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Parents' Guide to

Face/Off

By Elliot Panek, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

'90s sci-fi crime thriller is extremely violent.

Movie R 1997 138 minutes
Face/Off Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Sam M.
Sam M. Parent of baby-year-old
June 3, 2017
age 14+

So Much Fun

A handful of bloody kills, still not very graphic. Psot surgery skinless faces. Sad death of a child in beginning is important to story. Creepy scene of a man in guise of another perving his daughter. Soem raunchy sex references A man drinks water with amphetamines in it. About 25 f words. Naked cartoon boobs on a bomb screen. Easily John Woo's best Hollywood movie. Plot is dumb but it suspends disbelief enough with the thrills more than compensating.Tho definitely not on the level of The Killer or Hard Boiled.
Nathan009
Nathan009 Adult
November 3, 2014
age 12+

Ok

The film is basically one of those films that you have to watch more than once. Some bloody shootouts but not graphic

This title has:

Too much swearing
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Government agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) has been chasing terrorist Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) ever since Castor murdered his 5-year-old son. After he catches Castor, Sean learns that in order to infiltrate terrorist ranks and acquire information about a plot to blow up Los Angeles, he must impersonate Castor. In the not-to-distant future, surgeons are able to perform seamless face transplants. To make the impersonation as convincing as possible, Sean has Castor's face grafted on to his head. Castor unexpectedly awakes from his post-surgical slumber and demands to be outfitted with Archer's face, thereby acquiring the sterling reputation that he needs to move his evil plot forward. When all evidence of the transplant procedure is destroyed, Archer must convince his family and his co-workers that he's not the depraved terrorist he appears to be, all while trying to maintain his wits and foil Castor's plans.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (12 ):

Face/Off is a uniquely awkward blend of sensationally violent action, hokey attempts at symbolism and drama, and dark humor. The film alternates so rapidly between earnest attempts to elicit emotion and crazed over-the-top acting and dialogue that it's impossible to know whether one should laugh at how contrived this film is or accept it as an action extravaganza aware of its own absurdity.

This ambiguity is less the fault of the actors (Travolta and Cage do a fine job of playing with the audience's expectations of their characters) than it is of action director John Woo. Subtlety isn't Woo's forte. His obsessive use of slow motion and clumsy, blatant symbolism turn what could have been an intriguing inquiry into identity into a ham-handed attempt at profundity and poignancy. His fetishistic treatment of gunfights that are expertly choreographed and highly stylized makes for the more spectacular and enjoyable moments of the movie. Still, the movie is not recommended for anyone under 17.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in action movies. Is all the violence necessary or is it gratuitous?

  • If this movie was remade today, how would it be different?

  • While this movie is from the '90s, do movies like these -- movies in which violence is entertainment, characters kill with no remorse, and extended battles with multiple firearms and casualties are frequent -- bear any of the blame for the gun violence that has ravaged so many communities in America, especially in the last two decades? Or are violent movies like these simply escapist entertainment?

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