To foil a terrorist plot, an FBI agent undergoes facial transplant surgery to assume the identity of the criminal mastermind who murdered his only son, but the criminal wakes up prematurely and seeks revenge.
Sean Archer, a very tough, rugged FBI Agent, is still grieving for his dead son Michael. Archer believes that his son's killer is his sworn enemy and a very powerful criminal, Castor Troy. One day, Archer has finally cornered Castor, however, their fight has knocked out Troy cold. As Archer finally breathes easy over the capture of his enemy, he finds out that Troy has planted a bomb that will destroy the entire city of Los Angeles and all of its inhabitants. Unfortunately the only other person who knows its location is Castor's brother Pollux, and he refuses to talk. The solution, a special operation doctor that can cut off people's faces, and can place a person's face onto another person. Archer undergoes one of those surgeries to talk to Pollux. However, Castor Troy somehow regains consciousness and now wants revenge on Archer for taking his face. Not only is Troy ruining Archer's mission, but his personal life as well. Archer must stop Troy again. This time, it's personal.Written by
John Wiggins
A lot of people caught the flu while filming the prison scenes because of the dirty conditions there. See more »
Goofs
(at around 2h 10 mins) When Castor is being loaded onto the after being harpooned, his hand drops to his side and then moves back up even though he is supposed to be dead. See more »
Quotes
Castor Troy:
[Both have each other at gun point after a shoot out in an airplane hanger]
Wow. We have something in common. We both know our guns.
Sean Archer:
What we don't have in common, is that I don't care if I live, and you do.
Castor Troy:
Sean, that hurts. You're not having any fun, are you, Sean? Why don't you join us? Try Terrorism-for-hire, we can blow shit up, it's more FUN!
Sean Archer:
Shut the fuck up!
Castor Troy:
You watch your FUCKIN' MOUTH! I'm about to unleash the biblical plague "Hell-A" deserves. But I'll give this SHITHOLE a break if my ...
[...] See more »
Alternate Versions
The German Video-Trailer shows a scene not included in the released versions. It shows another FBI-Agent shot-gunned during the shoot-out in Dietrich's Loft. See more »
Miserere
By Gregorio Allegri
Performed by Westminster Abbey Choir (as Choir of Westminster Abbey) under the direction of Simon Preston
Courtesy of Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft mbH, Hamburg
By Arrangement with PolyGram Film & TV Licensing See more »
This one has a tough job of convincing the audience that the main characters, Travolta and Cage, could swap faces via plastic surgery and still be convincing as one another. It works! Woo has a certain style down-the long flowing robes, slow mo shootouts, orchestral hype in the background, furious shoot outs, explosions, etc. Essentially a more stylish Bruckheimer movie if ya think about it.
I have always liked the Bald guy and Gina Gershon here the most from the supporting cast, and enjoyed the way both the leads got to 'understand' the others' family, way of life, friends, etc. You have to like how Castor gets Travolta's girl to learn knife fighting, for example, or seeing the camaraderie of Cage's group.
Good shootouts and action, sometimes the conceits here are quite far flung, but you can live with that as an audience. I sure did, and so give this...
*** outta ****, it's quite good
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This one has a tough job of convincing the audience that the main characters, Travolta and Cage, could swap faces via plastic surgery and still be convincing as one another. It works! Woo has a certain style down-the long flowing robes, slow mo shootouts, orchestral hype in the background, furious shoot outs, explosions, etc. Essentially a more stylish Bruckheimer movie if ya think about it.
I have always liked the Bald guy and Gina Gershon here the most from the supporting cast, and enjoyed the way both the leads got to 'understand' the others' family, way of life, friends, etc. You have to like how Castor gets Travolta's girl to learn knife fighting, for example, or seeing the camaraderie of Cage's group.
Good shootouts and action, sometimes the conceits here are quite far flung, but you can live with that as an audience. I sure did, and so give this...
*** outta ****, it's quite good