FACEOFF
Jeffery Chen
Directed by: John Woo
Producer: Jeff Levine
Screenplay and Co-producers: Mike Werb, Michael Colleary
Director of Photography: Oliver Wood
Cast: John Travolta (Sean Archer), Nicholas Cage (Castor Troy), Joan Allen (Eve Archer).
Official WebSite: www.face-off.com/.
Synopsis
In an attempt to assasinate FBI agent Sean Archer (Travolta), professional terrorist Castor Troy (Cage) accidentally kills the latter's five year old son. Propelled by revenge, Archer tries to track down Troy for the next eight years.
The terrorist plants a bomb in a secret location in downtown Los Angeles. Archer catches Troy but the latter falls into a coma. In an attempt to find out the exact location of the bomb, the FBI agents came up with a plan to utilise the revolutionary techn ology of the Walsh Institute. Both Archer and Troy's faces are removed and the former is transformed to take on the exact physical appearance of Troy. Then he is thrown into a maximum security prison to try to find out the location of the bomb from Troy's accomplice and brother Pollux. But Troy wakes up >from his coma and threatens the doctor to put Archer's face (the only one available) on for him. Then he kills the doctor and the only two FBI agents who are aware of the switch.
Now the two arch-enemies have completely switched their identities. Being totally cut off and abandoned by the outside world, Archer escapes from the prison and tries to hunt down Troy and expose the truth. Archer manages to catch up with Troy and kills h im. The medical procedure is reversed and Archer got back his true physical self.
As cinephiles can see for themselves, Hollywood is currently facing a really desperate need for original talent after rechurning their old conventions for decades. It seems that they are getting increasingly open about employing forei gn talents, especially after the success of Tarantino, who cannot seem to be able to stop being the promotion mouthpiece of Hong Kong cinema. Bear in mind that all this talk of fresh talent is just another marketing ploy. Filmmakers like John Woo, Tsui Ha rk and Ringo Lam have always been influenced and have been working on the same Hollywood conventions and genres which now look so jaded. The current situation is just an importing of the same old stuff that has mutated over a period of time in a foreign l and. Nonetheless, if one's concept of a good film is based on how much one's expectations for entertainment, action, sex, effects, etc. are fulfilled, then I suppose Hollywood is here to stay.
Generally speaking, FACEOFF is a rechurning of the age-old hardboiled detective, robber and cop genre. What is different this time, is that you get John Woo at the helm of the production. He brings with him the same theme of brotherhood, the "one man, two guns, plunging into the air" shooting shots, the bloody violence and the "I am the Mozart of action" fluid action sequences. Compare this film to the awkward BROKEN ARROW and you will see that Woo has adjusted comfortably into the Hollywood system and is able to hold on to his signature style in a true blockblaster. The well-crafted screenplay enables the film to differ >from the usual run-of-the-mill action flick. By having the robber and the cop exchange their physical appearance and thus identities co mpletely, the film adds much psychological depth to an extent that it may even appeal to those who are looking for a "Thinking Man's" action flick (I do not know whether this exists). Despite the film's publicity would have you believe about the innovatio n in this switching of roles, one must take such ravings with a truck load of salt, as the dramatic technique of appearance versus reality and the theme of identity is as old as Shakespeare himself. One should never take Hollywood films too seriously anyw ay.
The film opens with a highly cliched sequence of the killing of Archer's son, Michael. The melodramatic sequence shows in muted, washed out colours how Michael dies in the place of Archer. This is consistent with the Hollywood style of exposition which sh ows clearly all the dynamics of the drama which will ensue. Nothing is left unanswered. A "good" Hollywood film will most likely have it as its principle the fulfilling of every audience's expectations, especially in the plot of the film.
Nevertheless, there are interesting moments in the film. In a shoot-out in the Hasslers' apartment, the young son of Sasha, Adam is told to put on his headphones to prevent him from being frightened by the gun shots. What should be playing on the phones b ut "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"? With that over the soundtrack and the slow-motion action sequence from Adam's perspective, Woo demontrates that he is really "the Mozart of Action" in a strange and farcical way. When Troy holds Jamie hostage, he licks her face lustfully in front of Archer and his wife. Since Troy has the physical appearance of Archer, it is interesting to see that every parents' nightmare vision of incest is realised physically. The title resonates throughout the film with Archer's little gesture of putting his hand in front of the face of someone his loved ones. This is especially disconcerting when the gesture really looks like him ripping the face off.
It even becomes ridiculous in the end when Jamie adopts his gesture and does the same to young Adam. If you read into it, you will be very puzzled with why this sense of mutilation would exist when greeting a loved one. Maybe Woo is suggesting that if you like someone it means that you would not mind exchanging faces with him or her in contrast with the trauma brought on Archer when his face is exchanged with that of his arch-enemy. A shoot-out at a Catholic church reminds one of a similar scene in Woo's The Killer. He seems to be especially fond cliched symbols of Catholism like the cross, candles and white doves. Again, it maybe the work of the screenwriters who are aware of Woo's conventions and want to include that to satisfy the increasing number of Woo fans in the American audience.
The film is well-executed and explores the psyches of the two protagonists efficiently. Cage is excellent as usual, in his portrayal of a man who has to live with the appearance and identity of his arch-enemy. Travolta is still Travolta no matter how you look at it. The characterisation of his screen persona has not progressed much since PULP FICTION. The rest of the cast gave a steady supporting performance which you would expect from a studio produced film.
Overall, FACEOFF is well-made entertainment. For Woo fans who were disappointed with BROKEN ARROW, FACEOFF might just be able to persuade you from jumping off the Woo wagon. * Wait for the TV2 broadcast.
** A little creaky, but still better than staying at home with Gotcha!
*** Pretty good, bring a friend.
**** Amazing, potent stuff.
***** Perfection. See it twice.
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