness to those used in Bond movies. The musical score is amazingly atmospheric, from sadness and the deepest pit of human despair, to the heights of happiness.

There is something special about this movie that stands it head over heels better than many action movies that I have seen in recent years, and I really do not want to spoil it for those people that have not yet seen it. What I particularly like here is the acting ability of both Travolta and Cage, both equally good as evil personalities, and the balancing act of personalities placed in such a seemingly impossible situation of exchanging lives.

Here, the contrast between the evil of Cage's character balanced perhaps against the fantasy needs of Travolta's wife, or the character changes that Travolta's daughter has been going through, misunderstood by parents, though related to by the evil Terrorist in sometimes an almost comical fashion. Taking the story from the opposite angle, seeing the way in which the FBI agent deals with his relationships in the Underworld takes the story to different levels and the biggest success factor of the movie is indeed the relationship factor.

Although I have seen films where characters swap places before, none has done it so convincingly, taking the moral behaviour of an FBI agent worn down in his search for the killer of his son, balanced against the immoral behaviour of a terrorist with very little feeling about human nature or feelings. The characters play against each other in a way that makes the viewer believe, anticipate, wonder and hope, and I believe that one of the real entertainment values of this film lies in the Directors incessant eye for detail and action, and believe me the film is action packed.

Face off was made in 1997, and hasn't dated as many films of this era have. It still thrills. It still delivers scene after scene of non stop action packed entertainment with a purpose, and not simply violence for the sake of violence. It is rated suitably as 18, and here I would tend to agree with the premise that the language contained in the film should be reserved to an adult audience, though would thoroughly recommend the film as being a blockbuster in its' time and certainly worth a modest investment of Five Pounds second hand on Amazon, as the kind of film that will give you a good enjoyable evenings' entertainment.

You want action, thrills, chases, explosive adventure, then this would be the one to watch out for.

Rachel

Summary: A super evenings viewing.