--- title: "Face/Off: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/face-off/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/face-off" critics_score: 79 critics_reviews: 6 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Face/Off (1997): what the critics said Critics' score 79 from 6 reviews: 5 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics respond warmly to Face/Off, with praise centred on John Woo’s action choreography and the identity-swapping performances of Nicolas Cage and John Travolta. The leads’ imitation of each other’s mannerisms gives the outlandish premise humour and emotional weight. The reviews repeatedly credit Woo with making the action inventive and precisely staged, while the actors give the elaborate physical business something human to rest on. Reservations concern how much action the story needs, and whether its plotting holds together. The New York Times praises the plotting as smart, while Time Out finds little sense in it but enjoys the flamboyance and self-parody. The Independent offers the clearest dissent, arguing that surplus shoot-outs weigh down a clever premise and weaken its psychological interest. The spread is largely favourable rather than sharply divided: even the more reserved assessments find value in the performances and Woo’s handling of action. ## Empire — Adam Smith Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 7 November 1997. The critic hails John Woo's film as a triumphant high-octane action movie that revitalizes the genre with inventive, precisely choreographed set pieces and strong lead performances. Travolta and Cage excel in their swapped-identity roles, allowing Woo to fully deliver his signature Hong Kong-style flair on a Hollywood budget. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/face-2-review/) ## Radio Times — Adrian Turner Rating 4/5. The mix of bizarre plotting, high-octane thrills and sentimental drama does not always gel, but the critic singles out nice moments when Cage revives Travolta's stale marriage and the overblown action sequences. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-fviuky/faceoff/) ## Time Out — TCh Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 25 September 2014. The critic notes that the plot makes little sense but praises John Woo's delirious poetic-kinetic style and the flamboyant performances of Cage and Travolta, which turn the film into an elaborate self-parody and examination of acting. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/face/off) ## The Independent Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 7 November 1997. The review praises the clever premise and the actors' performances in swapped roles, which generate genuine emotional and ironic moments, while noting Woo's elegant action choreography. It criticizes the film for being weighed down by excessive, superfluous shoot-outs that undermine its psychological intelligence. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/film-reviews-the-changing-face-of-scifi-with-a-heart-1292493.html) ## The New York Times — Janet Maslin Rating Critic's Pick. 27 June 1997. The critic praises the film's strong characters, smart plotting, and breathless action, noting that Woo makes the viewer buy the loony premise with a smile. The bravura acting by Travolta and Cage is singled out for making the identity swap work on a human level. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/27/movies/good-and-evil-trade-places-body-and-soul.html) ## Variety — Todd McCarthy 23 June 1997. The review highlights the provocative premise, virtuoso direction, and dazzling lead performances that offset a lack of dramatic structure. The actors' role-swapping and Woo's kinetic direction are praised, though excess in action sequences is noted as a flaw. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/face-off-1200450111/) ## HeyUGuys — Matt Rodgers Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2019. The critic calls Face/Off one of the greatest action films ever made and a genre game-changer for its balletic gun-fu set pieces and over-the-top style. They single out the performances of Cage and Travolta for their unrestrained, larger-than-life mimicry of each other. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/face-off-best-action-movie-of-all-time/) ## Collider — Ross Bonaime Rating B+. 23 November 2022. The critic finds the film spectacular and one of the best 1990s action movies despite its absurd premise. They single out the lead performances, with Cage and Travolta effectively swapping mannerisms in the body-swap concept, alongside John Woo's stylish action direction. [Read the review](https://collider.com/face-off-review-nicolas-cage-john-travolta-john-woo/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/face-off.md