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Face/Off is a 1997 American sci-fi action film directed by John Woo and written by Mike Werb and Michael Colleary. The film stars John Travolta and Nicolas Cage alongside Joan Allen, Gina Gershon, Alessandro Nivola, aDominique Swain, Nick Cassavetes, Harve Presnell, Colm Feore, CCH Pounder, and Thomas Jane.
Synopsis
In this sci-fi action classic, FBI agent Sean Archer undergoes facial replacement surgery to resemble deranged criminal Castor Troy, only for Troy to turn the tables on him by making himself look like Archer.
Cast
- John Travolta as Sean Archer/Castor Troy
- Nicolas Cage as Castor Troy/Sean Archer
- Joan Allen as Eve Archer
- Alessandro Nivola as Pollux Troy
- Gina Gershon as Sasha Hassler
- Dominique Swain as Jamie Archer
- Nick Cassavetes as Dietrich Hassler
- Harve Presnell as Victor Lazarro
- Colm Feore as Dr. Malcolm Walsh
- John Carroll Lynch as Prison Guard Walton
- CCH Pounder as Hollis Miller
- Robert Wisdom as Tito Biondi
- Margaret Cho as Wanda Chang
- Thomas Jane as Burke Hicks
- James Denton as Buzz
- Tommy Flanagan as Leo
- Matt Ross as Loomis
- Chris Bauer as Ivan Dubov
- Danny Masterson as Karl
- Myles Jeffrey as Michael Archer
- David McCurley as Adam Hassler
- Romy Walthall as Kimberly
- Paul Hipp as Fitch
- Kirk Baltz as Aldo
- Lisa Boyle as Cindee
- Lauren Sinclair as Agent Winters
- Steve Hytner as Agent Howell
- Joe Bob Briggs as Shock Technician
Production
Mike Werb and Michael Colleary were inspired to write the script after a friend of theirs injured himself in a hang gliding accident and needed facial surgery. In the original draft, the film was set in the future, but when John Woo signed on, he insisted that it remain in the present day so that they could focus on the psychological aspects of the film. Rob Cohen was set to direct, but constant delays had him dropping out and he directed Dragonheart instead.
Before Travolta and Cage were cast, the studio considered various actor pairings for the parts of Sean Archer and Castor Troy, including Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Alec Baldwin, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal, Denzel Washington and Wesley Snipes, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, Harrison Ford and Michael Douglas, Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson, Mel Gibson and Kurt Russell, Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill, and Mick Jagger and David Bowie. Johnny Depp wanted to play Sean Archer but passed on the role after reading the script. He mistakenly thought the movie was about ice hockey, ironically the kind of thing John Woo wanted to avoid. Michael Douglas serves as an executive producer on the film. Mark Wahlberg was considered for the role of Pollux, but he turned it down, while Jennifer Tilly was considered for the role of Sasha.
Trivia
- This is one of several films that Disney co-produced with studio Paramount Pictures. While both Touchstone and Paramount are mentioned in the opening credits, Touchstone (Disney) owns the international distribution while Paramount owns the American distribution.
- John Woo insisted on leaving the slash in the title as he didn't want people thinking it was a hockey movie. Ironically, Johnny Depp thought that it was one until he read the script.
- Facial replacement surgery wouldn't become a reality until 2012, making this film scientifically ahead of its time.
- Margaret Cho's role was written for Chow Yun-fat.
- The magnetic boots worn by the prisoners are the same boots worn by the Goombas in Hollywood Pictures' much maligned film adaptation, Super Mario Bros.
- The film was released the same month as Nicolas Cage's other film Con Air, produced by the same studio that co-produced this one, Touchstone, and were shot so closely together that they nearly overlapped.
- One of Nicolas Cage's favorite films to have worked on.
- Danny Masterson appears in the film as Jamie's potential boyfriend Karl. His moment in the film, depicts him attempting to assault Jamie, only for Castor Troy (with Sean Archer's face) to stop him. Years later, Masterson would be arrested for multiple assault charges.
Videos
Sequel
Plans for a remake were announced in 2019, but were cancelled in favor of a sequel with Adam Wingard set to direct the film, though he later dropped out in 2026. It will be made without Disney's involvement and solely be a Paramount movie.
