One of the first movies John Travolta worked on after coming back from the Hollywood graveyard was Face/Off. The movie, starring John Travolta and Nicholas Cage is not the type of movie you would have expected the normally tame or comedic Travolta to star in. This thriller is both clever and intriguing. Dealing with a role-reversal of unexpected portions, Face/Off offers a dose of revenge and redemption that is often lacking in similar films of its kind.

Face/Off takes two men on opposite sides and thrusts them into a game of physical role reversal. Sean Archer (John Travolta) is an FBI agent that is nothing short of obsessed about bringing down the criminal, Castor Troy (Nicholas Cage) who killed his son. Troy is an international terrorist more than a child killer, but it was that one unintentional action that set the train in motion towards his potential destruction.

Towards the beginning of the move Troy ends up in a coma as a bomb is left hiding somewhere in the L.A. area. Archer is left in a tight spot when he has no one to interrogate and has no idea where that bomb is located. In an odd twist of fate, Archer agrees to go into ultimate under cover by allowing to a face transplant and becoming Castor Troy. Of course, no action movie occurs without thick plots and lots of action. Troy wakes up and in the need for a face, he takes Archers.

The result it an ulta-emotional undercover job for Archer and a rollercoaster ride for Troy, as well. Face/Off offers plenty of action, explosions, and good acting that makes the film perfect for any action lover or someone looking for a twist on the typical Hollywood fare. One of the best things about this movie is the lack of CGI. If you want the real thing, you will enjoy the stunts and body doubles that fulfill your more realistic action needs.

Face/Off adds much more emotion than your typical action flick, but that is one of the things that make it work so well all these years later. Had it just been some action and thrills, the film would not have held up the way that it does. Thanks to the emotional content there are more reasons to revisit the film to watch the emotional fallout and to see the excellent performances by Gina Gershon and the two male leads.

Face/Off was released recently on DVD in a two disc set by Paramount Pictures. The new set offers a better picture quality and tons of special features that you have not seen before. This new package is worth checking out even if you already own the previously released single disc version of Face/Off.

The special features available in this set include audio commentaries with director, John Woo, and writers Michael Colleary and Mike Werb, deleted scenes, and alternate scenes. At least seven scenes have optional commentary including, Hideaway Shootout, Childhood Lessons, Will Dad be Dad Again, Archer vs. Castor Finale, Castor Kills the Janitor, and Archer Weeps. An alternative ending is also available.

A one hour featurette that could be considered more of a documentary is available on disc two. The Light and the Dark: Making Face/Off includes five parts that explain all you could want to know about making the movie. Another featurette on the disc is John Woo: A Life in Pictures, which celebrates the director’s life and work.

Face/Off stands out as one of the better actions films in a period when many of the action films just didn’t stand out. This stylish, diabolical action flick is as good ten years later as it was the day it was released. This new release offers an excellent spin on the age old cat and mouse story with tons of reasons to watch the movie and the special features that are included.

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